Devon’s Anchor Inn in Beer takes the top spot, overlooking Lyme Bay and the Jurassic Coast
List spans England, Scotland and Wales — from a beachfront North Wales pub accessible only on foot to Britain’s highest inn on the Yorkshire Moors
Two Welsh pubs feature in the top ten, with Scotland also claiming two entries
We at Locals Insider revealed the 10 UK beer gardens that belong on every pub lover’s bucket list for 2026.
Covering England, Scotland and Wales, the list includes coastal terraces, countryside retreats, riverside gardens and remote pubs surrounded by some of the UK’s most dramatic landscapes. The ranking assessed each beer garden on its scenery, uniqueness, atmosphere, reputation and the overall experience that makes it worth adding to a pub lover’s bucket list.
No. 1 — The Anchor Inn, Beer, Devon
Taking the top spot is the Anchor Inn in Beer, Devon, where a cliffside beer garden looks out across Lyme Bay and the Jurassic Coast. Locals Insider crowned it the UK’s number one bucket list beer garden thanks to its combination of incredible sea views, traditional fishing village charm and one of the country’s most impressive pub backdrops.
The Anchor Inn, Beer: A Pub with One of the Best Views around.
The Runners-Up
In second place is Tŷ Coch Inn in Porthdinllaen, North Wales — a beachfront pub reached via a coastal walk or boat, with uninterrupted views across Cardigan Bay. Sitting on a beach largely owned by the National Trust, it has become one of Britain’s most iconic seaside drinking spots and narrowly missed out on the top position.
Third place goes to The Old Forge in Inverie, Scottish Highlands — Britain’s most remote mainland pub. Surrounded by mountains, lochs and wilderness, reaching the pub is part of the experience, with visitors arriving via ferry from Mallaig or a challenging seven-mile mountain crossing.
Cornwall, Oxford, Fife and Herefordshire
Cornwall claims fourth place with The Gurnard’s Head near Zennor, where an Atlantic-facing garden delivers some of the county’s best sunset views.
Fifth place goes to The Perch in Oxford, a riverside pub garden beside Port Meadow that offers a countryside escape just minutes from the city center.
Scotland’s second entry comes in sixth with The Ship Inn in Elie, Fife — a beachfront pub overlooking Elie Harbour and the Firth of Forth, making it the perfect spot for summer evenings by the sea.
Seventh place goes to The Pandy Inn in Dorstone, Herefordshire, where a rural garden offers sweeping views across the Golden Valley and Black Mountains.
Britain’s Highest Pub, a River Wey Retreat, and Pembrokeshire
Eighth is The Tan Hill Inn in the Yorkshire Dales — Britain’s highest pub, sitting 1,732 feet above sea level on the Pennine Moors.
Ninth place goes to The Stag on the River in Eashing, Surrey, a riverside retreat on the River Wey that provides a countryside escape within easy reach of London.
Completing the top ten is The Stackpole Inn in Pembrokeshire, surrounded by national park scenery and close to Barafundle Bay, one of Wales’ most beautiful beaches.
UK’s Bucket List Beer Gardens
| Anchor Inn | Fore Street, Beer, Seaton, Devon EX12 3ET |
| Tŷ Coch Inn | Porthdinllaen, Morfa Nefyn, Gwynedd LL53 6DB |
| The Old Forge | Inverie, Knoydart, by Mallaig PH41 4PL |
| The Gurnard’s Head | Treen, Zennor, near St Ives, Cornwall TR26 3DE |
| The Perch | Binsey Lane, Binsey, Oxford OX2 0NG |
| The Ship Inn | The Toft, Elie, Fife KY9 1DT |
| The Pandy Inn | Dorstone, Hereford, Herefordshire HR3 6AN |
| The Tan Hill Inn | Long Causeway, Reeth, Richmond, Swaledale, North Yorkshire DL11 6ED |
| The Stag on the River | Lower Eashing Lane, Eashing, Godalming, Surrey GU7 2QG |
| The Stackpole Inn | Jason’s Corner, Stackpole, Pembroke, Pembrokeshire SA71 5DF |
When creating our UK Beer Garden Bucket list, we looked at a range of factors including the scenery and views, the uniqueness of the setting, the experience on offer and what makes each pub worth traveling for.
The Anchor Inn — located in the appropriately named Beer in Devon — took our top spot with its incredible Jurassic Coast views. The Old Forge in the Scottish Highlands scooped second place, where the journey is all part of the experience, but every pub on the list offers something genuinely memorable.
We also found brilliant examples of riverside escapes, countryside retreats and coastal hideaways, including Tŷ Coch Inn in North Wales and The Perch in Oxford.
The UK has an incredible pub culture, and this list highlights some of the beer gardens that deserve a place on every pub lover’s bucket list.
