Best pub walks

The decorative bar at The Crown Bar, Belfast, with its ornate tiling, carved wooden dividers and casks of liquor stacked behind the serving area. — The decorative bar area at The Crown Bar, Belfast | © National Trust Images/John Hammond

We look after 39 characterful pubs and inns, offering locally-sourced food and ales. After a bracing countryside walk, they're the ideal spots to refresh and refuel. Here's a selection of historic pubs we care for with great walking opportunities nearby.

Walks with a pub on the route

The following pubs feature on walking routes and can be used as refreshment stops during or after your walk.

The Bucks Arms, Blickling, Norfolk: Take a brisk walk around Blickling's parkland, passing through the Great Wood, the Tower and the Brickyard on this 4.5 mile route. Afterwards, you can stop for a drink at The Bucks Arms, a tenanted 17th-century pub and former coaching inn on the estate.Blickling Estate walk
The Hunter’s Inn, Heddon Valley, North Devon: The Hunter’s Inn is set in the heart of Devon's tranquil woodland. This trail starts and ends near the pub, taking you through the wildlife-rich Heddon Valley and out towards the sea before returning to the pub.Heddon's Mouth circular walk
The Red Lion, Lacock, Wiltshire: The Red Lion at Lacock is steeped in over 200 years of history. With its large open fireplace, flagstone floors and Georgian interior, it's a cosy place with a friendly, traditional atmosphere. From here, discover Lacock village on a gentle 1.3 mile walk.Lacock village walk
The Spread Eagle Inn, Stourhead, Wiltshire: Take this 3 mile circular walk through Park Hill Camp Iron Age hillfort and Six Wells Valley, looking out for nuthatches along the way. This route starts and ends by the pub, so you can drop in for a pre-walk refreshment or a hearty meal afterwards.Stourhead Park Hill Camp walk
The Tiger Inn, East Dean, East Sussex: Although The Tiger Inn in East Dean isn’t one of the pubs we care for, it's the starting point for our circular South Downs walk to Birling Gap, part of the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs. Pick up a beermat with the route printed on it from the pub and stop for a refreshing drink when you get back.Birling Gap walk from the Tiger Inn
Tŷ Coch Inn, Porthdinllaen, Llŷn Peninsula: Surround yourself with far-reaching views on this walk at Porthdinllaen and finish your coastal stroll with a relaxing break in the Tŷ Coch Inn. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Tŷ Coch Inn was run by a landlady known as Mrs Jones, who used it as a small private school for girls.Porthdinllaen trail on the Llŷn Peninsula

The exterior of The Spread Eagle Inn at Stourhead, surrounded by a crisp frost in winter. — The exterior of The Spread Eagle Inn at Stourhead, Wiltshire | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Pubs near great places to walk

Some of the historic pubs and inns we care for are only a short drive away from walking opportunities. Check locally for public transport links.

The Crown Bar, Belfast, County Antrim: The Crown Bar is an icon among the bars of Belfast. It's atmospheric setting, with period gas lighting and cosy snugs, provides the perfect place to relax after exploring the city or roaming around the meadows and woodlands of nearby Minnowburn.Visit The Crown Bar
The George Inn, Southwark, London: Pop into the capital’s last remaining galleried inn, The George Inn, after 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 his novel Little Dorrit. While we care for the inn, it's now managed by Greene King and you're advised to book ahead before you visit.Visit The George Inn
The Fleece Inn, Bretforton, Worcestershire: Originally built as a farmhouse, The Fleece Inn at Bretforton was first licensed in 1848. It’s just a stone’s throw from the Cotswold Way National Trail at Chipping Camden, or you could take a trip to Hidcote for a peaceful garden stroll.Visit The Fleece Inn
King's Head, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire: At the heart of the market town of Aylesbury, King's Head is one of England's best-preserved coaching inns. Dating back to 1455, the pub has many historic architectural features, including rare stained-glass windows, exposed wattle and daub and original stabling. Head out to the nearby Chilterns countryside for a ramble in the hills before returning to the pub to refuel.Visit King's Head

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