It’s great to be beside water, especially in the summer. Canal and riverside pubs are popular destinations, and there are hundreds to choose from across Britain’s 3,000 miles of navigable inland waterways.
With names like The Lock Inn, The Navigation Inn, The Narrowboat, The Tunnel and The Bridge, many of them date back to the days when our inland waterways were the transport arteries of the industrial revolution. Canalside inns provided refreshment for working boat families and their horses, as well as professional leggers who propelled boats through tunnels.
Drifters’ top 8 canal and riverside pubs for outdoor dining this summer:
1. The Bridge Inn, Chirk Bank in Shropshire
You can reach this popular watering hole on the Llangollen Canal on a short break from Chirk, Trevor or Blackwater Meadow. Also known as The Trap, the historic Bridge Inn is on the 11-mile stretch of the Llangollen Canal designated a UNESCO World Heritage site and has views of the magnificent Chirk Aqueduct.
2. The Boat Inn, Gnosall in Staffordshire
This traditional family run pub on the banks of the Shropshire Union Canal can be reached on a short break from Brewood. It has a patio area overlooking the canal and is renowned for its homemade pies and fish and chips.
3. The Fleur de Lys, Lowsonford in Warwickshire
Famous for its pies, this 17th century country pub in the pretty village of Lowsonford, has extensive gardens alongside the Stratford Canal. Boaters can reach it on a short break from Wootton Wawen.
4. The Plume of Feathers, Barlaston in Staffordshire
Co-owned by the actor Neil Morrissey, this popular pub on the Trent & Mersey Canal offers homemade food and locally brewed beers. There’s an outdoor dining area overlooking the canal and boaters can reach it on a short break from Stoke-on-Trent or Great Haywood.
5. The Cutter Inn, Ely in Cambridgeshire
Boaters can reach this popular riverside pub on the Great River Ouse to the east of Ely on a short break from Drifters canal boat hire base at Ely. The Cutter Inn has an outdoor terrace for al fresco drinking and dining with excellent river views.
6. The Dundas Arms, Kintbury in Berkshire
This traditional country pub and hotel on the banks of the Kennet & Avon Canal can be reached on a short break from Aldermaston. It has a large waterside beer garden, perfect for summertime al fresco drinking and dining.
7. The Bridge Inn, Ratho in Midlothian
This historic pub and hotel on the banks of the Union Canal near Edinburgh can be reached on a short break from Falkirk. There’s a dining terrace overlooking the canal, and home-grown fruit and vegetables are served from the pub’s walled garden.
8. The Hollybush Inn, Denford in Staffordshire
Converted from an old flour mill, the Hollybush Inn on the Caldon Canal at Denford serves homemade food, award winning ales and has a large canalside garden overlooking the Staffordshire Moorlands. Canal boat holiday-makers can reach the Hollybush Inn on a week-long break from Stoke-on-Trent.
