Seven Stones, St Martin's

The Seven Stones is a comfortable, pine-decked community pub commanding beautiful views of the islands, especially from the garden frontage. The bar room has been much modernised but tastefully so, with a huge granite fireplace housing a stove as centrepiece. The furniture is a mix of settles and wooden tables and chairs. The front patio also has plentiful seating and may be a suntrap in summer; the view of the sea and other islands is arguably among the best pub vistas in the UK. The beers are dispensed via 3 or 4 handpumps on the bar, or sometimes by gravity from a stillage behind 4 decorative cask ends on the back wall - 3 or occasionall 4 may be available in the summer peak, although the range is inevitably much reduced to 2 or 3 in the quieter periods. The location is convenient for awaiting a boat to the other islands from Lower Town quay, a couple of minutes walk away, but allow 35-40min for Highertown departures. A range of food is available (12:00-14:00 and 18:00-20:00), but beware the hungry sparrows in the garden!