The Atmospheric Railway Inn

True to its name, The Atmospheric Railway Inn sits alongside the railway at Starcross. The pub has recently been refreshed, setting a relaxing and welcoming scene for a bite to eat, leisurely pint or hearty dinner. The inn has its own car park, access to cycle and walking trails and Starcross station is across the road. There’s also a ferry that takes you to Exmouth, which makes for a great post-meal trip on sunny days.

We were greeted by landlord Hugh, who was clued up about the history of the inn, local area and of course, Isambard Kingdom Brunel – the gentleman who invented the Atmospheric Railway.

Local ale, cider, spirits and Devon-produced juices, along with a selection of modern wine, are available behind the bar. The dining area is spacious, fresh and cosy, with a wood-burning stove. I opted for the simple but delicious proper ham, egg and chips for mains, followed by the salted caramel dark chocolate torte with honeycomb ice cream and chef-landlady Aimie’s fabulous spun sugar, which the waitress recommended. My partner chose a beautifully presented pan-fried Brixham brill fillet with sautéed new potatoes, pak choi and lightly smoked cockle velouté sauce from the specials board, before tucking into the same salted caramel dessert, as it looked too good to miss.