This is probably Britain's most-read blog about beer and pubs (although I do stray off-topic sometimes, and beer geeks seem to hate me). I started writing it in January 2007. Back then I was a lawyer working in the City of London. In April 2009 I became the landlord of The Gunmakers Arms in Clerkenwell, a wonderful little pub in my favourite part of London.
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I've always liked Barnes - good pubs, village green and pond etc. Still within the M25 as well. Won a best kept village award a few years back despite being in London.
Coach & Horses, Dronfield, Derbyshire. Not quite the countryside, but the Thornbridge beers are cracking. And only two and a half hours from London. Each way.
Derbyshire? A bit far to go for an afternoon, I think. Anywhere within striking distance of Scotland has to be ruled out.
Thanks for the suggestions though chaps.
Incidentally, I have yet to find a country pub that does really good food by London standards, despite that fact so many of them are given over entirely to dining.
The Parrot at Forest Green is very good; the Chequers at Rowhook used to be but not been there for a couple of years. Neither are near a station though.
Perhaps not quite the country, but get on the train to Brighton & visit Jim at The Victory in Brighton (Duke St), I spend most of my working week in pubs & I love this place - and the food is superb . . .
The Bull, Horton Kirby. 30 mins from Victoria station to Farningham Road then a 15 minute walk in the Kent countryside - awesome beer, brilliant landlord, and now Kent pub of the year. I love the place. Lovely garden too. Food good but nothing more than standard pub grub so don't expect London gourmet meals.
They have a facebook page with the details on. I've written about it loads on my blog, it's in the tags list.
I am a big fan of The Compasses at Gomshall, but you do have to change trains from London to get there. A short (1 mile) walk from Holmwood the other station is the Plough in Coldharbour. Or 2 miles in the other direction is the award-winning Surrey Oaks at Parkgate.
The Star is Goldalming is an awesome pub, especially if you fancy some ciders, and is 2 mins from the station, but is more of a small-town pub than a country pub.
The Jolly Farmer in Worplesdon feels like you're in the countryside. It's got posh food too but is a bit of a trek from the station - 20 minutes or so.
my local haunt, worth making your way down to. always has AT LEAST 8 ales on at any one time (but usually nearer 20), mostly local breweries. well worth a visit. plus the beer festivals are pretty special. 40 mins by train to paddock wood from charing cross/london bridge. doesn't have a website, but try:
"is that a subtle way of telling me the food's shit?"
Not at all, the food is good (especially the curries), just simple. The batter for the fish is made from your choice of beer from the bar. It ain't one of them gastro joints. But then when you've got 8 handpumps it's all about the beer
Have to say that The Halfway House has very well kept beer, beautiful setting and very decent food. I do agree that too many handpumps often spells not too good pub. The Grape and Grain recently opened in Crystal Palace. Low footfall, eight handpumps and badly kept beer.
The Bull at Horton Kirby is very nice too. On my one visit there they have a showcase of both Dark Star and Brew Dog cask beers. Didn't eat so can't comment on the food.
Incidentally, I have yet to find a country pub that does really good food by London standards, despite that fact so many of them are given over entirely to dining
Unfortunately that has also generally been my experience. Not always, but too many times.
I am in Kent (well inside M25) and my local is a charming cottagey pub run by a young crowd but keep the place quite traditional. Keep their beers well too. TT Landlord being tipple of choice. Not really 'countryside' though...
Waggon and Horses in Elstree. Cute looking country pub that feels like it is in the sticks but is actually only a stones throw from NW7. Train to Elstree and walk up Watling Street. Simples!
If I was drinking in Dronfield I would have to go for The Victoria that had, for many years, a reputation for the best Tetley for many a mile.
However Jeffo, don't be scared by the thought of Essex, the county that style forgot. There are quite a few nice country boozers looking for sympathetic owners.
There are plenty of good pubs in Sussex near stations which have direct services from Victoria, or with a quick change at Brighton. I particularly recommend the Cricketers in Berwick, the village being about a mile and a half's walk from the station.
There is the Queen's Head in Chesham (end of the Met line). It's a Fullers pub, and I believe it won Fullers pub of the year. Always has 5 ales on (4 fullers and a guest). The staff are polite, and really look like they enjoy being there. Very highly recommended.
So sorry I'm late to this - was on honeymoon. Ignore all others - you're looking for the Dering Arms, Pluckley. About an hour from Charing Cross on the Dover line.
First class beer from Goachers (usually only one or two of theirs on - superb).
The proprietor is an excellent fish chef. You can order from the bar or go through to the restaurant and eat astonishingly well. The building is an old hunting/gamekeeper's lodge built to look like a miniature version of the local stately home.
Absolutely first rate and dead romantic, too, if that's the point of it.
28 comments:
I've always liked Barnes - good pubs, village green and pond etc. Still within the M25 as well. Won a best kept village award a few years back despite being in London.
Coach & Horses, Dronfield, Derbyshire. Not quite the countryside, but the Thornbridge beers are cracking. And only two and a half hours from London. Each way.
A couple spring to mind :
The Holmbush at Faygate
Sussex Oak at Warnham
By way of generalisation, usually the closer a pub is to a train or tube station, the less good it tends to be (presumably this is supply related).
I'm basing this nearly entirely on the London Underground, of course, and The Fat Fiddler at Ashford.
(nope, not helpful information, is it...)
Derbyshire? A bit far to go for an afternoon, I think. Anywhere within striking distance of Scotland has to be ruled out.
Thanks for the suggestions though chaps.
Incidentally, I have yet to find a country pub that does really good food by London standards, despite that fact so many of them are given over entirely to dining.
The Parrot at Forest Green is very good; the Chequers at Rowhook used to be but not been there for a couple of years. Neither are near a station though.
Bricklayers Arms, Flaunden. Not on a train line itself but close to Chorleywood and Chalfont on the Met/Chiltern lines.
Perhaps not quite the country, but get on the train to Brighton & visit Jim at The Victory in Brighton (Duke St), I spend most of my working week in pubs & I love this place - and the food is superb . . .
The Bull, Horton Kirby. 30 mins from Victoria station to Farningham Road then a 15 minute walk in the Kent countryside - awesome beer, brilliant landlord, and now Kent pub of the year. I love the place. Lovely garden too. Food good but nothing more than standard pub grub so don't expect London gourmet meals.
They have a facebook page with the details on. I've written about it loads on my blog, it's in the tags list.
Mark, is that a subtle way of telling me the food's shit?
I am a big fan of The Compasses at Gomshall, but you do have to change trains from London to get there. A short (1 mile) walk from Holmwood the other station is the Plough in Coldharbour. Or 2 miles in the other direction is the award-winning Surrey Oaks at Parkgate.
The Star is Goldalming is an awesome pub, especially if you fancy some ciders, and is 2 mins from the station, but is more of a small-town pub than a country pub.
The Jolly Farmer in Worplesdon feels like you're in the countryside. It's got posh food too but is a bit of a trek from the station - 20 minutes or so.
Not sure if you can get there by train, but Arborfield Cross has a couple of idyllic pubs if memory serves.
my local haunt, worth making your way down to. always has AT LEAST 8 ales on at any one time (but usually nearer 20), mostly local breweries. well worth a visit. plus the beer festivals are pretty special. 40 mins by train to paddock wood from charing cross/london bridge. doesn't have a website, but try:
http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/19/19248/Halfway_House/Brenchley
or
http://www.pubsandbeer.co.uk/index.php?ID=P&pub=433&O=S&ABL=1
lemme know if you're in the area, ill come join you ;)
"is that a subtle way of telling me the food's shit?"
Not at all, the food is good (especially the curries), just simple. The batter for the fish is made from your choice of beer from the bar. It ain't one of them gastro joints. But then when you've got 8 handpumps it's all about the beer
The Viper at Mill Green in Essex.
Take the train from Liverpool Street to Ingatestone, pub is a 2 mile country walk (or taxi ride) from the station. Highly recommended.
But then when you've got 8 handpumps it's all about the beer
Not sure that's true. If your pub's only about beer it's guaranteed to be full of freaks and on balance a visit there will be a dreadful experience.
Have to say that The Halfway House has very well kept beer, beautiful setting and very decent food. I do agree that too many handpumps often spells not too good pub. The Grape and Grain recently opened in Crystal Palace. Low footfall, eight handpumps and badly kept beer.
The Bull at Horton Kirby is very nice too. On my one visit there they have a showcase of both Dark Star and Brew Dog cask beers. Didn't eat so can't comment on the food.
Incidentally, I have yet to find a country pub that does really good food by London standards, despite that fact so many of them are given over entirely to dining
Unfortunately that has also generally been my experience. Not always, but too many times.
I am in Kent (well inside M25) and my local is a charming cottagey pub run by a young crowd but keep the place quite traditional. Keep their beers well too. TT Landlord being tipple of choice. Not really 'countryside' though...
Ricolas, can anywhere inside the M25 be classed as countryside ?
Waggon and Horses in Elstree. Cute looking country pub that feels like it is in the sticks but is actually only a stones throw from NW7. Train to Elstree and walk up Watling Street. Simples!
If I was drinking in Dronfield I would have to go for The Victoria that had, for many years, a reputation for the best Tetley for many a mile.
However Jeffo, don't be scared by the thought of Essex, the county that style forgot. There are quite a few nice country boozers looking for sympathetic owners.
You could just hit up the variety of pubs in Lewes.
Or get a train to Seaford and then walk along the Cuckmere valley to Alfriston and go the George Inn.
There are plenty of good pubs in Sussex near stations which have direct services from Victoria, or with a quick change at Brighton. I particularly recommend the Cricketers in Berwick, the village being about a mile and a half's walk from the station.
Andover Arms in Hammersmith. Being Zone 2 its well outside London
There is the Queen's Head in Chesham (end of the Met line). It's a Fullers pub, and I believe it won Fullers pub of the year. Always has 5 ales on (4 fullers and a guest). The staff are polite, and really look like they enjoy being there.
Very highly recommended.
So sorry I'm late to this - was on honeymoon. Ignore all others - you're looking for the Dering Arms, Pluckley. About an hour from Charing Cross on the Dover line.
First class beer from Goachers (usually only one or two of theirs on - superb).
The proprietor is an excellent fish chef. You can order from the bar or go through to the restaurant and eat astonishingly well. The building is an old hunting/gamekeeper's lodge built to look like a miniature version of the local stately home.
Absolutely first rate and dead romantic, too, if that's the point of it.
http://www.deringarms.com/
I'll second the recommendation for the Viper. It's a very pleasant walk up from Ingatestone and they have a good choice of beers from nearby.
The food's pretty straightforward, but tasty. I dont't think that's a bad thing at all.
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