Britain, sun & beer gardens!
[Photography: pub garden in Oxford]
The sun’s out. Or at least it was. And it will be again in a minute. With balmy temperatures expected and summer on the doorstep, thoughts naturally turn to where you can get a drink outside in the UK.
Fortunately, the country has an abundance of spots for al fresco drinking, from inner city rooftops to boats, hidden coves and stunning beer gardens. Here are a few places to get your drink on under the sun.
[Photography: Flickr, Garry Knight]
Tattershall Castle, Central London
London comes into its own in the summer. While the tourist count shoots up and the tubes turn into mobile ovens, the pub gardens and parks fill with drinkers. One of the best places for a drink, though, is on a boat on the Thames. Tattershall Castle can get busy and the drinks are pretty standard, but the views at sunset are something else.
[Photography: King’s Head]
The King’s Head, Wadenhoe, Northamptonshire
This one ticks all the boxes: a thatched inn, dating back to the 17th century and nestled alongside the River Nene, with a network of local hikes to walk off the beers. Find a spot under a willow tree and watch the narrow boats navigating the locks and waterways.
[Photography: Richard Bryant/Corbis]
Frank’s Cafe, Peckham, South London
The summer pop-up takes over the top floor of a car park in south London for several months, offering a range of interesting drinks, a small but decent food menu, and stunning panoramic views of the city.
Frank’s does the hipster menu thing of listing ingredients (radish, buttermilk, nigella or burnt onion, goat curd, pomegranate) that add up to more than the sum of their parts.
[Photography: The Inn at Whitewell]
The Inn at Whitewell, Lancashire
The Inn, which played host to Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan in “The Trip,” is set in a spectacular part of Lancashire. The Forest of Bowland and the River Hodder are both worth discovering, but you might find it hard to tear yourself away from the beer garden.
[Photography: Flickr, Graeme MacLean]
West Brewery, Glasgow
Contrary to popular belief, the sun does make an appearance in Glasgow, and many city dwellers head to this microbrewery for craft beer and German food on the grass when he gets his hat on.
[Photography: Brian Minkoff/Corbis]
Kensington Roof Gardens, West London
A huge rooftop plot in west London, the gardens aren’t a cheap place to spend an evening but the decor and views make it worth a trip.
[Photography: Roy Rainford/Corbis]
The Ship Inn, Noss Mayo, Devon
One of the most charming little nooks on the south Devon coast, Noss Mayo is a sleepy creek bothered only by the occasional bird or aimlessly putting boat, and the Ship is a prime spot to keep an eye on things with a pint.
[Photography: Flickr, Robert Pittman]
The Pandora Inn, Falmouth, Cornwall
A 13th century treat of a pub on the water in Cornwall. Grab a seat on the floating pontoon and order in a pint or two of Cornish Rattler cider and some fresh crab and watch the dinghies come and go - you’ll soon adjust to the pace of life.
[Photography: Flickr, SheepRUs]
Tarr Farm, Exmoor
The 16th century Tarr Farm boasts 40 acres of achingly beautiful grounds, and has Exmoor National Park on its doorstep as a bonus. Grab a pint of something local and head down to the nearby Tarr Steps when you’re finished.
[Photography: Adam Burton/Corbis]
Tarr Steps apparently dates back a thousand years. The bridge is set in a nature reserve full of huge oak, beech and sycamore trees.
[Photography: Flickr, Julian Walker]
Dalston Roof Park, East London
One of a number of east London rooftop spots, Dalston Roof Park soars over Hackney’s Victorian buildings. While it’s a great spot for a sundowner, they also host everything from DJs to poetry nights, film screenings and clothes swaps.
[Photography: Michel Setboun/Corbi]
Sushisamba, Central London
Vertiginous bars in London aren’t hard to find, but none scale these heights. 39 floors above the City of London, the restaurant specialises in Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine and cocktails priced as high as the terrace. The 360 degree views make it worth a trip, though.
[Photography: Flickr, James Hetherington]
The Worm’s Head Hotel, Gower Peninsula, Wales
Overlooking a wild sandy beach on the tip of Wales’ beautiful Gower Peninsula, the hotel’s unassuming outdoor terrace offers some of the best views in the country, particularly during one of the regular sunsets.
[Photography: Goat’s Toe/Facebook]
The Goat’s Toe, Bangor
When the weather heats up, much of Bangor heads to the Goat’s Toe, a local institution with ample covered area should the weather take a turn for the worse.
[Photography: Flickr, Aleksey Maksimov]
The Trout, Oxford
A 17th century pub set on a tranquil stretch of the Thames and offering a range of drinks from local IPAs to elderflower bellinis.
This article was first published in Mashable by Tim Chester, under the title “14 places in the UK you need to go for a drink in the sun”
