Pub gardens represent British summertime in its fullest expression – tired hikers’ legs, sunburnt skin and crisp packets folded into bench slats. These are our favourites for a good BBQ and a pint on a sunny afternoon.
Lewinnick Lodge, Cornwall
A low glass wall around the square of green outside this clifftop pub creates what can only be described as an “infinity garden”. Savour the seafood with views of the wild Atlantic stretching out from right under your feet, or drop in for breakfast and let coffee and the sea air blow away the cobwebs.
Dive into world-inspired dishes, while you sip crisp wine or locally-brewed ales. Feast on light and fresh polenta-crusted squid with a Vietnamese-dressed salad – or tuck into a succulent steak dish, sourced from local Cornish farms.
The Brisley Bell, Norfolk
Not only can you eat in the gorgeous garden here, but you can stay in it. At one end, hidden away from diners and drinkers, is a converted barn that makes a lovely overnight stop and makes your walk home one of the shortest we’ve ever seen, meaning you can enjoy everything on the dinner menu, created by Head Chef Herve Stouvenel. Having put down roots in Norfolk many years ago, he has become a champion of local produce and crafts it superbly into food that will delight without ever stopping you feeling as if you’re in a “proper pub”.
The dining room has been designed with towering arched windows, so you can stroll up whatever the weather and be assured that you can at least sit and look at the garden, even if a table on the beautiful terrace will have to wait for a sunnier day.
The Bell, Sussex
Since it was first built back in 1560, The Bell has seen many remodellings and renovations, but its current guise seems to fit it perfectly. There’s a dash of history, another of contemporary art and design and another of wonderfully cooked food, all woven around the heart of a true community pub. You’re as likely to find a decades-loyal regular propping up the bar as you are to find a gourmand coming for lunch or a couple getting married.
The garden is as much of a blend as the building. Old barrels and benches give way to a neat construction of low walls and tailored borders, which is a lovely spot to wander after dinner.
The Greyhound on the Test, Hampshire
There’s a good reason that this lovely pub officially added “on the Test” to its name. Tables look out mere feet to a stretch of the river that burbles by as you study the menu and browse an extensive and eclectic wine list.
You can hike a stretch of the 44-mile Test Way, or stroll round Stockbridge’s independent shops to work up an appetite. Check their events calendar for music nights, open-air cinema and feasts held in giant tipi.
Lord Poullet Arms, Somerset
Some pubs have grand grounds and sprawling gardens, but the Lord Poullet Arms has gone for something a little more understated. Clipped hedges and a pale stone wall have been perfectly matched to create a Provençal courtyard, that fills with the scent of herbs and the soft crunch of gravel underfoot on atmospheric nights.
While the setting takes it tone from France, everything else is superbly Somerset, from the abundance of ingredients produced right on the estate, to the ales at the bar and a menu that focuses on pub classics and lets the passion for rigorous sourcing speak for itself.
The Three Horsehoes, Oxfordshire
The drystone wall at the bottom of the huge garden blends the pub’s land seamlessly into the surrounding fields and hills. You can picture weary farmhands long ago, but the beautiful stone pub is now a draw for hikers, foodies, dog-lovers and those who’ve come for the massive gin selection.
The large terraced area gets the sun all day, and there’s an outdoor bar, petanque, comfortable places to sit to boot. If you’re chilly in the evening, double-sided wood-burner and woolly blankets will take care of that.
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