Paws, pints and live music by the beach

There are pubs you pop into for one.

And there are pubs where you look at the time several hours later and realise that one has somehow developed into beers, cider, spritz, live music, new friends and a slightly less elegant walk back to the campsite than originally anticipated.

The Ferry Boat Inn in Shaldon falls firmly into the second category.

So firmly, in fact, that we went back the following evening.

Pretty hard to beat for location

Known locally as the FBI, the Ferry Boat Inn sits on The Strand in the gorgeous little Devon village of Shaldon, right at the mouth of the River Teign.

The pub itself is across the road from Shaldon beach, but here’s the clever bit: the beer garden isn’t.

Cross the road from the pub and you’re straight into its waterfront garden, with views across the beach, estuary and towards Teignmouth.

Unsurprisingly, it’s a magnet for beachgoers, boaty types, locals and visitors who’ve discovered that sitting beside the water with something cold in your hand is a considerably better use of an afternoon than almost anything else.

And yes, we tested this theory quite thoroughly.

We only came to meet Lou…

Our first evening at the Ferry Boat was supposed to be a catch-up with our friend Lou.

Nothing particularly dangerous about that.

A couple of drinks beside the water. A good natter. Lovely.

Except the Ferry Boat has that particularly dangerous kind of atmosphere where nobody seems in much of a hurry to go anywhere.

It’s relaxed, friendly and beachy without trying too hard to be a beach pub.

So when we found ourselves back there the following evening after an afternoon on Shaldon beach, we weren’t exactly devastated.

This time there was live music too.

Phil Smyth was playing in the beer garden, armed with guitar, loops and a cracking mix of familiar songs given his own acoustic treatment.

Sun, water, live music and a bar within walking distance.

This was becoming problematic.

One drink became… not one drink

The Ferry Boat serves a good selection of beers and local ciders alongside gins, spritz and the usual suspects, so naturally we felt obliged to investigate several departments.

Purely in the interests of thorough reviewing.

The music was great, the atmosphere was even better and somewhere along the way we got chatting to some fellow campers.

Which led to more drinks.

And considerably more chatting.

Eventually we remembered that we did, in fact, have a campsite to return to.

We’ll describe the journey back as a slight stagger and leave it there.

Then there’s the Garden Grill

At weekends during the summer, the Ferry Boat fires up its Garden Grill, serving food Friday to Sunday (and bank holidays).

And this isn’t a sad little burger van tucked into the corner.

The grill is part of the whole Ferry Boat experience: grab some food, find yourself a spot overlooking the water and settle in.

We ate from it and the food was properly good — exactly the sort of unfussy, tasty food you want after a day on the beach.

Food is currently served from the Garden Grill 12–8pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday, plus bank holidays, although we’d always recommend checking before making a special journey because seasonal opening times can change.

But what did the dogs think?

Now we get to the important bit.

The Ferry Boat doesn’t just describe itself as dog friendly. It feels dog friendly.

Hendricks and Boë were genuinely welcome rather than merely tolerated, and there are even dog treats available to buy from the beachside Garden Grill.

That’s the distinction we’re looking for with Puppy Friendly Pubs.

A water bowl and permission to sit quietly beneath a table is nice.

A pub where dogs are simply part of the clientele is considerably better.

Being right beside the beach doesn’t hurt either. A walk or paddle followed by a pint while the dogs settle down is pretty close to the Pitch & Giggles definition of a successful afternoon.

The practical stuff

📍 Where: 4 Strand, Shaldon, Teignmouth, TQ14 0DL

🐾 Dogs: Genuinely welcome — well-behaved dogs are welcomed by the pub.

🍴 Food: Garden Grill, currently Friday–Sunday and bank holidays, 12–8pm.

🍺 Drinks: Beers, local cider, gin and plenty more besides.

🎶 Live music: A regular feature, particularly during the summer. Check what’s on before visiting if you fancy making an evening of it.

🌊 Best bit: That beer garden overlooking Shaldon beach and the River Teign.

🚗 Worth knowing: Parking around Shaldon can be tricky during school holidays. The pub itself recommends the larger car park a walk along the seafront if the village is busy.

🕐 Current pub hours:
Mon–Wed: 12–10pm
Thurs–Sat: 12–11pm
Sun: 12–10pm

Opening and food times can change seasonally, so check directly with the pub before travelling.

CHECK THE FERRY BOAT INN WEBSITE →

Boë’s Verdict

Paws firmly up. 🐾
Beach nearby? ✓
Humans willing to provide fuss? ✓
Dog treats available? ✓
Enough going on to keep an inquisitive Cockapoo occupied? ✓

Although we’d imagine any seagull wandering into Boë’s jurisdiction does so entirely at its own risk.

Hendricks Knows Best

Excellent pub credentials. 🐾

Hendricks’ requirements are fairly straightforward: a proper welcome, somewhere comfortable to settle and a reasonable prospect of snacks.

The Ferry Boat delivers.

Add a beach for a pre-pub paddle and he’s really got very little to complain about.

Would we go back?

Considering we visited twice during the same stay, this feels like a fairly redundant question.

Absolutely.

The location is cracking, the Garden Grill serves genuinely good food, dogs are properly welcomed and there’s a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere that encourages you to stay considerably longer than intended.

Throw live music into the mix and the Ferry Boat becomes exactly our sort of pub.

Just remember that somebody eventually has to find the way back to the campsite.

Perfect for: Beach days • Dogs • Live music • Sundowners • “Just one” turning into several

Pitch & Giggles verdict: Definitely worth getting your paws through the door.