Looking for somewhere to stop off and grab a bite to eat or maybe a quick drink? We've rounded up the 9 best canalside pubs for you to visit in Great Britain.

 

The Eagle Barge Inn 

Facilities:

  • Log fire
  • Fine whisky selection
  • Below deck / outdoor dining

Not so much by the canal as on it, the Eagle Barge Inn is an experience like no other. Moored just at the north end of Loch Lochy, the sturdy Dutch barge offers some of the most authentic dining in Scotland's Great Glen.

Will and Victoria are the hosts here, and they know how to make people feel welcome. The bar area has a roaring fire in colder weather and a fantastic selection of whiskies, while the evening menu is cooked fresh to order.

Lunch is all about soups and big doorstep sandwiches served with crisps or quick-and-easy snacks, like nachos, lasagne and fish fingers. Simply walk in or moor up between 12 and 3.30pm.

Fine dining is on the evening menu, and you must book the dish you want to eat beforehand. Highlights include whole seabass, Balmoral chicken and lamb shank. It's hard to imagine a more dramatic spot to enjoy it!

Open from April till October, Wednesday to Sunday.

 

The Admiral Nelson

 Facilities:

  • Beer garden
  • Baby changing
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Dog-friendly dining area

This storied hostelry has long been a fixture on our list of the best canalside pubs. Blending a fine rural location with lockside views and a fantastic line-up of ales, it is justifiably popular with passing boaters.

The building is thought to date from before 1730, when the Grand Union Canal was built. Theories abound on how it acquired the name of Britain's most famous seafarer, but its connection to the "navigation" is indisputable. The bar is cosy and warm, and the beer garden runs down to the canal's edge.

Now owned by Leicester's Everards Brewery, the restaurant always has a great range of real ales on taps, plus lagers and craft beers. The food is uncommonly good, with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options but a focus on good-quality steak, gourmet burgers, and British cheese. Hearty sandwiches are available over lunch Monday through Saturday, and Sunday lunch is a fixture.

 

The Dog and Doublet Inn

 Facilities:

  • Dog-friendly dining
  • Wedding facilities
  • Specialist Chinese menu

Another staple from our list, the Dog and Doublet, lies near the epicentre of England's canal network near Sutton Coldfield.

It backs onto the Birmingham and Fazely Canal and is a good spot to muster your forces for the lock that lies just to the north.

The standard menu features crowd-pleasers ranging from pies to cod loin, gammon steak to burgers. But the Dog's secret superpower is its freshly made-to-order Chinese menu, served four nights a week.

This has recently been updated with lashings of vegan and veggie options. Who's for vegan chicken in black bean sauce?

It's best to book ahead using the website.

 

The Holly Bush Inn

Facilities:

  • Live entertainment
  • Outdoor children's play area
  • Meat platter buffet menu

Nestled on a sleepy branch line of the Caldon Canal, with its back to the Peak District National Park, the Holly Bush is a real haven of peace and quiet.

The building has a rustic charm rooted in its original calling as a flour mill. Ancient timbers, cosy nooks and a roaring fire make this a great winter retreat, while the beer garden and rolling countryside views are a pleasure in warm weather.

As you would expect from a Thwaites pub, real ale takes pride of place on the bar. That means a reliable core of staple draughts, plus the odd seasonal special.

Expect good, honest pub grub here, from steak to hot rolls. There are also plenty of vegan and vegetarian options. A highlight is the meat platter buffet menu—you can pre-book a good-value traditional buffet. Just be sure to book in advance.

 

The Old Barbridge Inn

Facilities:

  • Classic British menu
  • Local beer selection
  • Playground

This is a real boater's pub on the banks of the busy Shropshire Union Canal and a few miles from the Barbridge Marina and Nantwich.

Its speciality is locally sourced food and drink, often served with a twist. Plaice fillet with beurre noisette or rib of beef with horseradish mash. For lighter appetites, there's also a tempting array of hearty sandwiches.

Between the cosy restaurant, the canalside beer garden, and a covered terrace, there's a spot for all conditions. Four-legged friends will certainly appreciate the treats on offer in the dedicated dog menu!

 

The Lock, Stock & Barrel

Facilities:

  • Step-free access
  • Dog friendly
  • Free Wi-Fi

Handy for the nearby races, the Lock, Stock & Barrel in Newbury is close enough to Chiswick to be a Fuller's pub, which means lovely, mellow pints of London Pride.

It sits right on the towpath of the Kennet and Avon Canal in the Georgian centre of the town, with a commanding view of passing barge traffic.

Bold and bright on the inside, the pub also has a lot of outdoor space for a town centre establishment. Cosy tables run the whole length of a quiet arm of the main canal, now blocked by a footbridge and navigated only by ducks.

The dinner menu isn't long but is stuffed with old favourites using top-quality ingredients. Lunchtime eats are a mouth-watering array of sandwiches, while the burgers are a draw in the evening. There are vegan / veggie options throughout the day.

 

Th'owd Tithe Barn 

Facilities:

  • £10 lunch club
  • Breakfast Fri-Sun
  • Quiet garden

Enjoying a renaissance now, after its stretch of the Lancaster Canal was connected to the national network, Th'owd Tithe Barn was originally built in 1710 to store grain. It retains signs of its past in the agricultural "artefacts" hung from walls and beams.

There are no locks between Preston and Borwick, where the canal is now blocked, making this 40-mile stretch a delightful backwater. So, with luck, you can moor up right outside to enjoy the warm welcome and hearty food.

It's all about good food at decent prices, with burgers a speciality alongside decadent favourites like slow-cooked beef lasagne. There's a good range of cask ales, cocktails, and a decent cup of coffee.

 

The Bridge Inn

Facilities:

  • 4 bedrooms
  • 2 golf partnerships
  • Gluten-free menu

There are Bridge Inns the length and breadth of these isles, but this one, on the outskirts of Edinburgh, might just be the best!

With all the attributes of a charming canalside pub, it regularly scores top marks in dining guides thanks to its blend of pub classics and creative flair. Ingredients are sourced from among Scotland's best, and the puddings are a particular delight.

From Ratho, it's an easy walk into majestic Edinburgh. To the west, the Union Canal winds all the way to the world-famous Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel. This feat of latter-day engineering connects to the Forth & Clyde Canal, some 35 metres below.

 

The Towpath Inn

Facilities:

  • Dog friendly
  • Wood-fired pizza oven
  • Cocktails

Not your average boozer, the Towpath Inn has a young and experimental vibe—more San Francisco than Swansea.

The concept is 'street food', which is a little bit like going open mic with the kitchen. Food trucks, market gastronomes and pop-ups take turns to fill the bill with everything from wood-fired pizza to Yorkshire wraps and delicacies from India's Northwest Frontier.

It means that the dining possibilities are not set in stone, so you must check what's available in advance. There's no phone number, so consult the website and book online.

The bar features beer and wine, but the towpath's chief claim to fame is Welsh gin and in-house cocktails. There's seating along the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal banks and a courtyard garden with heated booths.

 

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best canalside pubs

 

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