The weather might have taken a turn for the worst in Bristol this week, but we’re guaranteed more heatwaves coming this summer. And when they arrive, we don’t doubt we’ll be flocking to our nearest and best beer gardens to soak up some rays. Because when the sun is shining, there’s nowhere we would rather be than with a cold pint of cider on a summer’s day.
If the pub garden is on the agenda, you might even want to consider taking a quick trip to Somerset. Where you can find one of the best beer gardens in England. That’s according to Big7 Travel at least, who have named The Rising Sun in Pensford as the second-best in the country. (The number one spot went to The Watering Hole in Cornwall, which is more of a beer beach than anything else.)
Just a 15-minute drive from Bristol city centre (or half an hour if you want to jump on the Mendip Explorer bus) “it feels worlds away thanks to its idyllic countryside location.” The Rising Sun was highlighted for its stunning views of the River Chew and Pensford Viaduct. Plus, its laid-back atmosphere. The St Austell-owned pub also stocks a selection of beers and ales on tap, as well as wines, spirits and cocktails. The “huge beer-battered fish and chips” also attracted special mention.
It wasn’t the only local beer garden either. The Wheatsheaf in Bath came in at number seven on the list. About half an hour to an hour from Bristol (depending on how you travel), this farmhouse-turned pub is “tucked into a quiet wooded valley with sprawling terraced gardens overlooking the bucolic countryside and some of the region’s prettiest villages.” It also hosts a number of summer parties that are worth visiting.
Big7 Travel ranked its list of the best beer gardens in England on the criteria of: editorial opinions and experiences, previous critic reviews, online customer reviews, location and accessibility, online presence, consistency, atmosphere and service, value for money, and presentation. To read more about the best beer gardens in England head here.
Where are the best beer gardens in England?
1. The Watering Hole, Perranporth, Cornwall
2. The Rising Sun, Pensford, Somerset
3. The People’s Park Tavern, London
4. The Jolly Fisherman, Craster, Northumberland
5. The Drunken Duck Inn, Ambleside, Cumbria
6. The Gardeners Rest, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
7. The Wheatsheaf, Combe Hay, Bath, Somerset
8. The Ship Inn, Mundesley, Norfolk
9. The Canal House, Birmingham, West Midlands
10. The Ferry Inn, Salcombe, Devon
11. Prince Leopold Inn, Warminster, Wiltshire
12. Water Lane Boathouse, Leeds, West Yorkshire
13. The Perch Inn, Binsey, Oxford
14. The Jolly Sportsman, Lewes, East Sussex
15. Seven Stones Inn, St Martin’s, Scilly Isles
16. The Boathouse Inn, Shrewsbury, Shropshire
17. Escape to Freight Island, Manchester
18. Kazimier Garden, Liverpool, Merseyside
19. The Pipe and Glass Inn, South Dalton, Yorkshire
20. Canalhouse, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
21. Topsham Brewery & Taproom, Exeter, Devon
22. Cholmondeley Arms, Malpas, Cheshire
23. The George, Alstonefield, Staffordshire
24. The Old Neptune, Whitstable, Kent
25. Twice Brewed Inn, Hexham, Northumberland