REMOTE PUBS
OFF- GRID & ON TAP
A PINT IS NEVER AS SATISFYING AS WHEN IT’S WELL EARNED — WHETHER AT THE END OF A LONG CLIMB, A WINDSWEPT RIDGE WALK OR A LONELY ROAD THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS
WORDS: DANI EL STAB L E S A 38
cross Britain and Ireland, weatherbeaten mountains are home to some of the region’s most remote and cherished institutions: pubs. Few things are more satisfying than staggering into an old hillside inn
after a long walk — boots damp, legs weary — then drying out beside a roaring fire and sinking into an armchair with a well-earned drink. The more remote the pub, the harder it is to reach, but the rewards are ample: vast, untamed scenery, eccentric locals with stories to tell and irrefutable proof — if any were needed — that the appetite for a good pint knows no bounds.
Tan Hill Inn, Yorkshire
Best for: High-altitude mountain views Why go: For many pub-lovers, the idea of a lock-in is high on the bucket list. But at Tan Hill Inn — Britain’s highest pub at 528 metres above sea level — some drinkers got more than they bargained for when they were snowed in for five days in January 2025. Thankfully, while good weather can’t be guaranteed in this part of the world, extreme conditions are rare, and the nearby Pennine Way draws walkers year-round. Take your drink out to the beer garden, which looks across the rolling Yorkshire Dales and the windswept Pennine moorlands. If the weather turns, settle in beside the fire in this historic, stone-floored, wood-beamed pub and simply wait for the storm to pass. How to do it: Tan Hill Inn is on the Pennine Way National Trail, 11 miles from the nearest town, Kirkby Stephen. If you don’t fancy walking, this part of the route is also accessible by car.
tanhillinn.com
NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL The Old Forge, Scotland
Best for: Highland scenery and a community feel Why go: Often described as the most remote watering hole on mainland Britain, The Old Forge is perched on the southern edge of the Knoydart Peninsula, a place of lonely lochs, regal stags and forested mountains. ‘Walking in’, as hikers call reaching the pub on foot, is a rite of passage here. There are two main routes: a three-day trek starting near the Glenfinnan Viaduct, made famous by the Harry Potter films, or a shorter two-day hike from the hamlet of Kinloch Hourn. The Old Forge did lose its way under private ownership in the 2010s, but was bought back by the community in 2022. How to do it: The classic three-day Old Forge hike begins with a train to Glenfinnan, followed by a walk that isn’t signposted — apps including AllTrails can help you navigate. If walking both ways proves too much, there’s a boat that can putter you back far faster.
theoldforge.co.uk
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