Black Horse Inn, Naunton, CHELTENHAM, GL54 3AD [Map]
01451 850565 
11-15, 18-23 MO-SA; 11-23 SA; 12-22:30 SU
Accommodation, Car Park, Evening Meals, Beer Garden, Lunchtime Meals, Quiet Bar, Campsite At / Near Pub

Me outside the Black Horse, June 2001

This was a real find this pub. I was looking for somewhere quiet to spend a weekend in the early summer, somewhere in the Cotswolds a little off the beaten track and this pub was certainly the perfect choice. The hedgerows were packed with wild flowers in between the lush grasses, the swallows and swifts were performing incredible acrobatic displays whilst a flock of sheep watched us with interest as we drove through a local ford. Anyhow, Naunton's village west of Bourton-on-the-Water and south-west of Stow-on-the-Wold just off the B4068. Naunton's a lovely little village with plenty of traditional cottages, and there's still space for the odd farmers field in between the houses giving the place an even more rural feel. The Warden's Way passes right by the pub, and the Windrush Way about a mile to the south. Many walkers on these routes stop off for refreshments at the pub.

Anyhow, the pub itself is of solid build, the old Cotswold stone walls are well worth a gentle pat as you wander in to the traditional bar. Proper flagstone flooring and a lovely oak bar along with a warming real fire in the winter add to the friendly atmosphere in this lovely country pub.

Before I go any further let me rave about the beer. The pub is owned by the small but perfectly formed Donnington brewery. The beers that the brewery produce are really quite out of this world. The BB (abv 3.6%) and SBA (abv 4.6%) are usually available in the pub and are without doubt some of the very finest real ales in the land if not the world. If I had a choice I'd go for the fruitier and maltier SBA though the hoppy aroma of the BB is very pleasant. The bar staff were very friendly and will offer advice on good places to walk, one of the barmen writes about walks too.

For the hungry, they have an excellent range of food on offer. You're welcome to consume your food either in the bar, the separate restaurant (once a snug) or outside. They also offer accommodation though if they’re full try Ralph and Pat Boult who offer good accommodation at Millview Guest House a couple of minutes walk away (head left when you exit the pub).

Me splashing down in the ford just south of Naunton, June 2001