The Barge Inn.

Overlooking the canal, with an idyllic beer garden that you would normally only find in a Richard Curtis rom-com, The Barge Inn is one of the most beautiful pubs I have ever laid my eyes on. 

(I had taken a wander down the night before to take a look at this gorgeous place. Definitely worth the walk in the dark!)

Around a mile and half walk along the canal from our campsite, we decided to take a stroll that way for a birthday lunch and a laze in the sun. 

The sun was blazing, as we passed canal boats, both private and hire, lining the water’s edge. 

Along the way, I got to fulfil a child hood dream of opening a lock (Rosie & Jim left a big impression on me), and watch the water seep through the locks, slowly bringing them up to level. 

After stopping my silliness with lock gates and swinging bridges, we made it to The Barge Inn. 

It was busy in the beer garden, full of yummy mummies and visitors to the countryside who like us were enjoying the relaxation of not having to be stuck in an office on a glorious Monday afternoon. 

The menu was not dissimilar to the one in The Three Magpies, because of its Wadworth Pub status, however the starters did vary from those we had seen the day before, and the tempting title of hot crispy pig cheeks with piccalilli got my vote. 

Followed by a chicken Caesar salad and a side of chips with aioli, my choice was made.

We also opted for a plate of bread and olives, with an olive oil and balsamic dip as a sharing platter beforehand. 

There was a little bit of a wait, but with a cold cider in hand, olive soaked bread, and sat in the sunshine along the canal bank, I was in no rush, and enjoyed the anticipation of the forth coming meal. 

The pig’s cheeks arrived, and looked spectacular. Deep fried in something akin to a scotch egg, you broke open the crispy, brown outer-shell to reveal shreds of pork cheeks, with cornichons and herbs. Although pleasant, the dish most definitely looked better than it tasted. It wasn’t any one particular thing that let the dish down, rather a lack of seasoning and a little bit of overcooking came together to make something that was okay, but not at all memorable. 

Also on the table was a bowl of mussels in a white wine sauce - the sauce was beautiful, and could rival those served in the seaside villages of northern France, though the mussels were small and five empty shells in a small starter if quite a high proportion of blanks – and a blue cheese and fig tart, which although not the most visually appealing of all there, was definitely the tastiest. 

Eventually the mains arrived (as said before, I was happy in the sun, and in no rush) and quite honestly, I was so disappointed. 

The Caesar salad was unimaginative, flavourless, and worst of all cold. In a sense that the chicken and bacon that had been thrown in were very obviously not cooked fresh and had been taken out of the fridge not long before serving. The lettuce was ice cold, bitter, and was mostly made of stem rather than leaf, the parmesan was also straight from the fridge, sliced and stored far in advance of the meal, and the croutons were far more stale bread than fried. 

Along with the Caesar salad was a beef burger with cheese and sides, and Wiltshire ham with chips and a brace of eggs. 

The beef burger came in a brioche bun, which was toasted to a point of being blackened, and the burger was dry enough to crumble into chunks upon being lifted from the plate. For an extra £1.50 (each) you could top the burger with cheese, onion rings and bacon. Opting for the cheese and onion rings was a poor choice, and we felt like we had overpaid for a slither of tasteless melted cheddar and two soggy onion rings. 

The Wiltshire ham was the most disappointing of the lot. Expecting thick, juicy cuts of this local meat was a thought too far, and instead two wafer thin slices of a ham comparable with that sold in little black plastic packets in supermarkets was what was on the plate. The eggs were, however, well cooked, and the chips on all three dishes were fantastic; crispy and golden, with a fluffy centre – they were the nest part of all three meals and the only part to be fully consumed on all. 

The bill of one sharing plate of bread, two courses each (six plates in total) and two drinks, already had added up to just shy of £80, and we decided to forgo any pudding, instead opting to return to our own little campsite and have a pudding there. 

The setting of the pub is unbeatable, and with local beers on tap, the beer garden is one not to be missed, especially on a clear summer’s day. However the food was disappointing, and although not inedible, it wasn’t truly enjoyable or something you would recommend to a friend. 

So if you are heading out that way, stop by for a cider and a portion of chips, but then head down to the Three Magpies for your meal, and enjoy the sight of the Rosie & Jim boats trundling upon the still water, on your walk there.