The Jolly Fisherman
Haven Hill Craster Northumberland NE66 3TR
Craster's refurbished pub has a fabulous harbourside location, overlooking the little port where Northumberland's finest crabs are landed and finest kippers smoked. A walk up from Craster to Dunstanburgh Castle and the beaches beyond has always been a popular day out, and tradition dictates that you pop into the Jolly for crab soup and sandwiches at some point. A makeover has given the whole place a real boost, and while they've kept the barebones floors, low beams and open fires, there's now also a real sense of style within what's at heart a traditional portside pub. The menu is strong on the local seafood, naturally – a lunchtime 'Fishboard' or homemade kipper pate gives you a taste of the local catch, and there's a house fish pie and very enticing things like baked sea bream with chorizo for dinner. Chips are cooked in beef dripping – of course. Prices are pretty good and the ales are real (and a fair few of them local), and if you head on out to the harbour-top beer garden you're rewarded by a simply stunning view up the coast towards Dunstanburgh.
