Few things on the English coast are as life-enhancing as a pub walk and the chance to take the air after - or perhaps before – settling into a cosy pub. England is strong on both coastal walks and cosy pubs by the sea, so by putting the two together you are guaranteed an extremely uplifting experience.
Pub and coastal walks in England can set a very high bar but one of the very best is tucked away in the north-east corner of Northumberland, where the Ship Inn is a strong contender for the best-located coastal pub in England.
You’ll find it in a small courtyard of former fishermen’s cottages that make up the tiny hamlet of Low Newton-by-the Sea. The food is wide-ranging and will suit all budgets and appetites, from warming toasties to locally caught mackerel and crab.
They brew their own beer too, in a converted garage next door and produce 20 ales n rotation, including Sandcastles at Dawn and Ship Hop Ale.
Once you’re finished in the pub, it’s time to walk everything off by exploring the magnificent countryside. The best option is to walk for a couple of kilometres south along the coast, cresting the magnificently crescent-shaped Embleton Bay until you reach Embleton Burn, a stream that trickles into the North Sea.
All year round you might see gannets commuting by; flowers including orchids and the hardy bloody cranesbill sporting their beauty in the spring; in autumn, minke whales and seals can be spotted.
On the return to Low Newton-by-the-Sea you can follow sand tracks behind the pub to the enchanting, secluded ponds known as Newton Pools. There are hides to linger in here, and you have a good chance of seeing herons along with distinctively patterned ducks such as teal and goldeneye. Two pairs of barn owls like to hunt in the fields, and late afternoon and dusk is an excellent time, especially in Autumn, to spot them.
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Another fine pub walk, offering a very different experience, can be found along the north Norfolk coast at Wells-next-the Sea.
Head to the Golden Fleece which serves excellent, locally-produced Norfolk fare and sits right on the quay. This dog-friendly pub offers spectacular views over the stunning marshes and out to sea, the ideal point to start a coastal walk from Wells to Holkham and back.
Don’t miss the deer on the walk back from Holkham, through the woods and onto the coast path, and Holkham’s very own beach. Dogs can run free for almost all the walk, just watch out for sea conditions on the Wells sea wall.
Another excellent choice is to explore the North Yorkshire coastline between Robin Hood’s Bay and Ravenscar. The pub with which to bookend this walk is Ye Dolphin on King Street at Robin Hood’s Bay. You can tell this is a good pub because, in a part of the coast popular with tourists, it remains equally frequented by locals. The food is hearty and they serve real ale (beer that continues to ferment and brew in the cask from which it is served).
The return distance for the walk is 12km: check the tide times and you can walk one way along the beach, the other along the Cleveland Way coastal path.
Don’t be surprised if you see hikers unable to wait for the pub, sitting with their boots off on the beach and toasting one another with beer or fizz: this is a sure sign they have just completed the coast-to-coast long-distance trail from St Bees on the west coast to Robin Hood’s Bay!
By Mark Rowe
If you really want to soak up the sea air, there’s little better than experiencing the beauty of the English coastline than by bike.
One of the great surprises for many visitors is just how accessible the coast is from the capital of the UK. Here’s how you do it: make your way to a mainline railway station in London. Hop on a train and between one hour and 2 ½ hours later you’re delivered at the coast!
When most of us head for the coast we’re anticipating the spectacle of beach, clifftop walks and seascapes. John Wright, a professional forager, views the English coast rather differently: he sees a larder stocked with food waiting to be picked and enjoyed.
