As a big fan of great beer and a brilliant boozer , I've put the hours in hunting down the best country pubs over the years. In fact, over the past four decades I've been heading out of the city to see the best the region has to offer. From family-friendly spots, cosy pubs with roaring fires to warm you on cold nights, great pub gardens, excellent beers and some that are worth visiting for the view or setting alone, I've managed to find some truly excellent venues. A good country pub all about the place, setting and atmosphere. There's nothing better than a warm summers night with a potter along the canal or through a little village. It's just a time to savour the moment. Read more: 10 city pubs we've lost photographed from the 1990s Get What's On updates from our independents and more with our daily City Life newsletter here Here are just a few of my favourites! What's your favourite country pub? Let us know in the comments below. The Boat, Catherine de Barnes A beautiful pub since its relaunch a few years ago. Lovely inside and beautiful gardens with
fire pits to sit near the canal. 222 Hampton Lane, Catherine-de-Barnes, Solihull, B91 2TJ White Lion, Hampton in Arden A great old traditional boozer in the lovely little village. Sit in the bar with a real fire going or the restaurant area at the back. 10 High Street, Hampton in Arden, Solihull, B92 0AA Bull's Head, Barston This used to be a proper locals pub but in recent years has become a very trendy and smart pub. Sit outside in covered areas and walk around the pretty village. Barston Lane, Barston, Solihull B92 0JU Railway Inn, Dorridge Lovely large garden out the back and only reopened with a massive refit recently. Packwood Cottages, Grange Road, Dorridge, B93 8QA The Boot Inn, Lapworth Always a smashing pub to go with large garden, lovely interior and smart restaurant upstairs. Great family pub and right by the locks for a walk. Old Warwick Road, Lapworth, Solihull, B94 6JU The Fleur de Lys, Lowsonford Set on the canalside in a beautiful little village and lovely gardens outside to watch boaters go by. Enjoy a pie in the original home of the pastry. Lapworth Street, Lowsonford, Henley-in-Arden, B95 5HJ The Navigation Inn, Lapworth Lovely garden and a great place to site in the summer. Walk around Lapworth Pound and sit and enjoy the view. Old Warwick Road, Lapworth, Kingswood, Solihull, B94 6NA Durham Ox, Shrewley Smart trendy pub with plenty of space and a great garden for the kids to run around in. Shrewley Common, Warwick, CV35 7AY The Coach and Horses Inn, Weatheroak Set on the hillside and just out of the city boundaries, a great place to sit in the garden and watch to countryside or snuggle in the old bar with a real fire. Weatheroak Hill Brewery, Alvechurch, B48 7EA The Red Lion, Claverdon Great little village just outside of Henley and beautiful garden overlooking the countryside. Station Road, Claverdon, Warwick, CV35 8PE The Kings Head, Aston Cantlow Smart pub in a beautiful little village on the way to Stratford. 21 Bearley Road, Aston Cantlow, Henley-in-Arden, B95 6HY The Holly Bush, Gorcott Hill Tucked up the old dead-end road to Redditch, this is a great pub in a rural location with a lovely garden. From the front you can see over the Malverns and the Cotswolds. Gorcott Hill, Redditch, B98 9EN The Griffin Inn, Shustoke Great garden and beautiful beer, just outside of Coleshill. It's a smashing night out. Church Road, Shustoke, Coleshill, B46 2LB Case is Altered, Hatton A little unusual pub with a bar billiards table that take sixpences, a swear box and a fine for using your mobile phone. Really traditional pub sat in the middle of nowhere but not one to take the kids or dogs to. Case Lane, Five Ways, Hatton, Warwickshire, CV35 7JD Vine Inn, Clent Set at the foot of the Clent Hills, this is a great pub to start a walk and with a large garden with a little stream running through. Vine Lane, Clent, Stourbridge, DY9 9PH The Fountain at Clent, Clent Just at the foot of the Clent Hill, a beautiful old fashioned building and lovely to watch the world after a walk across the hills. Adam's Hill, Clent, Stourbridge, DY9 9PU Bell and Cross, Holy Cross Beautiful garden in the tiny hamlet just outside of Clent. Holy Cross Green, Bromsgrove Road, Clent, Stourbridge, DY9 9QL Bell, Tanworth-in-Arden Set in a gorgeous village green, sit outside and drink a pint on the village green on a bench in the shadow of the old church. The Green, Tanworth-in-Arden, B94 5AL The Red Lion, Earlswood A great old pub up the road from the lakes, so sit and have a pint after a walk around the reservoirs. Lady Lane, Earlswood, Solihull, B94 6AQ Great Stone Inn, Northfield I know this is in the city, but it feels like a country pub. Real traditional setting with with the glacial boulder (the Great Stone, which travelled all the way from Wales in the Ice Age) next door in the old Pinfold. It's near the Medieval church and it has a real oldie worldie feel. 158 Church Road, Birmingham, B31 2LU The Bell, Harborne Another city pub with an oldie worldie feel, this pub has a bowling green in the gardens. Walk around little alleys past the
Cricket ground to the centre of the town. 11 Old Church Road, Birmingham, B17 0BB