Market research conducted by country-lifestyle brand Hollands Country Clothing has revealed the top 20 pub walks across the UK where weary walkers and travellers can rest with a good pint, good food, and a roaring fire at the end.
Compiling a list of the best walks across England, Scotland and Wales, the team identified pubs that serve as a way/end point along each route. They then compared review scores from Trip Advisor and Google reviews to find the best experiences, then cross referenced the results to find locations that not only have a roaring fire, but are also dog friendly for those who want to take their furry friends along on the adventure. The results were compared and given a total out of 10.
The Dyffryn Arms in Pembrokeshire, Wales, took top spot to be crowned the number 1 best pub walk in the UK, scoring 9.7/10. Affectionately known as Bessie’s after it’s beloved landlady, the quaint pub is a great place to grab a cool pint or a warm hot chocolate after a day out exploring in the Gwaun Valley.
The Plough and Harrow in Glamorgan took 2nd with 9.6/10, while the George & Dragon found in Hudswell, North Yorkshire came 3rd with 9.3/10.
The research also revealed the best pubs in England, Wales, and Scotland respectively. The full results can be found below.
Reflecting on the results, Matt Holland, MD at Hollands Country Clothing agrees, commenting:
‘As the last 18 months have shown us, being able to go outside and enjoy the outdoors is important for our mental health and wellbeing. While the autumn days are coming in and the brisk weather is making itself known, there’s even more reason to head out to see the beautiful countryside in all its glory.
After a long autumn walk, there’s nothing better than finishing up in a cosy pub with a good pint, great food and a roaring fire. We decided to put this research together to encourage people across the UK to head out and explore some of the best pub walk experiences this season. Not only is it a great way to get out and about and find some amazing hidden gems – it’s a great way to support some truly wonderful local pubs.’
We hope this research will encourage the public to get out and really explore the countryside and discover some of its truly hidden gems.
We also hope that it will help highlight some truly amazing country pubs, many of which have been hit hard throughout the pandemic, and give a much needed boost to local economies.”
A spreadsheet with the full results, including the walks, miles and scores can be found here.
The Results – Top 10 UK Pub Walks
| No. | Walk | Pub | Location | Country | Score |
| 1 | Gwaun Valley | Dyffryn Arms | Fishguard, Pembrokeshire | Wales | 9.7 |
| 2 | Cwm Nash Walk | Plough and Harrow | Cowbridge, Glamorgan | Wales | 9.6 |
| 3 | Swaledale | George & Dragon | Hudswell, North Yorkshire | England | 9.3 |
| 4 | Worth Matravers & Dancing Ledge | The Square and Compass | Purbeck, Dorset | England | 9.2 |
| 5 | Chinley to Edale via Kinder Low | Paper Mill Inn | High Peak, Peak District | England | 9.2 |
| 6 | Stackpole Wildlife Walk | Stackpole Inn | Stackpole, Pembrokeshire | Wales | 9.1 |
| 7 | Sand and Applecross Bay | The Applecross Inn | Applecross, Wester Ross | Scotland | 9.1 |
| 8 | Wincle Circular Walk | The Ship Inn | Wincle, Cheshire | England | 9 |
| 9 | Lingmoor Fell | The Britannia Inn | Ambleside Lake District | England | 9 |
| 10 | The Devil’s Dyke | The Dyke’s End | Reach, Cambridge | England | 9 |
Top 10 Pub Walks in England
| No. | Walk | Pub | Location | Score |
| 1 | Swaledale | George & Dragon | Hudswell, North Yorkshire | 9.3 |
| 2 | Worth Matravers & Dancing Ledge | The Square and Compass | Purbeck, Dorset | 9.2 |
| 3 | Chinley to Edale via Kinder Low | Paper Mill Inn | High Peak, Peak District | 9.2 |
| 4 | Wincle Circular Walk | The Ship Inn | Wincle, Cheshire | 9 |
| 5 | Lingmoor Fell | The Britannia Inn | Ambleside Lake District | 9 |
| 6 | The Devil’s Dyke | The Dyke’s End | Reach, Cambridge | 9 |
| 7 | Horsey Broad | The Nelson Head | Horsey, Great Yarmouth | 9 |
| 8 | Perranuthnoe to Porthleven | Victoria Inn | Penzance, Cornwall | 9 |
| 9 | Holy Island Circuit | Crown and Anchor | Lindisfarne, Northumberland | 9 |
| 10 | Hay-on-Wye to Rhydspence | The Rhydspence Inn | Whitney-on-Wye, Wye Valley | 9 |
Top 10 Pub Walks in Wales
| No | Walk | Pub | Location | Score |
| 1 | Gwaun Valley | Dyffryn Arms | Fishguard, Pembrokeshire | 9.7 |
| 2 | Cwm Nash Walk | Plough and Harrow | Cowbridge, Glamorgan | 9.6 |
| 3 | Stackpole Wildlife Walk | Stackpole Inn | Stackpole, Pembrokeshire | 9.1 |
| 4 | Dinefwr Park | Cawdor Hotel | Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire | 9 |
| 5 | Llyn y Fan Fach | The Tanners Arms | Defynnog, Brecon Beacons | 8.9 |
| 6 | Llyn Peninsula | Ty Coch Inn | Porthdinllaen, Gwynedd | 8.7 |
| 7 | Trefin and Porthgain Circular Walk | Sloop Inn | Portgain, Pembrokeshire | 8.5 |
| 8 | Tintern Abbey & Devil’s Pulpit | Anchor Inn | Wye Valley, Monmouthshire | 8.3 |
| 9 | The Begwyns to Clyro | The Baskerville Arms | Hay-On-Wye Brecon Beacons | 7.7 |
| 10 | Solva Harbour | The Ship Inn | St David’s, Pembrokeshire | 7.6 |
Top 10 Pub Walks in Scotland
| No | Walk | Pub | Location | Score |
| 1 | Sand and Applecross Bay | The Applecross Inn | Applecross, Wester Ross | 9.1 |
| 2 | Drymen to Balmaha | Oak Tree Inn | Balmaha, Loch Lomond | 9 |
| 3 | South Loch Ness Trail | Dores Inn | Dores, Inverness | 8.9 |
| 4 | Glencoe to the Clachaig Inn | The Clachaig | Glencoe, Ballachulish | 8.5 |
| 5 | Glen Finglas | The Byre Inn | Brig o’Turk, Loch Lomond | 8.4 |
| 6 | Glen Sligachan | Sligachan Hotel | Sligachan, Isle of Skye | 8.3 |
| 7 | Aros Park and Tobermory Circuit | The Mishnish | Tobermory, Isle of Mull | 8.3 |
| 8 | Tyndrum to Inveroran | The Drovers Inn | Inverarnan, North Loch Lomond | 8 |
| 9 | Arthur’s Seat | The Sheep Heid Inn | The Causeway, Edinburgh | 7.8 |
| 10 | Balmoral Cairns Circuit | Deeside Inn | Ballater, Deeside | 7.5 |
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