Autumn - A Time for Pub Walks

Autumn - A Time for Pub Walks

Autumn is well and truly upon us and there is nothing better than getting outside on a pub walk to enjoy the simple pleasures we all associate with the season – the explosions of colour, kicking through the fallen leaves, foraging for fungi and, for so many of us, combining this with a stop at a favourite pub!

According to recent research by The National Trust, more than 32 million people plan to head outdoors to enjoy an autumn family walk with over 16 million saying it’s the season’s beautiful colours that makes autumn walking so special. They don’t say how many of those plan to include a pub somewhere along the way but most of the walkers I know will certainly choose to - so this must surely run into many millions too!

So, time to don the walking boots and warmer clothes and go for a pub walk, savour the season and help our best pubs to thrive. And in case you need any inspiration, I have highlighted a few of my Autumn favourites below.

If you have any favourite of your own then I do hope you will share them by adding a comment too.

1. Winchester Pub Walk – Inspired by Keat’s To Autumn

Let’s start with a pub walk with a special link to the season. Keats enjoyed a daily walk though Winchester’s Cathedral Close and water meadows to St Cross. He was so inspired by the natural beauty of Winchester that, on Sunday 19 September 1819, he penned his ode To Autumn on his return. I can’t say whether he also frequented any of the selection of pubs along the route but there is no reaon why we cannot stop at one to raise a glass to his celebration of this season! (2 hr – 4m)
Route and Pub Details

2. Malham Pub Walk - Janet’s Fosse and Gordale Scar

Woodland and waterfalls give us the best of both worlds with Autumn as we get the combination of beautiful foliage and the sight and sound of rushing water as the increased rainfall gives for a greater spectacle. Here of course you have the added dimension of the views from the top of Malham Cove too. Couple that with a choice of pubs serving excellent food, well, don’t let me keep you!
Route and Pub Details

3. Pub Walk on Halkyn Mountain - Flintshire

The Blue Bell Inn stands high on Halkyn Mountain with impressive 70 mile views over the surrounding countryside. Take your pick of a choice of walks to navigate yourself or join one of the pub’s regular free guided walks before returning for refreshments at this award-winning hostelry.
Route and Pub Details

4. Pub Walk around Woodchester Park - Gloucestershire

This is a beautiful, pleasant pub walk around the Woodchester Estate (National Trust land) through woods, past lily pad filled lakes and an impressive, abandoned gothic mansion. The Rose and Crown accepts dogs inside and out and serves food all day. Previously a gem but I understand it is now under new management so any feedback welcomed.
Route and Pub Details

For some more ideas click on Autumn Pub Walks and if you have two minutes to spare, I'd love to hear what are your favourites too - please just add a comment below and share.

The Pub Walker

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A Pub Walk by Any Other Name

A Pub Walk by Any Other Name...

I have been having a little fun on Twitter this week. Although I talk with a passion about "Pub Walks", one of my followers light-heartedly referred to these as "Boots 'n' Beer". So I thought I would invite the twittersphere to be creative and suggest other alternative names for this very British pastime.

One or two suggestions sound more like pub crawls but for me the walk and pub are of equal importance - you have to earn the indulgence after all in order to fully appreciate it! Anyway, I thought I would share the list here and please feel free to comment and let us know your favourites or any additional suggestions:

In no particular order:

Boots 'n' Beer
Peaks 'n' Pints
Ale Trails
Wine & Wanderings
Tarns & Mist (cockney)
Hikes 'n' Hooch
Hop 'n' Trail
Inn ways
Beery Bimble
Inns and outdoors
Beer Bound
BeeRamble or BeerAmble or even beeRAmble
Pub Potters
Hostelry Hikes
Maps 'n' Taps
Cask Walks
A Bar Too Far
A Snug Fit
Trip To The Bar
A Walk On The Mild Side
Get Fitter With Bitter
The Pub Trudge
The Green Green Glass Of Foam
Pale Ale Snail Trail
A Guiness When You Finish
Ales & Ambulations
Summits and Slurps



To find some great pubs with walks from their doors, click on favourite pub walks.

The Pub Walker

The official blog of MyFavouritePubWalks.com

Follow us at twitter.com/PubWalker for live updates

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The George Inn, Middlezoy, Somerset - A Traditional Village Pub

The George Inn, Middlezoy, Somerset - A Traditional Village Pub

We all know traditional village pubs that have closed down after ceasing to be viable for all sorts of well-publicised reasons (the smoking ban, cheap supermarket booze, change in social habits, etc.). The trend has been dramatic and whilst some no doubt deserved to go after losing touch with their customers' needs, others were real gems and represent a loss to our cultural history.


But there are still plenty of welcoming locals out there and last night I rediscovered an old favourite! The George Inn in the village of Middlezoy near Bridgwater, Somerset, is one such and what a pleasure it was to enter and be greeted like an old friend (the landlord certainly would not have remembered me!)

The food is good quality and simple but not gastropub which is fine with me. The fish pie and chicken korma were both delicious in good-sized servings that left little room for desert

Regularly featured in The Good Beer Guide, they offer a range of lighter beers ("couldn't give the darker beers away!") and I had an excellent Yellow Hammer brewed by O'Hanlon's of Devon which was a new discovery for me and certainly one I would repeat. We did find the red wines somewhat rough around the edges though but for me, at least, the atmosphere, food and beer made up for that.


This morning the sun has come out so a great day for a pub walk and for one from the pub door you can click on The George Inn, Middlezoy. If you are further afield, why not seek out other great pubs with walks from their doors - just click on favourite pub walks.

The Pub Walker

The official blog of MyFavouritePubWalks.com

Follow us at twitter.com/PubWalker for live updates

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Top 10 Pub Walks of 2010

Top 10 Pub Walks of 2010

I have just been browsing the most popular pub walks on www.myfavouritepubwalks.com and thought you may be interested to hear which were the Top 10 Pub Walks of 2010. I enjoy top 10 lists generally because they usually not only contain some entries that are very familiar but also some unknown ones that challenge and inspire me to try something new. Never a bad thing! I hope this one does the same for you.

One of my personal favourites in the top 10 is The Axe and Compass in Hemingford Abbots, Cambridgeshire. This is a charming 15th Century thatched pub which invariably produces great food and we've therefore returned several times.

Another is The Drift Inn near Beaulieu where the walk takes in some parts of the beautiful New Forest where sometimes you may not see another soul on your travels.

You may know and prefer others on the list of course.

You can view the full list and download the route details by clicking on Top 10 Pub Walks of 2010.

I do hope you enjoy this selection and as always it would be great to hear any feedback. All the pub walks have the facility for you to add comments or star ratings so that you can share your experiences with others too. Or if you'd like to suggest any other favourites then please do just add a comment to this post.

Happy Pub Walking!

The Pub Walker
The official blog of MyFavouritePubWalks.com
Follow us at twitter.com/PubWalker for live updates
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This Week - Selkirk Arms Pub Walk around Buckland Glen

This Week - Selkirk Arms Pub Walk around Buckland Glen, Dumfriesshire


This circular pub walk really does offer everything from coast and riverside to woodland and glen. It includes views over to St Mary's Isle and Ross Island at the mouth of Kirkcudbright Bay as well as excellent wildlife-spotting opportunities from its varied habitats.



The pub walk starts and finishes at the Harbour Square car park which is close to The Selkirk Arms. The AA Pub Guide describes this as a traditional white-painted pub... beautiful garden. Dogs allowed.

To get the route details of this pub walk and others from their doors, click on favourite pub walks.

The Pub Walker

The official blog of MyFavouritePubWalks.com

Follow us at twitter.com/PubWalker for live updates

Register for The Pub Walker Bulletin for email alerts