The Forth Inn, Stirling

I couldn't work out if there was an original building under the modern frontage, but at any rate once inside it has captured the 'baronial' feel, with lots of stone and wood. A nice bar with a good range of draught beers (and cider, rare for the area) and an equally impressive restaurant leading through to a large function area. Most of the car park given over to outdoor tables, but there is a large free car park adjacent. The sort of place that is equally welcoming on a hot summer's day or a cold winter's night.

Many miles from where it meets the sea outside Edinburgh, the infant River Forth passes behind this pub, hence its name. It’s a large, modern looking building, containing bars, a restaurant, a banqueting hall, hotel accommodation and even souvenir shops. The main drinking area, the Wallace Bar, is attractively decorated with lots of wood, a stone flagged floor, exposed stonework on the walls and around the bar and numerous old village photographs. It is supplemented, weather permitting, by a sizeable beer garden at the front. There is a wide range of beers on sale, with Tennent’s lager costing £3.35 a pint and Forth Inn Wallace lager, Saint Mungo lager, Belhaven Best and Belhaven Black Scottish Stout also on draught. In addition, there are no less than six hand pumps dispensing Schiehallion, Dark Island, Odyssey, Barney’s West Highland Way Ale and two others that I neglected to get a note of. This is obviously subject to change, however, as the ceiling beams are festooned with an impressive array of tap labels of ales sold in the past. Obviously extremely popular with both tourists and locals, the Forth Inn easily merits the title of Aberfoyle’s best pub.

Official site of the Forth Inn - www.forthinn.com

Official site of the Forth Inn - www.forthinn.com