From wild shorelines to high moorland villages, some of Britain’s best pubs are the ones anchored in landscapes that steal the scene before the first pint is pulled. These are places where the surrounding scenery doesn’t just shape the view and walking routes, but the menu too, with coast, farm and field supplying the kitchen. We’ve gathered some of Sawday’s favourites where geography does the heavy lifting. Stay the night, wake up somewhere beautiful, and leave with muddy boots and a happy appetite.
The Swan, Oxfordshire
The River Windrush runs calmly past Swinbrook, threading through meadows, cricket greens and low Cotswold hills before slipping on towards Burford. It’s classic walking country, with easy riverside routes and longer rambles linking honey-stone villages and open farmland.
The Swan sits right on the water, making it easy to step straight from boot to bar. The kitchen makes the most of local produce and seasonal game, drawing on what the surrounding countryside offers. Bedrooms are spread between old buildings close to the river, so you fall asleep to quiet village sounds and wake up already surrounded by green.
The Cotley Inn, Somerset
Tucked deep into a leafy valley on the Cotley Estate, The Cotley Inn is wrapped in the soft folds of rural Somerset, with footpaths starting right from the door. Narrow lanes spill you into pasture, hedgerow and big skies, with footpaths unfurling straight from the door. The Jurassic Coast waits just beyond the horizon for salty drama, and walkers can head into the Blackdown Hills or take gentler routes through farmland and woodland before returning hungry.
The surrounding estate supplies much of the meat and produce, so the landscape outside is closely tied to what appears on the menu. Rooms sit in converted stables overlooking the farmland, giving you space to properly switch off. It’s a perfect perch for walkers, coast explorers and anyone craving countryside hush.
The Crusoe, Fife
At high tide the sea comes right up to the building of The Crusoe, sliding beneath the windows and giving the whole place a faintly nautical feel. Lower Largo sits directly on the Fife coast, with wide views across the Firth of Forth and easy access to long, flat shoreline walks.
The Fife Coastal Path runs straight past the door, making this an excellent base for beach days, harbour hopping and bracing sea-air strolls. The kitchen leans heavily on local suppliers, with seafood featuring strongly alongside pub classics. Bedrooms all face the water, so you fall asleep to waves and wake up already watching the tide.
The Owl at Hawnby, Yorkshire
High in the hills above the River Rye, Hawnby is reached by winding lanes that reveal wide, cinematic views of rolling farmland. This is edge-of-the-Moors country, where you’ll be greeted by big skies and walking trails that take you into open dales, heather and ancient trackways.
After a day outside, the pub’s kitchen draws heavily on North Yorkshire produce and estate game, keeping things rooted firmly in the local landscape. Bedrooms are peaceful, thanks to the village’s remote setting. Watch the last of the light slide across the Howardian Hills before taking in the star strewn Dark Sky heavens, then wake up ready to head straight back into some of the best walking in northern England.
The Black Bull, Cumbria
Sedbergh sits at a glorious crossroads of landscapes, with the gentle drama of the Howgill Fells to one side, and the wide sweep of the Yorkshire Dales on the other. From the town you can step straight onto the Dales Way, making it easy to ditch the car and plan days on foot. Climb grassy ridges for far reaching views or drop into quiet valleys stitched with stone walls and streams.
Despite being close to the M6, this corner feels wonderfully unspoilt, with open horizons and a slower pace. Days are made for hill air and bookshop wandering, while evenings are reserved for returning rosy cheeked to town lights and fires before retiring to your calm and comfortable bedroom.
The Gunard’s Head, Cornwall
Few pubs put you so quickly into dramatic scenery. The Gurnard’s Head is perfectly placed to soak up Cornwall’s raw, elemental beauty before retreating to warmth, food and a natter by the fire. Step outside and you’re on the coastal path within minutes, with clifftop walking and hidden coves shaping the day’s plans.
Inland, open moorland adds to the sense of space and exposure. The kitchen works closely with local fishermen and growers, so seafood and seasonal produce reflect what’s happening just beyond the windows. Bedrooms look out over sea or moor, making the most of the location. You go to sleep with the sound of the wind and wake up ready to follow the coast again.
The White Horse, Norfolk
The White Horse pub offers up classic North Norfolk scenery with wide skies, shifting light and endless space. Behind the pub stretches a vast sweep of salt marsh, leading the eye all the way to Scolt Head Island and the open North Sea beyond. Walking routes run from the door across marshes and beaches, with tide tables helping you plan safe coastal rambles.
The kitchen makes the most of its position, serving locally landed seafood and shellfish from nearby creeks. Bedrooms sit above the inn and in a modern annexe, offering calm, sea-breezy spaces to retreat after sunset marsh walks and long terrace lunches.
The Inn at Loch Tummel
Arriving through forest, the landscape suddenly opens out to reveal Loch Tummel backed by hills and wide skies laid out in grand Highland scale. The loch mirrors the shifting weather, while surrounding peaks and pinewoods create a setting that feels both vast and intimate. Walkers and cyclists are spoilt for choice, with Schiehallion nearby for those keen to climb and gentler lochside routes for slower days.
The kitchen leans into Scottish produce, keeping things simple and satisfying after time outdoors. Bedrooms are designed for proper rest, with many offering loch views that make early mornings tempting. It’s an ideal base for active days followed by good food, fires and deep, uninterrupted sleep.
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Beth Tingle
Beth is our Marketing & Content Coordinator, who uses her experience in all things content to get to the heart of the stories and people behind our places and paint an authentic picture of what makes them truly special. She then helps the SEO team to ensure that content reaches as many people as possible. Raised in the small seaside town of Clevedon, she then studied English at Falmouth University and is happiest when swimming in the sea. A huge foodie, she enjoys travel that involves finding the best local markets and cooking up the produce in a self-catered stay.
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