About Pubs Worth The Walk
In the UK, more than 1,100 pubs closed for good last year. Every time another one is boarded up, a small piece of our 'nation story' disappears with it — the laughter, the friendships, the sense of community, the way things used to be around here.
And then comes that familiar thought: “I wish I’d gone in when I had the chance.”
Sound familiar?
Pubs Worth The Walk is my way of nudging people to go in this time.
But it’s become something more than that.
Why this project exists
Most pub‑walk guides start with the route and treat the pub as an optional extra. Here, the pub is the reason for the walk — because the pub is where the story lives.
A good pub isn’t just somewhere to buy a pint. It’s often the last place in a village where strangers talk. It’s where the history hangs on the walls. It’s where you learn, almost by accident, why a place is the way it is.
Over time, I’ve realised that each pub entry isn’t just a recommendation. It’s a small act of joining the dots — geology, graft, landscape, industry, folklore, community — all converging on one building with a bar.
The pub becomes the classroom for adults who maybe never liked classrooms. The walk becomes the doorway into understanding.
What you'll find here
Routes across South West England and South & West Wales — landscapes I know well, have lived in, and keep returning to.
Walks that lead you to cosy village locals, community‑run pubs, and remote countryside inns you might never otherwise discover.
Stories that explain why these places exist at all — the calamine miners of Rowberrow, the drovers of Zennor, the ferrymen of Salcombe, the volunteers who saved their local against the odds.
Days out where the reward isn’t just the scenery, but the feeling of stepping into a pub and suddenly understanding the village around it. And helping to keep the place going.
A 'righteous pint' earned
Like many walkers, I’m partial to what comedian Mike Bubbins calls a “righteous pint” — a beer that tastes all the better when it’s earned.
And every time you lace up your boots, follow a footpath, and end the day at the bar, you’re doing more than enjoying a walk. You’re helping keep something precious alive.
So if you’ve ever thought “I’ll go in next time”, consider this your gentle nudge.
Let’s help #SaveOurPubs — one walk, one story, one righteous pint at a time.
Latest Entries to Pubs Worth The Walk
Some of the most recent entries: give them a try, but no matter where you're walking.....go in, don't walk past.
Fabulously remote pub, gorgeous views, well worth the effort to reach it.
Another excellent Butcombe pub on the Mendips with a fascinating past.