Summer might be technically over, but September can often be a month that provides unexpectedly warm days. And in an ‘Indian Summer’ there are few places better than a beer garden, relaxing with a cold drink and enjoying the last few moments of sun before the Scottish winter is upon us. This is our pick of some of the best beer gardens across the country- let’s just hope we get the weather to enjoy them in.
1. Atholl Arms Dunkeld
Bridgehead, Tay Terrace, Dunkeld, Perthshire
01350 727 219
www.athollarmshotel.com
Leading down from the hotel right to the banks of the Tay, the Atholl Arms is one of the most popular spots in Dunkeld on a sunny day. Although it is busy, it never feels cramped in the way that city centre beer gardens sometimes can, and has the benefit of the tranquil surroundings to add to the atmosphere. And if you are eating, the food is excellent.
2. Ship Inn, Elie
The Toft, Elie, Fife
01333 330246
www.shipinn.scot
This walled beer garden sits right on the beach at Elie and is hugely popular in the evenings to have a glass of wine and watch the sun set. With views of the North Sea, the expansive sandy beach and the fisherman’s cottages of Elie to take in, you would struggle to find a more picturesque setting.
3. Malones, Glasgow
57-59 Sauchiehall Lane, Glasgow
0141 332 8899
www.malonesbarglasgow.com
This is one of the newer beer gardens on our list, having only opened a year ago as a new addition to the popular Malones Irish bar. It sits on the rooftop of the city centre pub so can be a great way to get some fresh air and space away from the hustle and bustle of the streets below- with fairy lights strung up to add a bit of atmosphere. And although we might be heading into colder weather, there are plenty of heaters around the space to keep revellers warm even in a Glasgow winter.
4. Bridge Inn, Peebles
72 Port Brae, Peebles, Scottish Borders
01721 720589
For those who want to enjoy a drink in an old-fashioned, traditional pub, the Bridge Inn is for you. Dogs are welcome, but children are not, as the owners say that they want customers to be able to enjoy a pint without being distracted by children running around. It is tiny inside but has an expansive beer garden outside that overlooks the River Tweed and has plenty of room for (adult) customers.
5. Clansman Bar, Rowardennan Hotel
The Rowardennan Hotel Restaurant, Rowardennan, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
01360 870273
www.rowardennanhotel.co.uk
The pub itself might seem unassuming, but when you step into the beer garden of the Clansman a postcard view of Loch Lomond opens up before you. Sitting just at the foot of Ben Lomond, the garden peeks through trees and over to the hills and water beyond. On a sunny day there are few places better to sit back and take in Scotland’s natural beauty- with a cold drink helping to sweeten the moment.
6. Teuchters Landing, Leith
1c Dock Place, Leith, Edinburgh
0131 554 7427
www.teuchtersbar.co.uk/teuchters-landing-bar-edinburgh
Leith is fast-becoming one of the most popular areas of Edinburgh among those who want to escape the bustle (and tourists) in the centre of town. The Teuchters Landing is right in the middle of the shore area of Leith, with the pub housed in the former waiting room for the steamboat ferry to Aberdeen. The beer garden actually sits on a pontoon floating on the water, and quickly fills up on a sunny day. There is an extensive list of whisky to enjoy (along with gins and rums), and as an added bonus you can get free sun tan lotion at the bar if the weather is hot.
7. Waterside Inn, Inverness
19 Ness Bank, Inverness
01463 233 065
http://www.thewatersideinverness.co.uk
The picnic benches in this picturesque beer garden sit on a well-manicured lawn, are surrounded by flower beds and overlook the River Ness: so you couldn’t get much more of a peaceful place to enjoy a pint. Despite being near the city centre it really does feel like you are in the countryside, so if you are in Inverness it is well worth a visit.
8. The Old School House, Aberdeen
Little Belmont Street, Aberdeen
01224 626490
www.belhavenpubs.co.uk/pubs/aberdeenshire/old-school-house
This imposing granite building was (unsurprisingly) an old school, and its former playground provides a large beer garden that has plenty of room to sit customers on a sunny day. It is situated in the heart of the city centre just off Union Street, so can provide a great spot for people-watching while you have a drink or a nibble.
9. St Columba Hotel, Iona
St Columba Hotel, Isle of Iona, Argyll
01681 700304
www.stcolumba-hotel.co.uk
The St Columba’s position on a hill above the shore means that it boasts spectacular views across the water to the Ross of Mull and beyond. The well-maintained garden is the pride of the owners, and you can relax on the picnic benches of the beer garden while kids run around happily on the grass below. Peace and quiet is almost guaranteed on an island with little traffic or noise, but you can’t guarantee warm weather (especially with the bracing sea wind), so you might be better to pack a jumper just in case.
10. The Falls of Dochart Inn, Killin
The Falls of Dochart Inn, Gray Street, Killin, Perthshire
01567 820270
www.fallsofdochartinn.co.uk
Sitting almost on top of the spectacular Falls of Dochart, the location is the real attraction in this countryside beer garden. You can actually hear the water running as you sit at the picnic benches in the garden area, which makes for an incredibly peaceful pint.
11. The Selkirk Arms Bar
High Street, Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway
01557 330402
www.selkirkarmshotel.co.uk
Situated in what is essentially the back garden of this small hotel, the Selkirk Arms beer garden has a homely feel and is surrounded by plants and trees. It lets in just the right amount of sunlight, while the trees give you protection from the sun (and the wind- which is probably more of a concern in Scotland in September). Ideal for families.
12. The Drouthy Cobbler
48a High Street, Elgin, Moray
01343 596000
www.thedrouthycobbler.co.uk
Technically more of a courtyard than a beer garden, the outside space at the Drouth Cobbler serves the same purpose and provides a great wee suntrap when the weather is good. This bar is one of the trendier ones in Moray -with a great selection of whisky- and is popular with in the know locals and tourists who have done their research. A great spot in the daytime, it is also excellent when the sun goes down, as there is atmospheric night lighting that will set off any social gathering.
13. Post Office Bar, Dundee
218 Queen Street, Broughty Ferry, Dundee
01382 736444
www.belhavenpubs.co.uk/pubs/angus/post-office-bar
This isn’t the biggest beer garden on our list, but it is much loved by the locals of Broughty Ferry, who know that it is a welcoming, family-friendly option for a drink in the sun. The food is good too- the Yorkie wrap (essentially beef and gravy wrapped in a Yorkshire pudding pastry) is a real indulgent treat.
14. The Pear Tree, Edinburgh
38 West Nicolson Street, Edinburgh
0131 667 7533
www.peartreeedinburgh.co.uk
The Pear Tree has one of the biggest beer gardens in Edinburgh, and is popular with locals, students and tourists alike. It is renowned for its bustling, lively atmosphere and has a huge outdoor screen for sports and other events, which helps create extra excitement.
15. Brel, Glasgow
37-43 Ashton Ln, Glasgow
0141 342 4966
www.brelbar.com
In Glasgow’s busy west end, and especially in the popular Ashton Lane, space is at a premium. But Brel has a reasonably big garden that extends up a sloping hill behind the main pub, with wooden benches and grassy spots to sit on. On a sunny day it does fill up fast, but the chatter of other customers creates a nice buzz about the place. When the sun goes in, there are canopies of fairy lights and a heated patio to keep you there well into the night.
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