Three Horseshoes, Bourne End  

You'd be hard pressed to find a more picturesque location or pub. Sat on the Grand Union canal, the Three Horseshoes is a 16th century public house which blends into its surroundings perfectly. A swing bridge which allows the canal boats to continue their journey is a pleasant distraction, but the setting is pretty much perfect already. Inside, it's a tale of two pubs - go through the left hand door and you find yourself in a nice but vaguely uninteresting refurbished bar, complete with the ubiquitous dining area. Turn through the right door, however and you'll find a considerably more snug bar, with a massive fireplace and a couple of little nooks to ensconce yourself in the winter. Live music, comedy and regular quiz nights attempt to encourage a following of regulars, rather than just weekend afternoon day trippers. There's a good wine list and three ales (Spitfire and Black Sheep to name two), but the Sunday Lunch we ate left something to be desired - the sausage and mash looked nicer. Due to the food, we've only offering a three pint rating, but if they sort that issue it's a definite four pinter.

reviewed:
17/10/2008

pub features:(click on an icon to see an explanation)

real ales

seating overlooking the river

canal side setting

live music

separate dining area

comedy nights

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