12 Best Beer Gardens in and around Kingsbridge
There aren’t many sights more inviting than the cool shade of a beer garden on a hot summer’s day.
Kingsbridge and the surrounding South Hams villages are filled with wonderful watering hoels where you can sit back, relax and enjoy a local ale or crisp Devon cider. The salvation of walkers, ramblers and beach goers, these sun-dappled corners are found tucked away behind characterful pubs, perched along waterfronts, up high on balconies or hidden on terraces.
Here’s a tour of some of the best beer gardens in and around Kingsbridge…
The Crabshell Inn, Kingsbridge
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Set on the mouth of Kingsbridge Harbour and along the historic promenade, The Crabshell Inn is one of Kingsbridge’s oldest hostelries. Recent renovations saw the venue transformed, with a stylish glass balcony making the most out of those dreamy estuary views. Inside, you’ll find a smorgasbord of local ales, ciders and award-winning gins, and a bistro and deli counter full of delicious dishes and light bites. Known to its regulars as “The Crabby”, this much-loved sailors’ haunt is also a popular stop for stand up paddleboarders. Along with its regular live music scene, this iconic venue on the water’s edge is the perfect spot for sundowners.
The Charleton Inn, West Charleton
Journeying past the Crabshell Inn, across Kingsbridge’s New Bridge, to the neighbouring village of West Charleton, you’ll discover our next glorious South Devon pub garden. Surrounded by rolling fields and a stone’s throw from a marshland nature reserve, The Charleton Inn is ideally placed for walkers exploring the local tracks and trails. The sandstone sun terrace is a lovely place to while away an hour or two, enjoying some regional delicacies while planning your next outdoor adventure.
The Ring O’Bells, West Alvington
Beautiful valley views from hills above Kingsbridge await all those who visit The Ring O’Bells pub. Set in the neighbouring village of West Alvington, this charming pub lies beyond a woodland, where the knock of leather on willow from the town’s cricket club can be heard in the near distance. Described as a friendly, family pub with menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you’ll find it just off the main thoroughfare from Kingsbridge to Salcombe at the top of West Alvington Hill.
Church House Inn, Churchstow
Found in the historic village of Churchstow, only a mile from Kingsbridge, the Church House Inn is one of the oldest public houses in the South Hams. Dating back to the 13th century, the pub was originally built as a resting house for Benedictine Monks from Buckfast Abbey and is steeped in smugglers’ tales, along with stories of secret passages hidden beneath its floors. This olde worlde charm has been captured in the stonework, inglenook fireplace and open beams. The beer garden looks out over rolling countryside with its rambling hedgerows and sleepy pastures. The menu is seasonal, and the bar stocked with an array of local ales, recognised as a Cask Marque outlet.
Millbrook Inn, South Pool
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Following the Dartmouth coastal road out of Kingsbridge, then picking up the lanes from Frogmore, you’ll arrive at the village of South Pool, described as “the loveliest of waterways in the district”. In the heart of the village, at the tidal edge, is the Millbrook Inn. Happy punters enjoy the shade of the outside awning, tucking into some of the finest food in the area while the wading birds dip their beaks.
The village is surrounded by beautiful countryside walks; around the headland, past Ditch End, lies the scattered beaches of East Portlemouth and one of the most loved stretches of the South West Coast Path. Across the estuary is the seaside town of Salcombe, one of the UK’s most desirable holiday destinations, with its sparkling harbour, historic wharfs and medieval streets lined by lifestyle boutiques and seafood bistros.
Church House Inn, Stokenham
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The historic coastal road linking Kingsbridge to Dartmouth offers staging posts for several of the area’s most popular pubs. Not far from Start Bay in the sleepy village of Stokenham, the Church House Inn was originally a monks’ priory during their construction of the village church during the 1400s which still stands next door. Requisitioned by the US army during the Allies’ D-Day preparations, villagers returned to find the pub’s roof had been collapsed by shelling, the clear glass panes in the church’s stained-glass windows a reminder of this tumultuous time. The only shells you’ll encounter these days are the cockles and mussels that line the shore at nearby Slapton Sands. The pub has a wonderful garden terrace where you can gather beneath a parasol and tuck into an array of dishes and light bites.
Start Bay Inn, Torcross
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Follow the fresh sea air to the picturesque village of Torcross and its well-strolled seafront so often photographed being lashed by stormy swells. Mostly, the Torcross sea is flat and calm, lapping the huge, sweeping shingle shoreline. It’s here, in front of a freshwater lagoon and wildlife reserve, you’ll find The Start Bay Inn, a thatched cottage pub with a beachside beer garden and far-reaching ocean views. Take your pick from a local menu brimming with fresh fish and pub classics, and relax in the sunshine while the sailing boats trim the big blue horizon.
The Pilchard Inn, Bigbury-on-Sea
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Ahoy there! Our next pub garden is surely the most captivating. A tidal island, home to an iconic art deco hotel, and also one of the oldest pubs in the region. The Pilchard Inn was once a notorious den for the smugglers and wreckers of Bigbury Bay and dates back to the 1300s. The pub garden looks back upon the golden sands of both Bigbury and Bantham beach and the mouth of the Avon Estuary. If the tide is high, you can clamber aboard the island sea tractor for safe passage. Sit back and watch the waves roll in and enjoy some first-class island hospitality.
The Sloop Inn, Bantham
Set across the estuary from the Pilchard, a walk over the Bantham Ham, across the sand dunes and up the village lane you’ll find The Sloop Inn. This cost coastal pub is believed to date back to the 14th century and is still packed with rustic character and charm. Behind the inn is a roaming beer garden with stunning views past the Buckland stream valley and the ocean beyond.
The Village Inn, Thurlestone
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Next up is the neighbouring coastal village of Thurlestone, lined with thatched cottages and named after the giant rocky arch that stands sentinel on Thurlestone bay, the “Thurle Stone”. In the heart of the village stands its historic pub, The Village Inn, where you can eat, drink and be merry below beams believed to have been salvaged from the wreckage of the Spanish Armada. The pub’s beer garden terrace is a lovely spot to gather after your blissful days on the beach, occupying the grounds and gardens of a stylish 4-star hotel and serving up a popular pub menu.
The Cove, Hope Cove
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Hope Cove is one South Devon’s most picturesque seaside settings, an historic village nestled into the grassy slopes above a pair of beautiful beaches sheltered by dramatic headland. The Cove is a lively bistro pub perched above Mouthwell Sands cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Its beer garden comes in the form of a balcony where you can drink in these magnificent views…along with a drop of whatever tickles your fancy.
The Pig’s Nose, East Prawle
Our final pub garden destination has, over the decades, become something of a boutique music venue, attracting famous musical artists and bands to Devon’s most southerly shores. The Pig’s Nose is a characterful pub found in the heart of East Prawle, overlooking the village green where punters can rest on their laurels among the daisies and foxtail grass. Surrounded by miles of rugged coastline and smuggler’s coves, clues to the pub’s 500-year history can be found beneath it’s low-beamed ceilings and on its walls festooned by memorabilia. Stop in for some hearty pub food and quenching ale, and you might also bump into “The Pig’s” latest headline act.
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