The story of a pub often begins with a building. In the case of The Hunters Inn, it began with a walk.
When Mark Walton set out to walk the entire South West Coast Path in 2008, he passed hundreds of places to eat and drink along the way. Only one stayed firmly in his mind. Years later, that memory would shape the next chapter of his life.
“The Hunters Inn always stood out to me as one of the most iconic pubs along the route,” Mark says.
Today, he and his wife Debs Walton run that very pub, a striking old inn tucked deep in the Heddon Valley on Exmoor in North Devon. The couple took over the business in May 2025, stepping into a new venture that felt both inevitable and slightly surreal. Their daughter, Heather Paddon, describes the moment the opportunity appeared as something that felt almost pre-written.
“When Mum and Dad were on holiday thinking about their next move, as their lease at the Queen Victoria Inn was coming to an end, they saw The Hunters was available,” Heather explains. “It felt a bit like fate really.”
For Mark, the decision was rooted in a lifetime spent in pubs. Hospitality is not simply a job for him; it is the thread that has run through his entire working life.
“Running pubs has really been my life,” Mark says. “I’ve been a licensee for over 40 years, owning, running and managing pubs all around Somerset. It’s what we know and what we love doing.”
His route into the trade was equally straightforward. After leaving school, Mark went straight into the kitchen.
“I started out cheffing straight after leaving school and I’ve been in pubs ever since,” he says.
Debs arrived in hospitality from a slightly different direction. Before pubs, her career was far removed from pints and Sunday roasts.
“I was originally a beautician by trade,” Debs explains. “But since moving to the West Country I’ve always worked in hospitality. That’s actually where Mark and I met.”
Working with people quickly became the part of the job she enjoyed most.
“I’ve always loved working with people,” she says. “And it’s a bit in the blood as well because my parents were publicans for a time too, so the pub world has always been familiar.”
Even with decades of experience between them, taking on The Hunters Inn was not simply another pub move. The setting alone makes it different. The building sits in one of North Devon’s most striking valleys, surrounded by steep wooded slopes and crossed by the East Lyn River, with the South West Coast Path running close by.
For Mark, the connection was already there.
“Because of my walk along the Coast Path, The Hunters has always held a special place for me,” he says. “It’s such an iconic building in one of the most beautiful valleys in North Devon, and when we realised it was available it just felt like the right opportunity at the right time.”
Yet romantic ideas about a dream pub in a beautiful valley met reality very quickly.
When they took over in May, stepping into a business that required immediate attention. There was little time to ease into things.
“If we’re honest – chaotic,” Debs says, remembering those early weeks. “We didn’t quite know what we were walking into.”
The transition from previous tenants had not come with the kind of detailed handover that many new operators hope for.
“It was very much a cold start with not a huge amount of handover information,” Debs explains. “So we were starting from scratch in many ways.”
Still, there was a positive side to that blank slate.
“It also gave us the chance to begin fresh and start putting our own stamp on the place,” she adds.
What they could not fully anticipate was the scale of disruption that would arrive almost immediately.
When they took over the inn, a road closure was already in place due to bridge works nearby. On paper, it was simply a logistical inconvenience. In reality, it became one of the biggest challenges of their first year.
“We knew the road was closed when we took the pub on,” Debs says. “But we didn’t fully realise the impact the bridge closure would have.”
The situation was complicated further by bookings that had been made under the previous tenants, many of whom had not been informed about the access problems.
“The previous tenants hadn’t told existing bookings about the works or the access issues,” Debs explains. “So we made the decision to cancel them and ask guests to rebook through our new system. That way we could be completely honest about the situation.”
Some guests chose to come anyway.
“Thankfully many did rebook once they realised we were open again,” she says. “And we felt it was better to warn guests about the works happening right outside their windows.”
The effect on trade, however, was impossible to ignore.
“To be honest, it’s been pretty devastating,” Mark says. “It’s affected deliveries, supplies and of course customers.”
The geography of the valley meant that what might have seemed like a small detour elsewhere became a far bigger inconvenience here.
“A lot of people simply didn’t want to take the longer routes around,” he explains. “Some locals who used to be a five-minute walk away suddenly had a 20-minute drive, which understandably put people off just popping in for a drink.”
The nature of the works also changed the atmosphere of the valley itself.
“People come here to enjoy the peace of the valley and the stunning views,” Mark says. “Unfortunately the bridge works have been both noisy and quite an eyesore.”
The timing of the disruption meant that the Waltons were also learning the rhythms of a new region during the quietest part of the year.
“Coming from Somerset, we’re used to quieter winters but you still get steady walking trade,” Debs says. “Here it’s been quite different and we probably underestimated just how much things slow down in the winter months.”
Even so, closing the doors for the season was never part of the plan.
“We stayed open, kept going and came through the other side,” she says. “It’s given us a much better understanding going into next season. Our aim is still to stay open all year round, especially as so many places close in the winter.”
Support from the surrounding community has helped them through the difficult months.
“Yes, absolutely,” Debs says when asked about local backing. “People have supported us through events and by coming when they could, but the bridge closure definitely made it harder for many locals to pop over.”
Looking back, the experience has offered a crash course in the realities of running a rural pub in North Devon.
“It’s given us a real understanding of how seasonal trade can be here, and how much the weather affects life in the valley,” Debs says. “We’ve quite literally weathered a few storms.”
Now, however, the story is beginning to turn.
With the bridge finally reopening, the Waltons are marking the moment with something they never had the chance to hold last year – an opening celebration.
“We never really got the chance to have a proper opening party when we first took over because the bridge closed just four days later,” Mark says.
So on March 6, The Hunters Inn will host what he calls a delayed opening party.
“This feels like the perfect moment,” he says. “It’s a celebration that locals can finally cross the bridge easily again. It’s bringing the West Bank and East Bank back together.”
The night itself will be deliberately simple: music, food and the kind of atmosphere that defines a traditional country pub.
“We’ve got live music from the Moonshine Hillbillies from 8pm,” Debs says. “It’s also Pie Week, so we’ll have ten extra homemade pies on the specials board ready for a proper pie and party night.”
And naturally, the bar will be well stocked.
“There’ll be plenty of good beer flowing, including Stag and Otter,” she adds.
For Mark, success that evening will not be measured in ticket sales or numbers through the door.
“Seeing the place full of locals again,” he says, “and hopefully a few new faces who may have been put off visiting before because of the bridge closure.”
Above all, he wants the night to feel like a proper pub gathering.
“A good atmosphere, plenty of laughter and a bit of proper pub banter,” he says.
That sense of welcome is central to how the Waltons think about the inn today.
“It’s a really unique and beautiful old building set in one of the most stunning valleys you’ll ever see,” Debs says. “It’s run by a family and a team who genuinely love hospitality.”
The aim is simple: anyone walking through the door should feel comfortable.
“We want everyone who walks through the door to feel part of that,” she says. “Once you’ve seen The Hunters Inn, it’s the sort of place you never forget.”
In practical terms, that means creating a relaxed, inclusive environment.
“A proper family pub where everyone feels welcome,” Debs explains. “Somewhere relaxed and informal where you can sit with a pint, let the kids play in the garden, bring the dog along and enjoy good food and drink.”
Food, unsurprisingly, plays a central role. Mark’s background as a chef still shapes the kitchen.
“Pie Week this week is a big one,” Debs says. “Mark’s pies are quite famous from our time in Somerset, so they’re definitely worth trying.”
There are plans for other traditional favourites too.
“We’ll also be bringing back traditional Sunday roasts from Mother’s Day onwards,” she adds.
Another point of pride is the simple consistency of the offering.
“One thing we’re really proud of is that we serve food all day, every day — from breakfast and coffee through to lunch, tea and cake, and dinner.”
For the family, though, the significance of The Hunters Inn goes beyond menus and events.
“It’s a wonderful place for our grandkids to grow up visiting,” Debs says. “It’s family-friendly, full of character and somewhere they can make friends and great memories.”
After decades in the trade, there is also a quieter personal motivation behind the move.
“It’s the perfect place for us to ease into retirement,” she says.
With the road finally open again, attention is now turning towards the months ahead.
“More events, more live music, more visitors,” Mark says when asked what he hopes the next year will bring.
He pictures the pub at its best in the warmer months.
“Making the most of the garden, especially on lazy Sunday afternoons in the sunshine by the river, perhaps with a little music.”
Ask him to sum up the future of The Hunters Inn in a single thought and the answer comes quickly.
“A traditional country inn with rooms and a great local,” Mark says. “Welcoming walkers, tourists and locals alike, and becoming a real hub for the community. How it once was.”
For a place that first captured his imagination on a long coastal walk nearly two decades ago, it is a fitting destination.
