The Durham Ox, Westway Crayke, Yorkshire
This award-winning village pub is a little slice of dog-friendly peacefulness. Find happy staff, well-sourced meals and comfy rooms – great for visiting York and the Moors. Long views across the valley are great for reviewing your day’s trail or planning your afternoon. The hour long Crayke Estate Walk, which starts straight from the door, takes you across the Howardian Hills, through beautiful woodland, over the river Foss and past views of Crayke Castle.
The Castle Inn, Devon
The warm and welcoming Castle Inn sits on the western edge of the Dartmoor National Park, so walks directly from the pub can take you up tors or down into wooded valleys. One of the owners’ favourites is the few steps next door to wander round the 13th-century Lydford Castle, before pushing on to the remains of a Norman fort and Lydford Saxon town banks. They also direct many guests to the entrance of the National Trust site, Lydford Gorge and the 30m Whitelady Waterfall within, which is pretty simple as it’s a couple of hundred metres away. Take on either a ramble of the ruins or Dartmoor’s grassy hills, give the ponies a friendly nod, then return to the low stone bar for a well-earnt drink and a browse of a menu that sits somewhere simple pub fare and full-blown gastro.
The Felin Fach Griffin, Powys, Wales
This pub is quirky, homespun and thrives on a mix of relaxed informality and colourful style. The bar resembles the sitting room of a hip country house, with sofas in front of a fireplace open on both sides. The Beacons are close, and there are plenty of maps and guidebooks to borrow, or ask the team for their first-hand recommended routes. Make sure you have plenty of fuel with dishes like hake fillet with pernod cream, pheasant rillette, Eve’s pudding with cinnamon custard, all of it delicious.
The Inn at Loch Tummel, Perth &
Kinross, Scotland
You weave through the forest, then arrive at this 200-year-old inn to find views of field, hill, loch and sky. It’s a magical spot, perfect for planning your day’s walking route. Climb the local munro, Schiehallion, or head into Allean Forest for lovely marked routes that lead to panoramic views over the loch.
The Holford Arms, Knockdown, Gloucestershire
Just minutes away from Westonbirt Arboretum, this country inn hides more secrets than you can shake a stick at. There’s a covered beer garden draped in fairy lights, and they press their own apples for cider and juice. The bar buzzes with locals and nature lovers who’ve popped in for a pint or a Sunday roast after walks; the Cotswold Way is close by as well as various National Trust rambles.
The Crown and Anchor, Ham, Wiltshire
A welcoming inn in a chocolate-box village; retreat from life and feel completely relaxed here. Pull on your boots, grab the dog and head out for a stomp – you can join the Wayfarers Walk or the Test Way; The Kennet & Avon Canal (hop on in nearby Hungerford); and the Wessex Ridgeway, which takes you past the mystical Avebury Stones.
The Gurnard’s Head, Zennor, Cornwall
Walking this coastline is magical and the hike to St Ives is hard to beat. Secret beaches appear at low tide and wild flowers streak the land pink in summer. As for the pub, it’s earthy, stylish and friendly. Super homemade food can be eaten wherever you want: in the bar, in the restaurant or out in the garden. Snack on rustic delights, or tuck into more substantial treats. The St Ives-Penzance bus runs right outside if you don’t fancy the walk back.
Exmoor Forest Inn, Somerset
We head north to another moor now, with the Exmoor Forest Inn, aptly named on both counts. It’s surrounded by trees and Dunkery Beacon, the highest point in the national park, is walkable from the door. If the hills aren’t calling to you, maybe check the schedule for foraging walks with head chef, Ben. The enthusiastic forager periodically arrange workshops for guests and the public, followed by a culinary feast. The pub’s team know a few other guides in the area who offer a similar service, if Ben is too busy cooking for you! Whether you picked it yourself or let the kitchen do all the work for you, you’ll eat in the bright, rustic bar of the inn that was once a fishing lodge, before rolling upstairs to bed.
George and Dragon, Cumbria
Being in Penrith, on the very edge of The Lake District, you’ve obviously got plenty of walking to choose from. But before you go skipping up Scafell, take the owner’s tip for gentler strolls and head to the Lowther Family estate castle and gardens, or the woodland walk that passes the famous Rebel Oak, where Bonnie Prince Charlie was defeated. Wherever you’ve roamed, come back to the bar that gleams with dark wood and rich fabric to choose from a menu of homegrown, foraged and locally sourced ingredients worked into fabulous dishes and tempting you with a list of perfect wine pairings.
The Acorn Inn, Dorchester, Dorset
Perfect Evershot and rolling countryside lie at the door of this 400-year-old gem in Thomas Hardy country. Natalie and Richard took the reins to revive its fortunes, with head chef Robert Ndungu in the kitchen. It’s very much a traditional inn; locals sup pints of Otter Ale in the long flagstoned bar and menus are sourced from within 25 miles.
More inspiration…
Best pubs after a long walk
Discover our full collection of pubs with amazing walks straight from the door.
Our favourite fireside pubs
Those pubs where you can stretch out frozen fingers and sip a dark stout that warms you from the toes up.