The weather might not be looking that great in Birmingham right now, but once the heatwaves start up again everyone will be flocking to our nearest and best beer gardens to soak up some rays. Because when the sun is shining, there’s nowhere we would rather be than with a cold pint of lager of a refreshing cocktail on a summer’s day.
Once the pub garden is back on the agenda, then you should be aiming to hang out by the canal this summer. Where you can find one of the best beer gardens in England. That’s according to Big7 Travel at least, who have named The Canal House as the ninth best in the country. (The number one spot went to The Watering Hole in Cornwall, which is more of a beer beach than anything else.)
“Boasting brilliant views of the canal basin, with plenty of seating on the outdoor terrace, it’s the perfect place to soak in the sunshine with a drink,” said Big7 Travel. “And, with over 60 ales, an extensive cocktail menu and a wide range of soft drinks on offer, you won’t be stuck for choice either.” The Canal House was named the Best Pub in the Midlands at The National Pub & Bar Awards back in 2019, so it’s a popular choice.
But if you fancy a day trip out of Birmingham this summer, there are a couple of other nearby beer gardens in England that also made the list. The Boathouse Inn in Shrewsbury (16) offers “superb views of the gently winding River Severn, complete with paddling ducks and bobbing boats.” While Canalhouse in Nottingham (20) is “the only pub that can claim to have a canal running right through the centre of it.”
Big7 Travel ranked its list of the best beer gardens in England on the criteria of: editorial opinions and experiences, previous critic reviews, online customer reviews, location and accessibility, online presence, consistency, atmosphere and service, value for money, and presentation. To read more about the best beer gardens in England head here.
Where are the best beer gardens in England?
1. The Watering Hole, Perranporth, Cornwall
2. The Rising Sun, Pensford, Somerset
3. The People’s Park Tavern, London
4. The Jolly Fisherman, Craster, Northumberland
5. The Drunken Duck Inn, Ambleside, Cumbria
6. The Gardeners Rest, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
7. The Wheatsheaf, Combe Hay, Bath, Somerset
8. The Ship Inn, Mundesley, Norfolk
9. The Canal House, Birmingham, West Midlands
10. The Ferry Inn, Salcombe, Devon
11. Prince Leopold Inn, Warminster, Wiltshire
12. Water Lane Boathouse, Leeds, West Yorkshire
13. The Perch Inn, Binsey, Oxford
14. The Jolly Sportsman, Lewes, East Sussex
15. Seven Stones Inn, St Martin’s, Scilly Isles
16. The Boathouse Inn, Shrewsbury, Shropshire
17. Escape to Freight Island, Manchester
18. Kazimier Garden, Liverpool, Merseyside
19. The Pipe and Glass Inn, South Dalton, Yorkshire
20. Canalhouse, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
21. Topsham Brewery & Taproom, Exeter, Devon
22. Cholmondeley Arms, Malpas, Cheshire
23. The George, Alstonefield, Staffordshire
24. The Old Neptune, Whitstable, Kent
25. Twice Brewed Inn, Hexham, Northumberland