Our favourite pub walks

We own over 35 characterful and historic pubs and inns, including the Sticklebarn Tavern in Great Langdale, Cumbria, which we run ourselves. As well as offering a refreshing welcome, lip-smacking ales and delicious local food, many of the pubs in our care have great walking opportunities nearby. Here's a few of our favourites.

Customers enjoying a drink in the Crown Bar
Walking trail

The Crown Bar, Belfast 

The Crown Bar is a hidden gem in the streets of Belfast. Its wonderfully atmospheric setting, with period gas lighting and cosy snugs is a perfect restorative after some urban exploration or a roam around the meadows and woodlands of Minnowburn.

Relax after a walk at Minnowburn
The fireplace at The Fleece Inn

The Fleece Inn, Bretforton, Worcestershire 

The Fleece Inn at Bretforton was first licensed in 1848 but was originally built as a farmhouse. It’s just a stone’s throw from the walking wonders of the Cotswold Way National Trail at Chipping Camden, or take a trip to Hidcote for a peaceful garden stroll.

Explore the Cotswolds
Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire on a frosty morning
Walking trail

The George Inn, Lacock, Wiltshire 

Dating back to 1361 and featuring a huge open fireplace, the George Inn encapsulates the spirit of old England. We look after much of the historic village of Lacock and there’s lots to explore on foot from the grounds of Lacock Abbey to village and riverside walks. We also own the Red Lion pub in Lacock.

Take a walk by the river
The George Inn, Southwark, London, view showing table and chairs with tankards

The George Inn, Southwark, London 

The capital’s last remaining galleried inn, The George Inn in Southwark could be a welcome refreshment stop on a walk along the Thames Path National Trail. The site has connections with Charles Dickens, who visited it when it was a coffee shop and mentioned it in Little Dorrit.

Go walking on the Thames Path
Visitors in the pub garden at Gibside, Tyne & Wear
Walking trail

Gibside Pub, Rowlands Gill, Tyne & Wear 

There’s not many pubs that are tucked away on an 18th-century estate and surrounded by over 600 acres of beautiful woodlands, gardens and historical buildings. At Gibside you can enjoy a walk and discover the history as you go. Then relax in the peaceful surroundings at Gibside Pub, and on Friday and Saturday evenings the bar is open until 9pm when there’s made-to-order stone-baked pizza on offer.

Wander around Gibside
Visitors at Hunter's Inn, Heddon Valley, Devon
Walking trail

Hunter’s Inn, Heddon Valley, North Devon 

Hunter’s Inn, now cared for by the National Trust, has been popular with visitors to North Devon since the 19th century. This popular trail starts and ends near the pub, taking you through the Heddon Valley, an area loved for its wealth of wildlife, and then out towards the sea.

Discover rare wildlife
Coombe Hill in Buckinghamshire
Walking trail

The King's Head, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire 

Set in the heart of this historic market town, the 15th-century King's Head is one of England's best preserved coaching inns. Dating back to 1455, the building has many fascinating architectural features, including rare stained-glass windows, exposed wattle and daub and the original stabling for the inn. Take a walk in the nearby Chilterns countryside, and afterwards visit the pub for a refreshing drink.

Walking in the Chilterns
The Red Lion Pub in the High Street in Lacock
Walking trail

The Red Lion, Lacock, Wiltshire 

The Red Lion, Lacock is steeped in over 200 years of history. With its large open fireplace, candlelit tables, flagstone floors and Georgian interior it's the perfect place to experience a friendly, traditional atmosphere.

Discover Lacock village
Looking over Stickle Tarn with snow on the hills

The Sticklebarn Tavern, Great Langdale, Cumbria 

Nestled on the valley floor, the Sticklebarn Tavern is the ideal gateway to walking in Great Langdale, home to the lofty Langdale Pikes. You’ll find plenty of low-level walking in the valley, with views as refreshing as Sticklebarn’s tasty local tipples.

Cumbrian walkers' favourite trails
Snowy view over the Seven Sisters cliffs
Walking trail

The Tiger Inn, East Dean, East Sussex 

Although the Tiger Inn in East Dean isn’t one of the pubs we care for it is the starting point for our circular South Downs walk to Birling Gap, part of the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs. You can pick up a beermat with the route on it from the pub and stop for a refreshing drink when you get back.

Walk the South Downs
A view of Hill Top garden and house covered in snow, Cumbria
Walking trail

Tower Bank Arms, near Sawrey, Cumbria 

Right next door to Hill Top, Beatrix Potter’s farmhouse, the Tower Bank Arms in Near Sawrey offers a cosy retreat after a good stomp in the Lakes. Go on a lakeside amble along Windermere, climb up Latterbarrow or take a romantic stroll up to Moss Eccles Tarn, much loved by Potter herself.

Go rambling in the Lakes