ESCAPES
Britain’s prettiest riverside inns
There are few summer indulgences quite as pleasant as sipping a refreshing pint in a sun-drenched beer garden beside a river. We explore some of Britain’s best riparian inns, offering fine food and overnight stays
1 THE BELL AT SKENFRITH, Monmouthshire
01600 750235, thebellatskenfrith.co.uk
Scenically situated on the River Monnow, this 17th-century inn boasts a refurbished bar-restaurant with an enormous inglenook fireplace, but summer afternoons are best spent on the patio by grassy riverbanks. The restaurant serves award-winning food using local produce and ingredients picked from the kitchen garden, and Welsh real ales are offered. There’s a choice of 11 luxury rooms and suites, and it’s a great base for exploring and fishing the Monnow, Wye, Usk and Honddu rivers. Summer B&B for two from £175.
2 PRINCE LLEWELYN, Beddgelert, Snowdonia
01766 890242, princellewelyn.co.uk
Overlooking a bridge across Afon Colwyn in the historic hamlet of Beddgelert in Snowdonia, at the point where the mountain-melt river merges with Afon Glaslyn and charges off through the valley, the Prince Llewelyn offers outside tables and rooms with river views. Named after a 13th-century ruler, the unfussy pub offers good food, Welsh ales and reasonably priced accommodation in 11 rooms in a Grade II-listed building. Book a double room in summer from £110.
3 YE OLDE FERRIE INN, Symonds Yat, Herefordshire
01600 890232, yeoldferrieinn.com
Established in 1473, this welcoming inn on the River Wye offers superb food and drink served on a spacious deck overlooking the water. Surrounded by beautiful walking routes along the England–Wales border, through the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean, the river is the real focus. Take a trip across the river in a hand-pulled ferry, or hire a canoe. Accommodation is in riverside rooms or the Otters’ Lodge. Summer B&B for two from £110.
4 TARR FARM INN, Dulverton, West Somerset
01643 851507, tarrfarm.co.uk
Housed in a 17th-century former farmhouse, this picturesque pub is perched on the banks of the River Barle, within Exmoor National Park. Surrounded by wonderful walking trails, the inn is close to the Tarr Steps – an ancient clapper bridge across the river – in a wooded valley full of wildlife and often visited by Exmoor ponies. You can enjoy award-winning meals made with locally sourced and sustainable ingredients, and accommodation ranging from luxury en-suite rooms to waterside lodges. Summer B&B for two from £160.
5 THE BLACK SWAN, Ravenstonedale, Cumbria
01539 623204, blackswanhotel.com
A stunning Victorian inn balanced on the banks of Scandal Beck in a sensational sweetspot between the North Yorkshire Moors and the Lake District, the Black Swan offers excellent hospitality to hikers, bikers and travellers. Rooms are available, but the adventurous will love the riverside glamping yurts, reached via a little wooden bridge from the beer garden right by the babbling beck. Yurts and double rooms from £135 a night in summer.
6 THE GEORGE INN, Hubberholme, N Yorkshire,
01756 760223, thegeorge-inn.co.uk
Steeped in tradition, this 17thcentury former farmhouse and vicarage beside the beautiful River Wharfe is now a fantastic pub with a beer garden and lovely, lowbeamed bar, where a candle burns all the time service is available. A favourite watering hole of local author JB Priestley, who is buried in the nearby church, the pub traditionally raises money for the parish poor. Food is served, including sensational Sunday roasts and award-winning pies, and en-suite rooms with river views are available. B&B for two from £105.
7 THE STAG ON THE RIVER, Godalming, Surrey,
01483 421568, stagontherivereashing.co.uk
A 17th-century inn by the River Wey in leafy Surrey, The Stag serves good food from a farm-to-fork menu, and offers seven smart hotel rooms. You can dine inside, al fresco on undercover patio tables, or beneath open skies across the lovely riverside lawns. The plush interior features comfy sofas and open fires. The inn’s association with field sports is apparent, with stag antlers all over the place, and guided fly-fishing and other country experiences can be arranged. Summer B&B for two from £145.
8 THE OLD SWAN, Minster Lovell, Oxon
01993 862512, oldswan.co.uk
Sitting pretty in 26 hectares of Cotswold countryside beside the River Windrush, the Old Swan dates to 1445. Amid sumptuous surroundings, you can enjoy a pie and a pint in the bar, which features log fires, or eat fancier food outside on the terrace. The gardens and grounds encompass a mile of riverbank and a fishing lodge (lessons offered), wildflower-strewn meadows, and croquet and tennis facilities. Fifteen guest rooms and suites are available. Summer B&B for two from £185.
9 THE BOAT INN, Aboyne, Aberdeenshire
01339 886137, theboatinnaboyne.co.uk
Delightfully positioned on the River Dee, this historic drovers’ inn has been slaking thirsts since 1720, and it continues to look after locals while warmly welcoming visitors. You can enjoy great pub grub and Scottish ales and spirits in the bar beside a real log fire or head outside to the beautiful riverbank beer garden and terrace. There are 16 unique and sumptuous en-suite rooms, several overlooking the river. Muddy boots, dogs and kids are all welcome, and there’s regular live music in the Shed Bar. Summer B&B for two from £135.
10 THE ANCHOR HOTEL, Kippford, Dumfries and Galloway
01556 620205
Perched on the beautiful banks of Urr Water, perfectly placed for wonderful walking trails around the Solway Riviera, the family-run Anchor Hotel offers superb Scottish hospitality to hikers, hillwalkers, birdwatchers and boaters. The pub has two main areas –a cosy, traditional, fire-warmed, dog-friendly bar and a restaurant serving fantastic food. The sun-catching front patio is perfect for enjoying drinks while gazing across the Urr Estuary to peaks including Screel Hill and Bengairn and some rooms have water views. B&B for two in summer costs from £100.
Patrick Kinsella is the author of a book about pub walks, published by Harper Collins in September 2022.