Scotland’s best: Nation’s cosiest pubs for a winter warmer
Comfy seats and real fires help you to take your mind off the world outside in these welcoming hostelries writes Alison Campsie
The warm glow of a cosy pub on an autumn afternoon could just be the comfort we need right now.
In 2020, the way we go to the pub has changed but allow yourself the company of a good ale or a fine glass of wine and feel the atmosphere close in against the world outside the window.
|A real fire and a comfy seat will hopefully be yours, as well as those warm connections of the type only forged under the roof of a hostelry.
At the Kirkstyle Inn at Dunning in Perthshire, the creeak of the old latch door sets the tone for a visit to a pub that does tradition and friendliness so well. Old flagstone floors give way to a roaring fire in the lounge, where dogs happily nap and a relaxed atmosphere falls. The inn prides itself on welcoming everyone from the “Laird to the Layman” and there’s no doubt you’ll feel so nicely at ease here.
The Cross Keys over at Kippen in Stirlingshire, on the fringes of Loch Lomond National Park, offers a perfect place to warm up and reset after a day roaming the woods and hills. They have been serving food and ale here since 1703 to travellers and locals. Some things just don’t need to change – although today the Cross Keys is particularly regarded for its gastro pub-style fare.
The same is true of The Drovers at Memus near Forfar in Angus, a modern country pub where food is made with love and care and offers a great stop after a day exploring the Angus Glens, which are dressed in beautiful purple heather right now.
Still in the North-east, you can warm your boots by the fire and unwind in the heart of Deeside at The Boat Inn at Aboyne, where food and drink can be enjoyed by the riverside.
Another important staging post comes at the Clachaig Inn at Glencoe, famous for its roaring fires, good beers and – in normal times – the buzz of a folk or ceilidh band. There is everything still to be had from a visit to the Clachaig, where you will enjoy your food and drink in the shadows of some of Scotland’s most stunning mountains. Up in Fortrose, The Anderson glows warm with wood burning stoves and a whisky bar. At the moment it’s supporting local, independent breweries who are struggling amid the pandemic. Definitely worth raising a glass to that. You’ll find Tigh-an-truish on the
Isle of Seil across the 18th Century Bridge over the Atlantic, just south of Oban. Rich in Jacobite history, a rickety piano and real ales speaks west coast charm with the cafe/restaurant proudly serving local seafood.
As the temperature falls and cold winds come in, there is a special sort of refuge offered by a pub by the sea.
At Stonehaven, the Marine Hotel offers fabulous real ales, many from its own 6 Degrees North Brewery, and hearty plates like salmon skink in a bread bowl. At the Dreel Tavern at Anstruther, the low ceilings and log fires offer a genuine welcome and the Ship Inn at Broughty Ferry offers warming charms by the water’s edge.
The only hard thing will be trying to leave.