Stay by the sea
Top 7 waterside pubs
1 VILLAGE INN Arrochar, Argyll & Bute
You may spot inquisitive seals bobbing about in front of this alluring inn at the head of Loch Long, and beyond the inlet the snow-capped peaks of the Arrochar Alps dance on the horizon. The menu is stocked with locally caught seafood. 01301 702279, villageinnarrochar.co.uk
2 SHIP INN Dunwich, Suffolk
Much of the medieval port of Dunwich has been lost to the North Sea. The Ship Inn survives, one of the oldest buildings in this tiny, tranquil village at the heart of the Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB. Take a bracing walk on the pebbly beach and return to a flickering log fire, ultra-local beers and filling fodder – a winning winter combination. 01728 648675, shipatdunwich.co.uk
3 THE STORK INN Conder Green, Lancashire
Tendrils of Morecambe Bay weave past The Stork; creeks where winter fogs dissipate to reveal marooned hulks, fishing smacks and myriad waterbirds. Inside, today’s wayfarers may expect quaffable local beers and a confident seasonal menu. 01524 751234
4 PORT WILLIAM INN Tintagel, Cornwall
Stapled half-way up a cliff, this inn offers views from the terrace over the Tintagel coast that are simply breathtaking. A comfy jigsaw of old and new, the Port William is an ideal base for great coastal walks and Cornish seafood features strongly on the menu. 01840 770230, theportwilliam.co.uk
5 CASTLE INN West Lulworth, Dorset
A short walk from this higgledypiggledy thatched inn is an astonishing horseshoe cove rimmed by twisted cliffs. Visitors sated by a day of exploring the Jurassic Coast will find the Castle stocked with an eyepopping range of real ales. 01929 400311, thecastleinnlulworthcove.co.uk
6 CROWN & ANCHOR Lindisfarne, Northumberland
Cut off at high tide, tiny Lindisfarne – Holy Isle – retains the atmosphere of peace and serenity that drew monks here 1,400 years ago. Winter coal fires warm the homely taproom with its dark-wood bar and pew seating where Northumbrian beers, chatter and music flow. 01289 389215, holyislandcrown.co.uk