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![Picture of The Boat Inn](/images/display/47001_47500/47461_5504b3f9.jpg?w=2)
Image posted by Roger Button
Submitted on Tuesday, 29th June 2010
With picture contributions to 1183 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (2 more images)
Detail Pages
The Boat Inn, Aboyne
Aboyne
AB34 5EL
Served areas
![The Boat Inn, Aboyne](https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/752204347434475520/kuYk5ga4_normal.jpg)
Reviews of The Boat Inn (Average Rating: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Boat Inn
This country pub.is situated in a picturesque spot on the bank of the River Dee and has a very good local reputation as well as being a regular in the Good Beer Guide.
The single extended room interior is quite open and has quite modern feel despite the solid exposed stone walls and wonderful fireplace with its old stove. There are several pictures and drawings of the pub and of the local area adorning the walls and a grandfather clock ticks away at one end. The most charming features is a model steam engine that careers around the perimeter of the bar at head height although there must have been engineering works on my visit as it remained stationary above the bar for the duration of my stay.
Unfortunately, as someone merely looking for a couple of pints as we passed through, the emphasis was very much on dining with virtually every table on my visit set out with plate mats and cutlery although there weren’t actually many diners present. The pub (for want of a better word) does have an above average selection of ales with 3 local offerings available – Deeside Lulach and 2 from Inveralmond, Ossien and Independence. Prices were very reasonable for the area and the quality was befitting the pub’s reputation.
In front of the bar, a spiral staircase leads up to a function room housed under a vaulted roof. There is also some outdoor seating on a patio to one side of the pub although the pub is on the wrong side of the road to benefit from the proximity of the river.
Whilst there is no doubt that this is a well run establishment with a good reputation, I was a bit disappointed due to the overemphasis on the dining element and I felt a bit awkward just sitting there for a couple of pints and having the admittedly attentive staff asking if we wished to eat every now and again. Had I wanted a decent meal I would have been quite happy to dine here and incorporate a few ales with it but for a drinking only session, it just didn’t feel comfortable. That said, it is certainly one of better options in the area for some decent local ales and is worthy of a visit.
On 30th July 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
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- The Boat Inn official site, contains menus - theboatinnaboyne.co.uk
- Facebook - The Boat Inn, Aboyne
- Twitter - The Boat Inn, Aboyne
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Boat Inn - whatpub.com
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : Yes last updated 12 January 2014 by ROB Camra
- Car Park : Yes last updated 12 January 2014 by ROB Camra
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 12 January 2014 by ROB Camra
- Function Room : Yes - From review - last updated 30 July 2010 by Dave McNally
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 29 July 2013 by Dave McNally
- Karaoke : Yes last updated 20 March 2014 by Dave McNally
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 30 July 2010 by hondo .
- Real Cider : No last updated 12 January 2014 by ROB Camra
- Wheelchair Access : Yes last updated 12 January 2014 by ROB Camra