Best Country Pubs and Sunday Lunch Spots in the Forest of Dean
One of the questions we are asked most often at breakfast is where to go for lunch after a walk. Our answer usually depends on where our guests are heading that morning. Some pubs make sense after a few hours in the Forest; others are worth choosing because the walk and lunch can become the day itself.
We host guests at Severnside Press on Newnham's High Street and send people to pubs every week — matching the morning's walk to the right room for lunch is something we genuinely do. This guide focuses on country inns and Sunday roasts rather than the full dining picture (for that, see our places to eat in the Forest of Dean page).
Why Country Pubs Matter Here
The Forest of Dean sits between Gloucestershire's market towns and the Wye Valley, with villages like Parkend, Clearwell, Newland and Whitecroft scattered between ancient woodland. Country pubs here tend to be meeting points as much as restaurants — log fires in winter, beer gardens in summer, and often the natural end point to a morning's walk.
What makes the area distinctive for Sunday lunch:
- Walk-to-pub pairings — Speech House, Mallards Pike and Symonds Yat all sit within easy reach of well-known trails
- Riverside settings — pubs on the Severn and Wye suit a slower afternoon after a morning outdoors
What Makes a Good Sunday Lunch
For us, a good Sunday lunch is about more than what arrives on the plate. The pub matters too.
The places we tend to recommend are the ones where you can arrive after a morning in the Forest, possibly with muddy boots and a dog in tow, settle in for lunch and not feel hurried towards the door once the plates have been cleared.
That combination of good food, a relaxed room and somewhere worth walking before or afterwards is usually what makes us return — and what makes us happy to send our guests there.
Country Pubs Worth Knowing
These are venues we recommend often to guests or that sit naturally on a Forest of Dean weekend. They are not ranked — the right choice depends on where you are walking and whether you need dog-friendly space or a riverside view.
The Speech House Hotel (Coleford)
Set in the heart of the forest, the Speech House is a 17th-century former hunting lodge — one of the most obvious pairings for a woodland walk followed by Sunday lunch. Roasts are served in Verderers' Court (booking recommended; Sunday lunch typically noon–3pm). The Orangery offers a more informal option, though availability can be affected by weddings and busy weekends — worth calling ahead on a Saturday. Post-lunch, the Speech House Loop and routes towards Mallards Pike are on the doorstep. See our Forest of Dean walks guide for route ideas.
The Miners Arms (Whitecroft)
A family-run free house at the gateway to the forest, popular with walkers and locals alike. Sunday roasts are a staple; booking is strongly advised via The Miners Arms. Dogs and children are generally welcome — the atmosphere is relaxed rather than formal. Opening days vary slightly through the year, so check before a winter Monday visit.
The Ostrich Inn (Newland)
An ancient pub opposite Newland Church — sometimes called the “Cathedral of the Forest” — with real village character. A good choice if you want history with your roast rather than a hotel dining room. The Ostrich Inn actively welcomes dogs.
The White Hart Inn (Broadoak, near Newnham)
A riverside pub with views across the Severn — one of the best Sunday-lunch options if you have been walking the estuary path or watching the bore. Serves food throughout the day; booking recommended on Sundays. Dog-friendly dining area; children's play area outside. A practical choice for families straight off the forest trails in muddy boots.
The Fountain Inn (Parkend)
A classic forest village pub with well-kept real ale and homely cooking. Parkend sits on the Dean Forest Railway line — easy to combine a short steam-train trip with lunch if you are building a family day out.
The Saracen's Head Inn (Symonds Yat)
On the Wye Valley edge rather than deep in the forest, but hard to beat for a riverside roast after Symonds Yat Rock. Expect weekend demand — book if you can. Useful anchor for a weekend break that mixes Wye Valley and forest.
Ye Old Ferrie Inn (Symonds Yat West)
A riverside pub on the Wye at Symonds Yat West — particularly good when you want lunch to follow a walk rather than a drive. The setting makes it an obvious pairing with Symonds Yat Rock and the riverside paths on our Forest of Dean walks guide. Sunday roasts are typically served September to April(check the Ye Old Ferrie Inn menu before travelling at other times of year). Booking is advisable at weekends.
Other Sunday Lunch Options
Not every good Sunday lunch in the area comes from a country pub. For guests staying in Newnham, these are worth knowing — particularly when you would rather walk from the door than drive to the forest.
Post (Newnham-on-Severn)
Post on the High Street serves a Sunday Sharing Set — a three-course, family-style take on the roast, built around seasonal produce (including from their own garden). Reservations are recommended; there is no à la carte on Sundays. For guests staying with us, it is also one of the few Sunday lunches that requires no car at all.
For those staying in Newnham, we often suggest combining Sunday lunch with a walk up towards Blaize Bailey. From the viewpoint you look back over the village and the horseshoe bend of the Severn towards the Cotswolds, before heading back down to Newnham for lunch at Post. It makes a particularly good Sunday when you would rather leave the car where it is.
Something Different in Newnham — The Black Pig
On Newnham's High Street, a short walk from Severnside Press. The Black Pig is known for wood-fired pizzas and a proper ale bar rather than a Sunday roast — we recommend it often, but for a different kind of lunch when a traditional carvery is not what you are after. Outside tables in summer; handy before or after a riverside walk.
How to Choose (and Book) Your Sunday Lunch
The easiest way to choose is to start with the walk. Speech House makes sense after a morning in the central Forest; the White Hart works naturally with the Severn; and Ye Old Ferrie Inn or the Saracen's Head fit a day around Symonds Yat and the Wye. Wherever you choose, book ahead on Sundays, mention your dog when reserving and check dietary requirements directly with the pub. Then allow enough time not to spend lunch watching the clock.
Travelling with a dog for the full weekend? Our dog-friendly holiday guide links walks, pubs and accommodation in one plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to book for Sunday lunch in the Forest of Dean?
Generally yes — especially at popular forest pubs and anywhere with a formal Sunday menu. Bank holidays and autumn weekends fill quickly. A few informal dining rooms accept walk-ins, but do not rely on it.
Are Forest of Dean pubs dog-friendly?
Many are, particularly village inns used to walkers. Policies differ by pub and sometimes by room — ask when booking. If you are staying locally, all three rooms at Severnside Press are dog-friendly, with dog bowls provided — useful when you want a base before a pub lunch without leaving your dog behind.
Are vegetarian or vegan roasts easy to find?
Increasingly, yes, although the choice varies considerably from pub to pub. If this matters to you, we recommend checking the current menu before booking rather than assuming a vegetarian or vegan roast will be available. Post can also accommodate vegetarian and vegan diners on its Sunday set with advance notice.
Where is the best Sunday lunch near Newnham-on-Severn?
It depends what kind of day you want. For a traditional country-pub roast, The White Hart at Broadoak is the obvious riverside choice a short drive away. For something genuinely local on foot, Post on the High Street pairs well with a walk up to Blaize Bailey. The Black Pig suits a more informal pizza-and-pint lunch. We are happy to suggest whichever fits your walk when you stay with us.
Where should we stay for a pub-and-walk weekend?
Newnham-on-Severn works well — on the Severn edge of the forest, with lunch options on the High Street and forest trails a short drive away. Check availability at Severnside Press if you want a Georgian B&B with breakfast included and hosts who will suggest a pub to match your walk.
Make Lunch Part of the Walk
The strongest Sundays here are rarely about finding the single best roast in Gloucestershire. They are about choosing a walk, somewhere you genuinely want to stop afterwards, and leaving enough time for both.
Pick the pub that fits where you are going that morning and book if you can. If you are planning a full weekend, our 48-hour guide to Newnham-on-Severn is a good place to start.
Or ask us over breakfast. We probably have an opinion.
Author: Tony + Alex
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We would love to hear from you, and if you do have any questions about our bed and breakfast accommodation before booking, please do feel free to give us a call on 07919 858693 or 01594 510057.