Did you know that January is Dog Walking Month? If you love to go for a hike with your fluffy best friend, followed by a cold pint in a cosy pub, keep reading. These three pub walks are all doggy friendly and around an hour’s drive from London. All of these routes, and many more, can be found in 100 Great Pub Walks – the ultimate guide to the best walks and watering holes around the UK.
- Ankerwycke – The Perseverance
Start and finish: Wraysbury train station
Distance: 4.5 miles (7km) | Time to pub: Allow 2.5 hours | Walking time: 3 hours
This Thames-side stroll explores the river’s northern bank, opposite Runnymede (where the Magna Carta was sealed in 1215), visiting the National Trust’s oldest tree, the remains of a 12th-century Benedictine nunnery and a welcoming pub. Despite close proximity to London and the M25, this is a quiet and relaxing route. The Perseverance is an award-winning pub based in a Grade II-listed building, where you will find a comfortable and cosy front room boasting bookshelves and an inglenook fireplace, sofas, and a piano. It has an attractive garden with beer barrels and plenty of tables under trees. Food is served daily at lunch and dinner times.
Download the full instructions for free here.
- Wey Navigation – The Star
Start: Guildford train station | Finish: Godalming train station
Distance: 6 miles (10km) | Time to pub: 2.5 hours | Walking time: 2.5 hours
On this stroll along a historic, navigable section of the River Wey, between Guildford and Godalming, you’ll pass wildflower-filled flood meadows, Second World War pillboxes and pretty locks to arrive at an award-winning pub. Built in the 1700s, The Star has a main bar area with a beamed ceiling covered in pub clips from hundreds of beers. There are also side rooms and a bar billiards table, along a plant-filled outside area. Good food is also on offer.
Download the full instructions for free here.
- Leith Hill – The Plough Inn
Start and finish: Rhododendron Wood car park (National Trust)
Distance: 7 miles (11.3km) | Time to pub: 2 hours | Walking time: 4 hours
Climb through woods to Leith Hill, where an iconic tower crowns South East England’s tallest point, offering views across 13 counties. Continue through an ancient treescape to a spectacular pub and brewery, before returning across wildlife-rich commons and heathland. The Plough is a sensational 17th-century inn, situated amid the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It has a large garden and a relaxing bar area as well as plenty of room for drinkers and diners. Top-quality food is offered, made from local seasonal ingredients.
Download the full instructions for free here.
100 Great Pub Walks is your ultimate guide to the best walks and watering holes around the UK. Each walk is accompanied by helpful visitor’s information and step-by-step directions, and it is marked to indicate if it’s child- and dog-friendly, as well as its level of difficulty. Sounds like your bag? We thought so. Find your ideal walk by picking up a copy online or at your local bookshop.