Pubs

ANCHOR
Church Rd, Oldbury-on-Severn, BS35 1QA
Tel: 01454 413331
This 200-year-old pub is the perfect pit-stop during a day walking in the lovely countryside of the Severn Estuary. Down a well-earned pint of real ale, including Bass, Butcombe, Otter, Mr Perret’s Stout (or Old Arnold) plus weekly changing guest. A huge range of traditional English homecooked food takes in sirloin steak, lamb shank, belly of pork, lamb’s liver, lasagne, fish pie, ploughman’s, and ham, egg & chips using local produce, served in both dining room and bar. Under-18s not allowed in the bar, but welcome in the lovely garden and dining room. Around 14 boules pistes out back have staged national matches, and pub regulars also enjoy this most leisurely of pastimes.

ANCHOR
Ham Green, near Pill, N Somerset, BS20 0HB
Tel: 01275 372253
If you can’t get a ticket for the Ashes this summer, next best thing is watching a match here for free. Picturesquely situated, overlooking the village cricket ground from the front, with panoramic views across the valley out back. A vast range of reliable, hearty, traditional pub fare at honest prices, served all day. Good veggie options and selection of baguettes, and Courage Best and Bass on tap. While the kids enjoy the play area in the garden (seats 54 - just the right number for a coach party), you get to play pool, skittles or darts.

APPLE TREE
Shoscombe, BA2 8LS
Tel: 01761 432263
Set in the centre of a beautiful rural hamlet, this is a friendly place serving the best of traditional English fare and three real ales on tap. Historic 250-year-old pub featuring good wheelchair access to all facilities and a pretty family garden. Menu concentrates on fish and locally sourced steak. You may also find pies on offer of a lunchtime.

BEAR & SWAN
13 South Parade, Chew Magna, BS40 8SL
Tel: 01275 331100, web: www.fullers.co.uk
Recently acquired by Fullers – so you’ll find that lovely London Pride on tap. The uninspiring exterior gives no indication of the excellence within. Smart surroundings incorporate much reclaimed timber, neat lighting and a striking blackboard brought to diners at their table. Anglo-French food includes supreme of duck, calves’ liver, corned beef hash and homemade fishcake and chips. Bustling bar and a covered smoking area inducing hibernation-like habits: those puffing away sitting outside get their drinks handed through an open window. Upstairs accommodation.

BELL AT SAPPERTON
Sapperton, nr Cirencester, Glos, GL7 6LE
Tel: 01285 760298, web: www.foodatthebell.co.uk
One of the UK’s top ten pubs, according to the Good Pub Guide. Venture here, and you’ll find proof via links to Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, Lord Lichfield, Donald Campbell, Gina Lollobrigida, Sade et al. Surroundings are smart but not stuffy, though a sign asks children to be quiet and well-behaved and to stay at the table. Fine wines, along with four real ales including Bath Ales Spa and Uley Old Spot. Food locally sourced and country style, including caesar salad, salmon with scrambled eggs, beef burger, lamb rack, plus Sunday menu. Champers and salmon or beer and burger… it’s horses for courses here.

BIRD IN HAND
17 Weston Rd, Long Ashton, BS41 9LA
Tel: 01275 392329
Three-room pub a very short spin from Bristol’s bustle but bringing a mood that feels as though you’ve truly escaped the city. There’s a bistro feel to the dining, where dishes like rack of ribs, Gatcombe Farm steak, marinated lamb chops, homemade steak & kidney pie and burgers line up alongside bargain Sunday roasts - £7.95 - worth a much longer drive.

BLUE BOWL
West Harptree, nr Bristol, BS40 6HJ
Tel: 01761 221269, web: www.thebluebowl.co.uk
Beautiful 18th century Cask Marque Trust-rated pub half a mile from Chew Valley Lake. Large beer garden, big children’s playground, and massive menus that include Chew Lake trout (seasonal), with licensee Tracy going out of her way to cater for those with special dietary requirements. Extensive range of excellent pub grub, from pies to veggie options, regular blackboard specials and an excellent kids’ menu. Choice of roasts on Sunday, all excellent. Superb real ales - Bombardier and guests - and an extensive wine list complete the supping scenario. Four well-appointed letting rooms, kids welcome till 9pm, disabled access to both bars plus disabled toilet. Food served Daily 12noon-9pm

BOARS HEAD
Main Road, Aust, BS35 4AX
Tel: 01454 632278
Olde-worlde traditional 16th century building just off the M48. Huge beer garden makes it a popular spot for afternoons when it’s too nice to stay in the office. Brimming with beams, fireplaces and an extensive, impressive menu. Two beers served at any one time, likely to include Pedigree, and there’s a terrific wine list, too. Enjoy lunchtime snacks, one of the many daily specials, or indulge in the a la carte (the homemade steak & ale pie is excellent, so catch it when it’s on), with food available lunch and dinner times. Separate kids’ options. Open Daily 12noon-3pm & 6-11pm

BOWL INN
Church Rd, Lower Almondsbury, nr Bristol, BS32 4DT
Tel: 01454 612757
Popular, well-established 16th century inn in a quintessential English village, minutes from the Almondsbury interchange. An excellent food selection offers dishes like lasagne, moussaka and gammon, egg & chips. A la carte options bring crayfish tails, Cornish mussels, rack of lamb, free-range chicken breast, panfried sea bass and 10oz sirloin. Eat in the traditional bar area or restaurant. Children’s meals available, too. Brains ales have arrived since last year’s guide; three beers are on, with Butcombe and St Austell Tribute on tap as we go to press. Good range of wines. Parts of this picturesque, whitewashed stone inn were originally the three cottages erected in 1146 to house the monks building the adjacent church.

BULL INN AT HINTON
Hinton, nr Dyrham, SN14 8HG
Tel: 0117 937 2332, web: www.thebullathinton.co.uk
Boasting around 500 years of history, this is your archetypal pub (in a converted dairy). Two huge fires welcome customers drawn by the setting, great selection of drinks and regularly changing menu. Huge lawn with outdoor seating, a short spin from Castle Combe Circuit.

BULL TERRIER
Croscombe, Somerset, BA5 3QJ
Tel: 01749 343658, web: www.bullterrierpub.co.uk
Historic 15th century inn with great beers; four are always on, with Butcombe ever-present and the eponymous Bull Terrier Bitter appearing every couple of months. Homecooked meals served daily, from homemade pasta and meaty pies to tasty veggie options. Children are welcome in the family room and garden. Overnight accommodation suitable for ages 16+ located up steep stairs; wheelchair access to pub.

BUNCH OF GRAPES
14 Silver St, Bradford on Avon, BA15 1JY
Tel: 01225 863877
Centrally located, this is one of Bradford’s most prized hostelries, complete with beams, fireplaces, candles and fabulously warm, cosy ambience. Food ranges from solid standards like steak & kidney pie, pasta, crab cakes and veggie/deli boards to innovative touches like blackened chicken with Cajun spices, and pork loin topped with rhubarb and chutney. Monthly changing guest ales, and good wine selection. Sunday carvery is fantastic: two meats to choose from, alternating between beef or chicken and lamb or pork, at just £7.95. Puds are pretty wonderful.

CAREW ARMS
Crowcombe, nr Taunton, TA4 4AD
Tel: 01984 618631, web: www.thecarewarms.co.uk
Last August saw a distinctly civilised beer and blues festival at this multi-award-winning inn and a repeat is due for the same month this year. Top-notch dining includes the likes of warm duck, shallot & green bean salad; stuffed goat’s cheese and mini faggots; tender local venison steak; breast of chicken and slow-cooked beef & beer casserole. Sun roasts are a cut above. Blackboards list daily fish specials. Good range of real ale, spirits and ciders, and suitably unspoilt interior - massive fireplace, sage green and cream colour scheme. Attractive south-facing gardens are filled with well-established shrubs, fruit and herbs. The stunning views beyond the large perimeter are an open invitation to walkers. Accommodation in the main building. Jazz on last Sun afternoon of every month. Private dining room caters for parties of up to 20.

CARPENTER’S ARMS
Stanton Wick, nr Pensford, Somerset, BS39 4BX
Tel: 01761 490202, web: www.the-carpenters-arms.co.uk
Here’s hoping that the festival of fish celebrating around nine different varieties over 10 days in March is repeated in 2010. Created from a terrace of ivy-clad stone-fronted miners’ cottages in the heart of Chew Valley, this charming pub boasts big fireplaces, plush leather furniture and solid wooden tables. Menu changes regularly to use only the best seasonal produce, be it fish directly from Cornwall or local game. Both restaurants serve lunch and dinner daily (starters from under a fiver, mains from around £12), with an extensive wine list, dedicated children’s menu, terrace garden and real ales (Butcombe, 6X and at least one guest on tap), all within easy reach of Bristol. Twelve ensuite letting bedrooms.

CASTLE INN
10 Mount Pleasant, Bradford on Avon, BA15 1SJ
Tel: 01225 865657, web: www.flatcappers.co.uk
With reclaimed furniture and fittings, quirky black and white photographs and board games, lovers of the Lounge chain won’t be surprised to find one of its ranks with a stake in proceedings here. Indeed, Lounge touches are distinctly evident on menus that feature upper-crust versions of proper pub grub at extremely wholesome prices. We tried starters of silky butternut squash risotto and hearty bacon & mushroom salad topped with a poached egg – they came in at around a fiver, and either would easily constitute a sturdy lunch or even a nice, light main course. For mains, their manly portion of roast lamb rump with roast new potatoes and asparagus says all you need to know about the flavour of Britain in mid-June. Excellent range of Flatcapper beers, too.

CATHERINE WHEEL
High St, Marshfield, nr Bath, SN14 8LR
Tel: 01225 892220, web: www.thecatherinewheel.co.uk
On the edge of the Cotswolds, a short spin from Bath, this is an impressive building, much of it dating back to the 15th century. Highly regarded for homecooked food: expect to find dishes like pot-roasted partridge, venison medallions, pork tenderloin, fish pie, Moroccan lamb stew and chicken breast filled with smoked cheese wrapped in bacon. Using local produce when available, all food is freshly prepared. A variety of eating areas are available, including an elegant dining room and small sunny patio, with a friendly atmosphere throughout. Booking for weekends and Sunday lunch is advisable. Simple, sympathetic decor complements the exposed stonewalls and large open fireplaces. Several real ales are on offer plus an excellent wine list. Four comfortable ensuite guest rooms.

CROSS KEYS
Midford Rd, Bath, BA2 5RZ
Tel: 01225 849180, web: www.crosskeysbath.co.uk
The old and new combine neatly here, with historic fixtures standing beside some modern menu additions. Originally built in the early 18th century, reminders of the pub’s coaching inn past remain. Little has changed inside in decades, with original open fires in the wood-panelled bars. Everything on the menu is cooked to order, wherever possible using fresh produce from local suppliers: steak & chips, stuffed peppers, homemade fish pie… traditional pub food with the emphasis on quality ingredients. Certain dietary requirements, such as gluten-free dishes – are catered for, there are always plenty of vegetarian options available, and fresh fish is delivered daily from Cornwall. Garden has been extended since last year - dogs and walkers are welcomed. Doom Bar, Butcombe and Courage Best on draught. Check website for events.

CROSS GUNS
Avoncliff, BA15 2HB
Tel: 01225 862335/867613, web: www.crossguns.net
Landlord Ken Roberts is as relaxed a chap as you’ll find, and doubtless the view here contributes to his content disposition. The food is worthy of the setting, and is available lunch and dinner, with lighter snacks served all day. Mushrooms cooked with lashings of creamy garlic & brandy sauce, the chef’s fiery black pudding or the chicken satay sticks with peanut sauce are good places to start, but leave room for a lovely bit of fish or the awesome steaks. Prime Welsh beef cuts range from an 8oz fillet to a 32oz giant. The bar is equally impressive, with real ales, a great wine list, over 100 malt whiskies and mulled wine and winter Pimms. Reservations for the busy, popular restaurant are essential at weekends. Ales such as Box Steam Brewery’s Tunnel Vision, Rev Awdry, Dark & Handsome and Piston Broke plus Old Peculier and Abbey Ales can be savoured in full if you’re staying in the onsite accommodation, with a four-poster bed if you’re feeling romantic. Barbecues for summer.

THE CROWN
Tolldown, Dyrham, Nr Bath SN14 8HZ
Tel: 01225 891166; web: www.ohhcompany.co.uk
Traditional country inn infused with sublime contemporary flourishes, from decor to menus. Food is of the Medi/modern Brit theme (including an impressive range of fresh fish dishes and a fabulous Sunday lunch), while roaring log fires, low beams and artful use of Cotswold stone further add to the easygoing, good times atmospherics. Visit the website for news of forthcoming foodie events.

CROWN INN
The Batch, Skinners Lane, Churchill, BS25 5PP
Tel: 01934 852995
We ate some frankly awesome cauliflower cheese, wherein lip-smackingly tangy cheddar smothered succulent cauli, served with two chunks of bread and butter about the size of the logs filling the fireplace for ten months of the year here. A good 450 years of history, exceptionally well-kept beer served from barrels behind the bar, CAMRA awards left, right and centre, and fine hospitality all create a pub of singular appeal. Throw in its secluded but accessible location, gloriously rustic interior with beams, flagstones and settles and the Provence-style patio, and you have a destination worthy of its reputation. The casseroles change regularly, while the ploughman’s and aforementioned cauliflower cheese don’t. There’s much emphasis on locality, and care is taken to source premium ingredients for the wholesome, nourishing grub (the cattle in the field across the way star in the rare beef sandwiches). Sloes from the area’s hedgerows go into the gin. Popular ales include Bath Ales Gem, Palmers IPA, Batch Bitter and PG Steam.

CROWN INN
High St, Marshfield, SN14 8LP
Tel: 01225 891189, web: www.the-crown-pub.co.uk
Seventeenth-century coaching inn offering good fresh food at affordable prices. There’s a full menu for lunch and evening meals, from burgers and pizzas to steaks, fish, curries and more, while the bar serves cask-conditioned beers, traditional cider, premium lagers and a fine selection of wines. Courtyard garden; takeaway service. Food served Tue 6-9pm, Wed-Sat 12noon-2pm & 6-9pm, Sun (all-day carvery) 12noon-8pm

DOG INN
Badminton Rd, Old Sodbury, BS37 6LZ
Tel: 01454 312006, web: www.cotswold-way.co.uk/doginn
Characterful boozer upon the Cotswold Way. This pub’s claim to fame is the enormous size of the menu - large selection of fresh fish, and veggie selection, all at great value, with mains starting from around a fiver. The atmosphere’s cosy and dark inside, with a small courtyard and garden in which to enjoy the sunshine. Children have their own extensive menu, and the range of real ales includes 6X, Wickwar Bob and Doom Bar. Letting rooms available. Open Daily, all day Food served Daily, lunch & dinner

DRUIDS ARMS
Bromley Rd, Stanton Drew, BS39 4EJ
Tel: 01275 332230, web: www.druidsarms.co.uk
Charming local named after the standing stones nearby, with some mini versions in its attractive garden. The unfortunate Grace, run over by a carriage, is said to haunt the building. Druids and morris men visit on summer solstice, while well-kept ales and delicious dining prove a year-round draw for all.

DUNDRY INN
Church Rd, Dundry, BS41 8LH
Tel: 0117 964 1722, web: www.dundryinn.co.uk
Licensees Jane Chiddy and Nigel Booth’s innkeeping odyssey began at the nearby Fox & Goose; they arrived in Dundry last August to reopen a pub that had been closed for some time. The pub has been returned to its original cosiness after refurbishment. The impressive smoking area doubles as a shelter for schoolchildren awaiting their morning bus. Homemade dishes include seafood smokie, lamb’s liver, hunter’s chicken, beef chilli and veggie lasagne.

FAILAND INN
Clevedon Rd, Failand, nr Bristol, BS8 3TU
Tel: 01275 392220
Victorian coaching inn in close proximity to Bristol city centre but even closer to the gothic revival estate of Tyntesfield. Enticing menu boasts plenty of wholesome homecooked food - curries, chillies, lasagnes - and there’s a daily changing specials board. In 1871, a former police constable hanged himself in the barn ‘during a state of temporary insanity’.

FLEECE INN
Chapel Lane, Hillesley, Wotton-under-Edge, GL12 7RQ
Tel: 01453 843189
The Fleece represents all that is good about a rural boozer. Landlord Andy Starling has assembled a dedicated, close-knit and hardworking team whose efforts have restored this 17th century coaching inn to its glorious best. Homecooked, traditional dishes like steak & ale pie, sausage & mash and fish & chips feature on a solid menu that uses local suppliers, with meat sourced from an eight-mile radius. The first of many theme nights, staged as we go to press, celebrates Indian food, with gastronomical journeys to Italy, Greece, Spain and France scheduled, and English dining for St George’s Day. Newly refurbished 30-seat restaurant, hog roasts in the garden when it’s sunny, Doom Bar, Butcombe and guest on draught.

FOX & BADGER
Wellow, nr Bath, BA2 8QG
Tel: 01225 832293, web: www.foxandbadger.co.uk
Located in the achingly beautiful village of Wellow, it’s hard to believe this intimate 16th century pub is a 10-minute drive from Bath city centre. Idyllic environs make it a popular destination for country ramblers, with footpaths running through the hills and valleys around. Ever-reliable menu, plus real ales, wine. Leave space for dessert.

FULL QUART
Hewish, nr Weston-super-Mare, BS24 6RT
Tel: 01934 833077
Traditional real ale country inn serving a wide selection of ales, including London Pride and 6X. Homemade snacks, main meals and carvery dishes, plus specials board, homemade soups, pate and puds. Large outdoor play area for kids, with grandstand view of the Great Western Railway. Open Daily 12noon-11pm Food served Daily, all day (Sun lunch from 12noon)

GEORGE
High St, Norton St Philip, BA2 7LH
Tel: 01373 834224, web: www.wadworth.co.uk
If a pub get visitors from the other side of the world, it’s safe to assume it’s something special. Reputed to be one of the oldest continuously licensed houses in England, this grade l-listed building has offered its hospitality for nearly 700 years. Two bars, two well-appointed dining rooms, a guest lounge and eight luxurious ensuite guest rooms. Even the courtyard’s ancient cobbles are worth contemplating – little wonder that numerous film and TV productions have been staged here. Mark and Harriet organise regular medieval banquets (come in costume if you like) for parties and teambuilding groups of up to 20 people. Seasonally changing food served in the bar and restaurant is hearty, homecooked and well-sourced – the likes of beef wellington, venison steak, game casserole and ham, bubble & squeak.

GEORGE
Manor Rd, Abbots Leigh, nr Bristol, BS8 3RP
Tel: 01275 372467, web: www.thegeorgeinn.uk.com
This 18th century pub is particularly popular on Sundays due to the excellent roasts, and though the menu changes frequently, the quality and value doesn’t. Its first curry night is due shortly after we go to press. The George serves up traditional English food with a twist, with seasonal ingredients sourced locally and plenty of daily specials on offer. Good range of wines, beers and spirits plus four real ales. Lovely walled garden at the back, children welcome.

GEORGE & DRAGON
High St, Pensford, BS39 4BH
Tel: 01761 490516
A temporary manager is in place as we go to press, with roasts on Sundays the only food offerings currently on offer at this handsome, historic (over 400 years old) former coaching inn with ties to the infamous Judge Jeffries. Food options and serving times may increase by the time this guide hits the streets. Once here you’ll find roaring open fires, exposed brickwork and original beams aplenty, with a pool table and skittle alley for sportier visitors and a function room for those after a party. Bass, Bombardier and Greene King IPA currently on draught.

GEORGE & DRAGON
High St, Rowde, SN10 2PN
Tel: 01380 723053, web: www.thegeorgeanddragonrowde.co.uk
Award-winning gastropub that deserves every accolade it receives. The proprietors have forged a formidable reputation - largely down to what they do with fish: the starter of scallops with black pudding is a firm favourite, as is the whole cracked crab straight from Cornwall. Veg is locally grown. Regarded as a restaurant that also serves beer, rather than the other way round, it serves food lunch and dinner Mon to Sat, plus traditional Sunday roasts. A great summer garden in which to enjoy your fabulous food, and three letting rooms - two en suite, one with a private bathroom. Excellent value for money, with a three-course dinner around £60 for two. Party catering for anything from dinner parties of 10 to weddings for 150.

HOLCOMBE INN
Stratton Rd, Holcombe, BA3 5EB
Tel: 01761 232478, web: www.holcombeinn.co.uk
This pub originally cropped up in the Domesday Book. Menu changes seasonally, and has a European/English flavour, with as many of the ingredients as possible sourced locally. Fish is a speciality (try roast cod with chorizo, Mediterranean veg and herb mash), while other mains might include crispy duck leg and venison sausage with cannellini bean cassoulet. A double-sided wood-burning stove ensures a warm welcome, and there’s a beautiful view of Downside Abbey from the garden. Eight splendid hotel rooms, four of which have been repainted since last year’s guide. Blindmans Brewery’s Buff to replace Otter after we go to press.

HOP POLE
Limpley Stoke, nr Bath, BA2 7FS
Tel: 01225 723134
Here’s a scoop for all you film buffs! The film ‘Creation’, based on the life of Charles Darwin, is due to be released in Sept 2009 - go along to the Hop Pole and you’ll find the location for one of the scenes featuring star Paul Bettany. A pub scene from ‘The Remains of the Day’ was also shot here. Hang around long enough and you might get a part as an extra. Boasts over 400 years of history, log fires, great garden and an impressive menu including homebaked pies, fresh local trout, giant filled baps and other light bites, and three regular and one guest ale always on tap.

HOPE & ANCHOR
Midford Rd, Bath, BA2 7DD
Tel: 01225 832296, web: www.hopeandanchormidford.co.uk
Set in the lovely Cam Valley and listed by both the AA and Which Pub guides, the Hope and Anchor is as renowned for its food as it is for its excellent beer - with Bass and Butcombe on tap - and friendly staff. Choose from the more formal, 17th century oak-beamed restaurant menu or dine in the bar, where dishes are robust rather than fussy. Plenty of fish on the menu, plus homemade pies and rather good paella. Great in winter, with its roaring fire, and the tiered garden is a godsend for soaking up the sun in summer.

HORSE & GROOM INN
The Street, Charlton, nr Malmesbury, Wilts, SN16 9DL
Tel: 0845 459 8564, web: www.horseandgroominn.com
Gorgeous 16th century Cotswold stone coaching inn with traditional flagstone floors, roaring fires and a stunning walled garden, separate children’s play area and what they proudly claim to be Wiltshire’s only outside bar. Pop in for a pint and a quick bite or linger over a feast with family and friends. With a serious focus on quality food at sensible prices (starters from around £4.50, mains from £8.95), Michelin-starred executive chef Rob Clayton (formerly of Bath’s Priory) offers seasonally changing, locally sourced menus full of imaginative modern British cuisine: seared fillet of sea bream, spiced crab oil, chorizo sausage, turned new potatoes in saffron, baby leek and fresh Cornish mussels is wowing diners as we go to press. Very refreshingly, they listen to drinkers’ recommendations when selecting ales, with London Pride, BOB and Cotswold Way having been so-chosen. Open Daily 12noon-11pm Food served Daily 12noon-2.30pm (Sun 3pm) & 6.30-9pm (Fri-Sat 9.30pm)

HUNTER’S LODGE
Priddy, BA5 3AR
Tel: 01749 672275
Honest-to-goodness throwback to the days when rural boozers were where folk eased their bones after a day in the fields. Turn your mobile off, step through the door, then choose from an array of beers kept in casks resting in a line like cannons aboard HMS Victory. Landlord Roger Dors has been here 62 years, having arrived as a six-year-old, and it’s likely little’s changed since then. Locals, cavers, walkers and cyclists drop in for Butcombe Bitter and Blindman Mine (and one guest - Potholer as we go to press) supped in the homely surrounds indoors or the garden. Also stock Roger Wilkins’ award-winning cider from Mudgley. Wholesome, hearty food includes homemade soups, faggots & peas and cauliflower cheese.

INN AT FRESHFORD
The Hill, Freshford, BA2 7WG
Tel: 01225 722250, web: www.theinnatfreshford.co.uk
Keep the last weekend of August free for a Fri-Sat festival that’s likely to feature 20 ales, a dozen ciders, live music, a garden bar and barbecue. What’s more, you can get here by train, so everyone can drink. This grade ll-listed building dates from 1745, and was once a wealthy family’s summerhouse. It’s classy but cheerful, smart but relaxed. Box Steam Brewery beers, stylish yet substantial food (the sauteed sweet pepper is particularly impressive) and efficient, attentive and smiley staff make this a destination pub worthy of the name. The garden is a beauty and can sit 100 alfresco diners for summer barbecues. Food takes in dishes like braised steak, free-range chicken, Scottish smoked salmon fishcakes, chicken curry, fish & chips and what sounds like an extraordinarily tasty bubble & squeak. Kid- and dog-friendly. Open Mon-Thur 10.30am-3pm & 6-11pm, Fri-Sat 10.30am-11pm, Sun 11am-11pm

JOLLY SAILOR
Mead Lane, Saltford, BS31 3ER
Tel: 01225 873002, web: www.jollysailorpub.com
You can get here by the winding narrow road, but why not take the bike along the Bristol-Bath cycle path, or even arrive by boat to this peaceful setting with its own river island and lock? Enormous selection of quality bar snacks and more substantial meals, plus pizzas with much pizzazz to enjoy on the lovely heated patio or in the conservatory. Menu changes seasonally. Monthly music Fri, and barbecues planned for summer. Four real ales and a decent wine list. Food served Mon-Thur 12noon-9pm, Fri-Sat 12noon-9.30pm, Sun 12noon-6pm

KINGS ARMS
The Street, Didmarton, nr Badminton, Glos, GL9 1DT
Tel: 01454 238245, web: www.kingsarmsdidmarton.co.uk
Built in 1652, this lovingly restored grade ll-listed 17th century coaching inn is just at the edge of the sprawling Badminton Estate, two miles from Westonbirt Arboretum. Three real ales are always on, currently Uley, Otter and guest Timothy Taylor’s Landlord. The award-winning restaurant is renowned for unique signature dishes. Fresh game is a speciality, and the seasonal menu, complemented by fresh daily blackboard specials and a creative selection of lighter snacks and hearty meals, uses the freshest ingredients and the best local produce. Alas, the rook pie night, once a red-letter day in the culinary calendar, is no longer staged.

KINGS HEAD
36 High St, Wells, BA5 2SG
Tel: 01749 672141, web: www.kingsheadwells.co.uk
The building in which this pub stands has been around for 700 years, though it only became a hotel/bar as recently as 1604. Landlord Steve Wilson took over in October 2007 and set about sprucing up the place, with a function room plus a load of entertainment like a Scratch your Nuts quiz on the first Wed monthly, open DJ nights on the first Thur monthly, karaoke on the second Thur monthly, live music every last Thur monthly, open mic every Tue and DJs Fri and Sat 9pm-1am. While the events are bang up to date, the setting is anything but, with the back bar’s stunning medieval ceiling worthy of the journey alone. Grub is traditional yet contemporary, with Polish chef Jarek newly arrived. Whitebait salad, a cheeseboard, cod & chips, faggots, chicken & bacon stack, bangers & mash and ploughmans all go down a treat. Three local ales – Merlin’s Magic, Potholer and guest on at time of going to press, with increased options due for the summer.

LANGFORD INN & RESTAURANT
Lower Langford, Langford, nr Churchill, BS40 5BL
Tel: 01934 863059, www.langfordinnbristol.co.uk
An excellent reputation for quality food and drink attracts families and foodies alike, with an offer seeing two courses for £7.50 on weekdays until 7pm. Extensive a la carte menu, with especially good fish and steak dishes, excellent traditional roast on Sundays, and a great range of Cask Marque-rated beers and guest ales. When all’s done there will be seven ensuite rooms, and there’s a delightful courtyard out back. Food served Daily 12noon-9pm

LIVE & LET LIVE
Clyde Rd, Frampton Cotterell, Bristol BS36 2EF
Tel: 01454 772254, web: www.bathales.com
“Four years to the day after the best party at a brewery ever, Bath Ales are again Venue’s hosts for a congenial evening,” wrote our man. Managers Lloyd Williams and Alex Broxton (formerly of sister pub the Wellington) preside over a boozer operating as much as a community centre as a pub. Freshly made, homecooked food takes in dishes like steak & Bath Ales pie, liver & bacon, wild mushroom & spinach pasta and ham, egg & chips along with exotic touches like impala. There’s a big-family feel to operations, with ghost-hunting chef Mary receiving drinks sent back by appreciative diners and book-keeping barmaid Sheena offered books to keep by witty regulars. The repartee extends to good-natured joshing over the couple’s Welsh origins. Live and let live indeed.

LOCK KEEPER
Bitton Rd, Keynsham, nr Bristol, BS31 2DD
Tel: 0117 986 2383
The clue is in the name. This pub has a fantastic location beside the locks on the River Avon, five minutes from both the cycle path and train station, and whether you’re arriving by barge, bike or more conventional forms of transport, this pub will warmly welcome you. The main menu is seasonal, and fresh fish features prominently on a specials board which changes daily, with vegetarian options and a good selection of real ales, including Young’s Bitter and Special.

MAJOR’S RETREAT AT THE PORTCULLIS INN
Tormarton, South Glos, GL9 1HZ
Tel: 01454 218263
This creeper-clad treasure of a country pub, set in the pretty Cotswold-stone village of Tormarton, is comfortable, warm and cosy. You’ll be snug as a bug in a rug enjoying homemade steak & kidney pie, curries and steak. A splendid oak-panelled dining room/restaurant seats up to 40. Bass and Uley Brewery’s Pig’s Ear are always on, with four guests completing a half-dozen supping options. The well-maintained garden features a fascinating mixture of trees at which adults can gaze, and inviting clumps of greenery in which nippers can play hide and seek, so everyone’s happy.

MILL AT RODE
Rode, Frome, Somerset, BA11 6AG
Tel: 01373 831100, web: www.themillatrode.co.uk
Kids asking ‘Are we there yet?’ on the journey will find a treat when they arrive, with an upstairs room here soon to be kitted out with an Xbox and PS3, and a sandpit due by summer. Grown-ups are in for something special too, and anglers will be in heaven - the pub has its own fishing rights. In the historic village of Rode on the River Frome, the Mill is surrounded by landscaped gardens and still boasts an original waterwheel. Relaxed bar and dining area with seasonally changing menus. Dishes available at time of going to press include panfried cutlet of Somerset pork, roasted Barbary duck breast, locally reared sirloin and roasted root vegetable & puy lentil hotpot. The two-course fixed weekday menu offers two courses for £7.97 (except bank holidays), and the two-course set dinner will set you back £14.95. The wine list offers lots of taste tips to guide the inexperienced, and kids are well catered for – there’s a selection of organic meals for kids. Three real ales include Butcombe and Pedigree. Food served Daily 12noon-10pm (Sun 9.30pm)

MINERS REST
Providence Lane, Long Ashton, BS41 9DJ
Tel: 01275 393449
Charming and unpretentious 18th century inn high above Long Ashton - a genuine country pub just a few minutes’ drive from the city. Mining paraphernalia from the area’s past adorns the walls. Wholesome, homely food served lunchtimes includes ploughman’s, jackets and squire’s platter (meat & cheese combo). Super Sunday roasts, ales kept with care, large garden, suntrap patio and lovely views across to Dundry, plus an extremely warm welcome.

NEW INN
Waterley Bottom, Dursley, Glos, GL11 6EF
Tel: 01453 543659
What was a 19th century farm cottage (then cider house) morphed eventually into a pub with garden judged among the nation’s top ten, according to The Times. Large terrace enhances the alfresco facilities, and traditional homecooked food changes every three to six months. Dishes like lamb cutlets with creamy mash in orange & mint sauce, pork tenderloin in wholegrain mustard sauce, and fine cod fillet topped with tiger prawns evince the menu’s high standards. The cider’s fine, too, with five draughts and nine bottles bagging the New Inn a Gloucester Cider Pub of the Year award. Cotley, Wye Valley, plus guest real ales.

NEW INN
86 West Town Rd, Backwell, nr Bristol, BS48 3BE
Tel: 01275 462694, web: www.newinnbackwell.co.uk
There’s a new chef at the New Inn who’s a bit of a genius when it comes to fish, so expect something of a delicious sea bass/dover sole/skate/hake nature when dropping in. Duck, steak, chicken, rabbit and pigeon offerings over the course of a year keep the variety coming. With 450 years under its belt, the New Inn is anything but, but still going strong. Food is served at lunch and dinner, and the traditional Sunday roasts are especially good. Suppers savour drops like St Austell Tribute, Webster’s Green Label and Courage Best, with at least two real ales always on. Decent wine list and nice garden area. A music festival has been run in previous summers.

NORTHEY ARMS
Bath Rd, Box, nr Corsham, SN13 8AE
Tel: 01225 742333, web: www.ohhcompany.co.uk
There’s a lovely lot of history here. The pub would have originally serviced customers using the nearby railway, and was at one time owned by Maisie Gay, an actress of some note who performed with Noel Coward in a 1920s revue called ‘London Calling!’ - nothing to do with The Clash, mind. Coward himself, it seems, worked behind the bar here on occasions. Visit today and you’ll find an updated and upmarket incarnation, where old and new sit comfortably together by way of a gracious and discreetly glamorous but cosy bar and restaurant. Sublime starters like whole tempura soft-shell crab with vine tomato salsa and mango sorbet, and mains of panfried calves’ liver with apple mash and creamed leeks are helping maintain a well-deserved reputation for their big, unfussy plates of food with a respect for good ingredients. Desserts are a dream, and the 6X and JCB on draught goes down a treat.

OAKHILL INN
Fosse Rd, Oakhill, Wilts, BA3 5HU
Tel: 01749 840442, web: www.theoakhillinn.com
Charlie and Amanda Digney arrived in November 2007 and have been enhancing their boozer’s appeal ever since. The ingredients for seasonal, British dishes are sourced locally, with the pair aiming to be as sustainable as possible. Amanda’s dad grows the monk’s beard accompanying a tasty bit of roast hake. Their latest plan is to have an onsite butchery wherein whole animals can be bought in and butchered for use across the couple’s three pubs, with a retail element for paté, confit and terrine also being considered. Virtual shop already operational for ordering ingredients like fresh fish, cheese and bread online – a terrific service for villagers. The look is smart but relaxed, with the pub extended across several rooms. Food is in chef Neil Creese’s safe hands, back after two years in France. Expect to find dishes like slow-roast belly pork, spring lamb chop and sirloin steak, with draught options a cut above, too.

OLD CROWN INN
Kelston, nr Bath, BA1 9AQ
Tel: 01225 423032, www.oldcrown-butcombe.com
Lovely country pub just a few minutes’ drive from the centre of Bath (or catch the bus, there’s a stop right outside), with open fires, bare stone walls, oak settles, five real ales and piles of excellent grub: fish in beer batter with homemade chips, classic barbecue chicken, substantial soups and excellent puds. Ask the genial staff why one of the rooms is referred to as the mortuary. Loads of parking opposite and plenty of outside seating.

THE OLD HOUSE AT HOME
Burton, nr Castle Combe, Wiltshire SN14 7LT
Tel: 01454 218227; web: www.ohhcompany.co.uk
Characterful, atmospheric freehouse specialising in a warm welcome (further reinforced by a magnificent log fire) and unpretentious, locally sourced, seasonally-inspired menus. Fresh fish is delivered daily from Cornwall, while a sturdy range of local ales and an extremely well-considered wine list lead to the obvious conclusion that the pub’s accommodation wing - due to open any day now - is set to become as popular as the glorious Sunday roasts.

OLD LOCK & WEIR
7 Ferry Rd, Hanham Mills, BS15 3NU
Tel: 0117 967 3793, web: www.lockandweir.com
New chef Jake arrived in late 2008 and presides over a highly recommended steak night of a Wed, as well as tasty basket meals like scampi or sausage & chips, with salads offering healthier options. Spontaneous jam sessions often form when it’s sunny and warm outside. Splendid waterside pub with plenty of real ale (at least four at any time – Gem, 6X, Otter and Hobgoblin as we go to press) and absolutely shedloads of space in which to sit and bask. August bank holiday beer festival in the pipeline. Does a roaring trade during the warmer months, and still packs ’em in through autumn and winter. Heated smoking area; regular live music.

OLD SPOT INN
Hill Rd, Dursley, Glos, GL11 4JQ
Tel: 01453 542870, web: www.oldspotinn.co.uk
Pigs everywhere - in ceramic, photographic and appropriately pigment-based form through a pleasing trot of several connected rooms. And just as noticeable as the porcine imagery is the wonderful sense of community at this pub judged CAMRA’s national best in 2007. Steve and Belinda Herbert are enthusiastic about what they do here: “It’s a boozer, a pub as they used to be. The people make it – we had a Mexican night and they were outside smacking the piñata with great gusto.” Up to 10 regularly changing ales are always on, with as many wines accompanying the affordable grub (homemade cottage pie, fresh fish, fajitas, etc). The smoking area is a thing of wonder. Food served Daily 12noon-3pm

OLD STATION INN
Hallatrow, nr Bath, BS39 6EN
Tel: 01761 452228, web: www.theoldstationandcarriage.co.uk
What was already an established jewel in the pub-scene crown saw its reputation enhanced with the arrival of chef Neville King who’s spent the past couple of decades establishing a mightily impressive name for himself in France, Germany, Belgium, Bermuda, New York and Hawaii’s Niihau. Now he’s returned to Blighty, pitching up at a pub with a restaurant in an old railway carriage to offer upmarket gastro dining using locally sourced ingredients and homegrown vegetables and herbs. Expect dishes like roast breast of duck with port and summer berries to give a taste of the skills that have bagged him some impressive awards. Less grand dishes - jackets, baguettes, salads - are available lunchtimes only, while a wood-burning Roman pizza oven is set to upgrade this Italian favourite. Huge beer garden, real ales, letting bedrooms and facilities available for private hire and wedding receptions.

PACKHORSE INN
Southstoke, Bath, BA2 7DU
Tel: 01225 832060, web: www.packhorseinn.com
There’s terrific spirit here, with games nights on the first and third Mon monthly, featuring chess, draughts, cribbage, shove ha’penny and dominoes, as well as cycling and walking fun and the Cyder Cup, a golfing event like the Ryder Cup but with more cheating and cider. On winter nights, warm yourself by the roaring log fire in this wonderfully historic inn: the Bath-stone inglenook fireplace is said to conceal an even larger hearth of medieval origin. From a door within the inglenook, there’s the entrance to an old tunnel that once linked the hostelry with the church. Seasonal British dining several notches above typical pub fare sometimes incorporates potatoes, carrots, cabbages, beans and onions from the pub’s garden. Dishes available as we go to press include rabbit, roasted gressingham duck breast, pork in cider and mushrooms, and stewed venison. Ales include Doom Bar, Butcombe and BOB. Garden offers magnificent views over the rolling Somerset countryside.

PEAR TREE
Top Lane, Whitley, nr Bath, SN12 8QX
Tel: 01225 709131, web: www.maypolehotels.com/peartreeinn
Award-winning pub that boasts a stunning menu, mixing a multitude of influences from around the world, and culminating in an overall style that could be called the very best of modern European. They’re passionate about food, as is evident from the seasonal, daily changing menu, which is largely locally sourced and often includes local venison and game. Puddings are fantastic; so is the selection of drinks on offer, with a top-quality wine list and sometimes four real ales. Eight ensuite bedrooms - you may never want to leave.

PLOUGH
High St, Wrington, BS40 5QA
Tel: 01934 862871
A holding couple are three weeks away from moving on here, so food details by the time you read this may well have changed (currently ham, egg & chips, chicken pie, fish & chips, curries, soup, etc). Decent-sized garden seating 200, and massive covered gazebo. Young’s and Courage real ales on.

PLOUGH
Pilning St, Pilning, BS35 4JJ
Tel: 01454 632556
Last year brought major changes with the arrival of Sue, Shaun and Clare from the nearby Swan at Tockington. And this year finds more change in the air, with the trio shortly set to leave! So the future is unclear for a menu currently serving steak, stilton & 6X pie, lamb or chicken burgers or wraps, and pub grub like steak, gammon, fishcakes and lasagne served evenings, and a Sunday carvery for £7.95. The pub provided a venue for the Severnsound Music Festival in 2007 and 2008; let’s hope 2009 sees a much-loved tradition continued. Barbecue area used by private groups (often in conjunction with boules piste for fun team-building), and wonderful children’s play area with adjoining paddock and orchard.

PONY & TRAP
Newtown, nr Chew Magna, BS40 8TQ
Tel: 01275 332627
This 200-year-old low-beamed beauty may be tricky to find, but is well worth the effort. Once inside, the olde-worlde pub gives way to a fabulous contemporary restaurant. Whether dining casually at the bar or in the restaurant, there’s an emphasis on quality evident in time-honoured favourites plus more adventurous dishes. Offerings change regularly - braised beetroot risotto, guinea fowl with black pudding and braised red cabbage, and whole roast sea bream are all representative of the calibre. Great Sunday roasts and a large range of tempting desserts. Fabulous views across the Chew Valley from the equally fabulous garden. Excellently kept real ales. Open Tue-Sun Food served Lunch & dinner

PRINCE OF WATERLOO
1 High St, Winford, BS40 8AR
Tel: 01275 474930, web: www.princeofwaterloo.com
Everything you’d expect of a top rural pub, all blazing fires in winter and well-tended beer gardens in summer. Impressive and varied menu, with substantial portions of fish & chips - a ‘giant’ piece of haddock - steaks, Butcombe pie and chicken curry, plus daily specials and Sunday roasts, and several real ales (including Butcombe and Courage Best) on tap. Sports bar/function room; lounge area with leather sofas; children’s play area; barbecues in summer.

QUARRYMAN’S ARMS
Box Hill, Corsham, Wilts, SN13 8HN
Tel: 01225 743569, web: www.quarrymans-arms.co.uk
Slightly off the beaten track but immensely worth finding. Features include intriguing low arches, quirky keyring collection hanging from the ceiling, magnificent cast-iron saws and a beautiful roaring fireplace replicating Box Tunnel’s west portal in one-fifteenth scale. The verging-on-gastro bistro food is impressive. We tried robust macaroni cheese featuring hefty curls of pasta in a gloriously rich cheese sauce below a wonderfully browned crown, and teeming-with-tiger prawns seafood linguini, cooked to perfection and presented beautifully, followed by an awesome banoffee pie. Butcombe, 6X, Moles Best plus guest on draught. Theme nights such as TexMex and South African dining have proved popular.

RAGGED COT
Cirencester Rd, Hyde, GL6 8PE
Tel: 01453 884643
Dating from the 17th century, the Ragged Cot is set beside 600 acres of National Trust common land, just outside the market town of Minchinhampton. This traditional coaching inn has a beamed bar with exposed Cotswold stonewalls and open fires, offering a warm welcome to dogs, wellies and the local community. Dining room serves classic rustic dishes using local suppliers and ingredients grown on site: fresh daily soups, sharing fare, braised mutton casserole with rosemary dumplings, Cornish turbot and braised ox cheek with potato gratin. Walkers can head off with picnics, while those staying put for long, lazy afternoons on the lawn can pre-order hampers. Cream teas and freshly baked cakes add to the gentility. Private dining room can host parties of up to 12. Accommodation in 10 guest rooms, all named after Penguin Classics. Eclectic real ales include Ringwood from Hampshire and Jennings’ Cumberland from Cumbria.

RATTLEBONE INN
Church St, Sherston, Wilts, SN16 0LR
Tel: 01666 840871, web: www.therattlebone.co.uk
Dates back to the 16th century, but there’s been a hostelry on site since medieval times. The expansive and imaginative menu, with most ingredients sourced locally, is best described as classic country cooking. Our chap spotted duck breast salad, spring lamb, sea trout and 10oz rump steak within a solid offering. Boules pitch out back. Shrove Tuesday saw a pancake-eating competition.

RED LION
High St, Lacock, Wilts, SN15 2LQ
Tel: 01249 730456, web: www.redlionlacock.2day.ws
Beauty of a boozer within a village owned by the National Trust, which was converted into a hardware shop for the BBC’s ‘Cranford’ period drama. Sir Anthony Hopkins has been in town, remaking ‘The Wolf Man’, slated for a November release. Chef Linda, here for 16 years, is famed for her pies and casseroles, while stalwart Joan has served loyally for 36 years. Food is homecooked comfort faves: 10oz Wiltshire rib-eye steak, 8oz venison steak, sausages & mash (vegetarian option available) and pork pie/vegetarian ploughman’s. Pleasingly wonky floors, characterful furniture and a fireplace dating from the early 1700s confirm the pub’s historical authenticity. Couple Samantha and Nigel Snook have arrived since last year’s guide. Beers include Henry’s IPA and 6X.

RISING SUN
Bowden Hill, Lacock, Wilts, SN15 2PP
Tel: 01249 730363
The bar’s enjoyed a bit of a sprucing-up at a boozer where British pub food is the order of the day. Ham, egg & chips, pork loin, sausage & mash, duck breast and cod & chips all feature on a menu subject to some change after we go to press. What won’t, though, are the staggering views over Salisbury Plain - you can see up to 40 miles away on a clear day. Three or four real ales are always top-notch, and you’re guaranteed a warm, lively atmosphere. Child-tolerant, with a garden to die for. Live music every Wed. Annual beer festival scheduled for May.

RIVERSIDE INN
49 St Margaret’s St, Bradford on Avon, BA15 1DE
Tel: 01225 863526, web: www.riversideboa.co.uk
A unique find, this gorgeous listed pub on the riverbanks of Bradford on Avon offers a brace of real ales, with Sharp’s Doom Bar and Butcombe Gold making a welcome appearance. They serve fabulous food that’s easy on the wallet (mains around £6-£7), and specialise in rather fine Sunday roasts, with vegetarian options. Accommodation overlooking the river has been refurbished since last year’s guide, and there’s music on either Fri or Sat weekly. Large beer garden for balmy summer evenings. Food served Mon-Sat, lunch & dinner

RIVERSIDE INN
The Shallows, Saltford, nr Bristol, BS31 3EZ
Tel: 01225 873862
A relaxing ambience awaits here, along with a menu showcasing wholesome, traditional homecooked food. Old favourites abound – traditional pub food is very much the order of the day - and there’s a sumptuous Sunday carvery. They’re not averse to the new here, though, with a ‘Black Rock Grill’ innovation allowing you to cook your dish – steak, fish, veggie option - to your liking at your table. Have we mentioned the picturesque riverside location and gorgeous views out over the lock? An ideal place to recharge batteries and idle the day away. The onsite Marmel’s restaurant opens Mon-Sat. Sat-night live music, country and western last Wed of each month, cabaret last Fri of every month.

ROSE & CROWN
Parkfield Rd, Pucklechurch, BS16 9PS
Tel: 0117 937 2351
Sweet little pub with a homely front bar pumping out a particularly well-kept pint of 6X. Food covers everything from basic baps and baguettes through to huge mains, with the emphasis on quality ingredients. Offers include two dishes for a tenner and dozens of daily specials: this is no gastropub, just an unpretentious one that happens to serve up good-value food. Offers smaller portions for children (and adults, too). Doubtless you can get takers if you can’t manage to finish the brie, crispy king prawns, garlic bread and potato wedges comprising the Rose & Crown sharing plate.

ROYAL OAK
72 High St, Corsham, SN13 0HF
Tel: 01249 713607, web: www.corshamroyaloak.co.uk
Landlord Nick Taylor is bidding adieu to the Royal Oak as we go to press. Future food offerings have yet to be decided - phone to find out.

RUDGLEIGH INN
Martcombe Rd, Easton in Gordano, BS20 0QB
Tel: 01275 373959
Historic pub in a superb location, offering wide-ranging pub grub menu and an all-day carvery on Sun. Sizeable garden overlooks cricket pitch, so celebrate local victory or drown sorrows with Bath Ales Gem or Sharp’s Doom Bar, with Courage Best a possible summer guest. Easy to get to from the motorway.

SEYMOURS ARMS
Bath Rd, Blagdon, BS40 7TH
Tel: 01761 462279, web: www.seymourarmsblagdon.co.uk
A fave for Blagdon Lake fishers. Food offerings include sea bass, breaded scampi, lasagne, chicken breast, gammon, steak & ale pie and lamb chops - equally tasty whether you’ve been waiting for a bite on the bank or have just come to feast. Fresh trout in season – so not all of them get away. Fine dining restaurant, well-equipped smoking area. Butcombe always on plus two guests. Live music start of each month, quiz last Thur monthly, and a summer beer festival planned. Food served Mon-Sat 12noon-2.30pm & 6-9.30pm, Sun 12noon-9pm

SHEPPEY INN
Lower Godney, nr Wells, Somerset, BA5 1RZ
Tel: 01458 832917
Food comes in pub grub form, with steak & ale pie representative of some tasty, filling dishes. Beyond this, set the controls to ‘random’! An extensive redesign a few years ago brought in numerous neat touches as well as a whopping 110 feet of decking out back, so you can now arrive along the River Sheppey by canoe! Still more quirky yet just as functional are the beauty treatments on offer (the toning tables overlook the skittle alley). Music has long been an attraction here; today bands play on the stage across the water, with the pub’s unlikely history seeing it grow from tiny cider house origins via a nightclub incarnation to its present multifaceted guise. Boxing Day pram races have been staged for 28 years, with duck and raft races for May.

SNOOTY FOX
Market Place, Tetbury, Glos, GL8 8DD
Tel: 01666 502436, web: www.snooty-fox.co.uk
Welcoming old coaching inn where Fred, a handsome Great Dane, stands over six feet on his hind legs. Impressively varied options here range from a cheese & Branston sandwich for under a fiver to a glass of Remy Martin Louis XIII, the world’s finest cognac, at £60 per glass. In between, you’ll find dishes like bubble & squeak, ham, egg & chips, fishcakes and lamb’s liver on the bar menu, with the dinner menu offering mains like Brixham fish pie, cottage pie, rib-eye steak, Old Spot belly and fish wellington, with an early menu offering two courses for £12.95, three for £15.95. Desserts include a splendid English cheese selection (including Stinking Bishop). The cosy, stone-walled bar is the ideal place to enjoy some traditional cask-conditioned ales in front of the large inglenook fireplace. May sees the Tetbury Woolsack Races, September brings a four-day food festival.

STOKE INN
Bristol Rd, Chew Stoke, Somerset, BS40 8XE
Tel: 01275 332120
The annual comedy night will have come and gone by the time you read this, but there are lots of other attractions at this picturesque country pub close to Chew Valley Lake. A wide range of dishes covers everything from baguettes, burgers, chilli, fish & chips, vegetarian lasagne and steak & ale pie to Cajun chicken and chicken madras. The fish & chips can be taken away, and there’s B&B provision, too. Table footy; quizzes and darts tournaments. Drink Butcombe or Courage Best plus guest in the beer garden. Food served Mon-Thur 12noon-3pm & 6-9pm, Fri-Sat 12noon-9pm, Sun carvery from 12noon

SWAN
Bath Rd, Swineford, BS30 6LN
Tel: 0117 932 3101, web: www.bathales.com
With the arrival of climbing frames and monkey bars in a new children’s play area, both nippers and grown-ups are well catered for here, with a family fun day proving a big success last summer. This is a lovely little mid-19th century country pub (converted from three cottages in a row of six) in Swineford, a tiny hamlet in the not-exactly-Tokyo-sized parish of Bitton. Chef/manager Matt Bales arrived here towards the end of 2007 after spending a year at another Bath Ales boozer: Horfield’s Wellington. Representative food offerings include roast lamb rump with savoy cabbage, smoked bacon and dauphinoise potatoes, and plaice stuffed with crab and coriander. There’s an excellent steak & kidney pudding, too, with the aforementioned nippers copping for their own cygnet menu. House brews include Spa and Gem plus Butcombe.

SWAN HOTEL
1 Church St, Bradford on Avon, Wilts, BA15 1LN
Tel: 01225 868686
Attractive venue in the heart of this bustling, historic town. Food is traditional English with a twist across dishes like soup, fishcake, deep-fried brie, deli boards, sirloin steak, duck breast, fish & seafood grill, beefsteak pie and pork belly. Separate lunch menu features light bites, sandwiches and baguettes. Old Speckled Hen and Old Trip on draught.

SWAN INN
Kingsdown, Box, nr Bath, Wilts, SN13 8BP
Tel: 01225 742269
A 300-year-old quarryman’s pub, chained to the quarry opposite to keep it attached to the hill, with amazing views over the Avon valley. Traditional homecooked food on offer daily (lunch and dinner); the ales have been highlighted in the Good Beer Guide for several years now. Accommodation is all ensuite, and real log fires ensure a warm welcome. A real country pub with real food and real beer.

TALBOT INN
Mells, nr Frome, BA11 3PN
Tel: 01373 812254, web: www.talbotinn.com
Arrive at this 15th century coaching inn after passing through jaw-droppingly beautiful scenery. It stands over a tunnel leading to the nearby churchyard, home to Siegfried Sassoon’s grave. Lots of fish dishes adorn a splendid evening menu. Everything’s cooked fresh to order, with chef Mark Jones, here for 16 years, even making his own pate. Less elaborate meals arrive quickly if you’re a bit pushed for time. Food, served at lunch and dinner, is top-end traditional English, taking in Blighty beauties like warm Cornish crab, calves’ livers, confit leg of Barbary duck, fish & chips, cottage pie, sirloin and Somerset lamb. Butcombe on draught plus extensive wine selection. Beautifully converted function room in a restored barn for parties of up to 100.

TOLLGATE INN
Ham Green, Holt, nr Trowbridge, BA14 6PX
Tel: 01225 782326, web: www.tollgateholt.co.uk
A Taste of the West gold medal and Wiltshire in Bloom recognition for the beautiful floral display are two recent triumphs at this gorgeous gastropub where acceptance speeches are made almost as frequently as time is called. The Observer noted that ‘chef Alex Venables’ pedigree shines through’ and the Sunday Times’ Michael Winner called the Tollgate ‘a quintessential English country inn’. Venables’ culinary excellence helped to recreate the meal served on the Titanic’s last evening - check website for future events. The classic-English-with-modern twist menu changes daily, but expect lunch dishes like Valley Smokehouse smoked kipper, ‘Omelette Arnold Bennett’ and fish pie, and dinner dishes like the signature beef wellington, veal holstein and vegetarian suet pudding. Varied game offerings include mallard, pheasant, rabbit, pigeon, homemade goose sausages and a must-try squirrel pie. Set lunch and dinner menus; beers include Bath Ales, Moles and Sharp’s.

WEIGHBRIDGE
Minchinhampton, nr Nailsworth, Glos, GL6 9AL
Tel: 01453 832520, web: www.2in1pub.co.uk
There’s some wonderfully quaint history to ponder at this beautifully situated 17th century Cotswold boozer while you savour your food. The road to the front of the inn became a turnpike in 1882, after which time tolls were levied at 1d per horse, 10d per 20 cattle and 3d per 20 pigs. You’ll find dishes like beef hash and escalopes of pork on a menu that changes every month or so. Other dishes include cottage pie, moussaka and salmon fishcakes, and the signature two-in-one pie comes highly recommended - a large bowl, half of which contains the filling of your choice, the other half brimming with homemade cauliflower cheese topped with homemade melt-in-the-mouth pastry. Absolutely delicious. Good range of ales and enormously friendly service.

WHEATSHEAF AT COMBE HAY
Combe Hay, nr Bath, BA2 7EG
Tel: 01225 833504, web: www.wheatsheafcombehay.co.uk
Divine slice of pastoral paradise: the Which Good Food Guide rates it among the country’s top 100 eateries, and there’s further recommendation from Michelin. Nestled in gorgeous countryside, this beautifully preserved inn - now a contemporary gastropub - started life as a private house in 1576. Food changes seasonally, but dishes like Brixham crab cannelloni with shellfish nage and coriander oil; steamed rabbit pudding with wild mushrooms and pommery foam; halibut, gem lettuce, ragout of potato and celery sauce; and pot-roast Wiltshire pigeon, black pudding puree and cured belly pork are representative of the cuisine that’s sent reviewers’ taste-buds into ecstasy. Sumptuous cheese offerings are the definition of indulgence, and there are lovely, locally brewed real ales, hard-to-find Japanese lager on tap and an outstanding wine list. Lunch menu offers two courses for £14.95, three for £18.95, Tue-Sat. Early bird dining Tue-Fri 6.30-7.30pm (boo in adv). It’s the perfect place for a Sunday roast, and there’s accommodation, too. Large summer beer garden with 30 tables. Open Tue-Sun: lunch 12noon-2pm (last orders), dinner 6-9pm (last orders, Fri-Sat 10pm)

WHEELWRIGHTS ARMS
Church Lane, Monkton Combe, Bath, BA2 7HB
Tel: 01225 722287, web: www.wheelwrightsarms.co.uk
A few years ago the good folk of the area campaigned to keep the Wheelwrights Arms open, for which we all ought to be grateful. Nestled in the peaceful village of Monkton Combe and surrounded by picturesque hills and valleys, this gastropub serves real ales, fine wines and great food. Menus are changed regularly but expect takes on sausage & mash, chicken breast, shepherd’s pie and fish & chips a cut above, along with a delicious leek & Bath blue tart vegetarian option and choice Sunday lunches. All dishes are prepared and cooked on the premises from local ingredients where possible. Bath Ales Gem and Butcombe on draught. Food served Daily 12noon-3pm & 6-10pm

WHITE HART
The Folly, Cold Ashton, SN14 8JR
Tel: 01225 891233
On the main A420 Chippenham Road, this former 16th century coaching inn is a real Cotswold charmer. The menu changes regularly, but the Sunday roasts with a choice of five meats are a constant feature. Real ale, great atmosphere and dishes like fish & chips, sausage & mash and more. The Wurzels memorably gigged here in 2005.

WHITE HART
Littleton on Severn, BS35 1NR
Tel: 01454 412275
Ancient whitewashed country pub in the tiny picturesque village of Littleton on the Severn Estuary. This former CAMRA and Bristol Evening Post pub of the year has four real ales on tap (two Young’s, two guests) and an extensive wine selection. Menus feature the likes of steak, fish & chips, seafood pie and specials like Welsh dragon sausages. Extremely kid-friendly, with family room, high chairs and neat garden out front.

WHITE HART
Wrington Rd, Congresbury, BS49 5AR
Tel: 01934 833303
Boss Murat has been here 18 months and keeps coming up with good ideas. For the second year running this lovely pub awash with character copped for a Christmas tree with 10,000 light bulbs which helped to raise funds for the Wallace and Gromit appeal. He’s now planning to run a shuttle bus service for customers living within a three-mile radius. However they get here, diners will find plenty of highlights in the simple, honest, regularly changing menu, with steak & Badger ale pie, liver & bacon, calves’ livers, roast avocado and a delicious spinach & feta cheese dish among the veggie options. Special dietary requirements catered for. Three real ales, including Badger and Tanglefoot.

WOOKEY HOLE INN
Wookey Hole, Wells, Somerset, BA5 1BP
Tel: 01749 676677, web: www.wookeyholeinn.com
Fun is taken seriously at this historic inn in the beautiful Mendips, where a fab, funky interior hides behind the traditional frontage. Boasts the widest selection of continental beer on draught in England, four guest ales, extensive wine list and delicious dishes that always include a great vegetarian choice, with all food locally sourced and free-range. As the menu changes daily you’re unlikely to see the same dishes on offer on subsequent visits, but oven-roasted lamb rump with sauteed spinach and courgette, and cheese & chervil mashed potato and leek tart with a sloe berry and red onion jus represent the fare to be found. Walled sculpture garden seats over 100, with a sunken area and boat deck for truly decadent afternoons. Five ensuite individually designed rooms boast Japanese king-style beds and cult video libraries.

WOOLPACK INN
Beckington, nr Bath, Frome, BA11 6SP
Tel: 01373 831244, web: www.woolpackhotel.com
A new boss, originally from South Africa, has arrived at this traditional 16th century coaching inn steeped in history and serving those rather fine Greene King real ales. Food offerings are from much nearer to home, with slow-roast lamb shank, slow-roast pork belly, oyster mushrooms and soup using locally sourced ingredients where possible. Seared tuna loin and tiger prawns, too. Draughts include Abbot, Greene King IPA and Black Rat cider, with monthly casino nights for the high rollers.

Eating Out West - Bristol and Bath's best restaurant guide, including extra sections on Pubs, Bars, Sandwich Shops, Takeaways, Wine Merchants, Caterers, Dining Clubs and Cookery Schools. To order your copy ring 0117 942 8491. Only £4.95. Yum.