Standing high on a hill on the outskirts of Chedington, near Beaminster, Winyard’s Gap gets ten out of ten for location. The panoramic views across the rolling Dorset and Somerset countryside are spectacular!

Dating back 300 years, the pub, originally called The Three Horseshoes, was renamed after the Royalist General Winyard blasted his way through the chalky ridge to create a gap for heavy artillery during the Civil War. Charles I marched troops through the gap; his son Charles II later fled the same route. Thomas Hardy fans: the pub appears in his poem A Trampwoman’s Tragedy.

Today, mother and daughter team Bron and Lucy run the show, having moved to Dorset from jobs in the city back in 2020, and together with head chef Marie Childs, they’ve created a wonderful traditional pub with a cosy bar at the heart, a separate, light-filled dining room and a large beer garden – with those stunning views.

On the menus:  coronation chicken ciabatta, pulled pork buns, and courgette fritters;  hearty pub classics like cider battered fish & chips, pork & apple sausages, honey roast ham, egg & chips, lentil burger and their house cheeseburger; finer dining dishes include miso glazed salmon, and charred baby gem caesar salad with chicken or halloumi.  It’s best to book, especially for Sunday lunch – locally sourced meats, seasonal veg and super crispy roast potatoes – yum! And everything’s made with the top notch local ingredients for which Dorset is renowned.

What’s your tipple? They serve local real ales and ciders from Dorset producers, wine, all kinds of gins, whiskies and cocktails, mulled wines and spiced ciders in winter plus a good range of alcohol-free beers, mocktails and soft drinks.

Six boutique ensuite bedrooms – some double, some studio rooms with kitchenette/lounge areas and own outdoor space – sit behind the pub, each with their own private entrance.  A brilliant base for visiting the Jurassic Coast and West Dorset, there are interesting places to visit and good walks all around.

Which brings us into dogs, who are welcome throughout the pub, garden and in some of the bedrooms. Woof!

From May to September, there’s live music and an outdoor bar in the garden.

Open every day of the week. Bar: Mon to Sat, 11am – 11pm; Sun 11am – 9pm. Food: Mon to Fri, 12pm – 3pm & 6pm – 9pm; Sat 12pm – 3pm & 5pm – 9pm; Sun 12pm – 4pm.