New three counties Tour - with 2

 Evening!

    long time no see....

One of the joys of language is that the title this time reflects the fact that there is only in fact 2 counties in which the pubs are, and also that this is the second tour with just two of us - amazing! Etc....

On Saturday my chum Mr G suggested he came over to Sheffield - as it was pissing it down most of the day I suggested that rather than meet up in town and walk around, he might wish to drive over, pick me up, and go on a tour of Unspoilt pubs, other oubs, and roads. Thankfully he agreed.

I should point out that we had al---ready done a similar undertaking back in January. We started first off in the Black Bulls Head in Openwoodgate - although we got stuck in traffic on the motorway so came off at the Clay Cross tiurning and made our way from there.

Remembering their excellent range of boohars I got Mr G a half and myself A pint of Oakham Green Devil, and we shared a pork pie. In fairness I would also have stopped for a half of DIPA on keg but sadly, sat in the front, a table of youts were busy spouting their inaccuarte antivax nonsense - including hating everyone who worked for the NHS, hating everyone from Manchester and Derby with their diseases, and also the overeaction of everyone wearing a mask. They finished by, when wished goodbye by an elderly couple, b telling them to "fuck off". Impressive. Just the one pint then.....

Next we headed down towards Wirksworth and headed up Wood Lane outside Idridgehay and soon ended up in the Barley Mow at Kirk Ireton - as always an absolute gem, and I had 2 and a half pints of the excellent Whim Hartington IPA.

Next we used the unusually effieicnt Sat Nav to get to the Barley Mow at Bonsall - sadly although it was only 2100 the pub was cleasrly closed so we headed up through Bonsall and Brightgate to the Miners Standard at Winster - a pint of Aldwarke ales for me and a box of eggs followed, before we hedaed home.

On Saturday I decided to start our tour at Axe Edge and head down Dowel Dale past the Buxton Raceway via High Edge. Surprised to see a COVIT HORX scribbling on a sign in an isolated field, and also a lot of rubbish, but as soon as we saw Chrome hill our hearts lifed. Despite some thick mud and water enroute down the dale the road was fine and we came out at Glutton Bridge. Turning into Earl Sterndale we passed the now sadly sorry looking closed Quiet Woman and headed left to Crowdecote and popped in the Pack horse. Sadly ity shut at 1500 ( and it was 1545) so we headed off up to High Needham and then right and right again to Pilsbury Castle and into hartington, ending up at the Manifold Inn at Hulme End.

Its a long time since my last visit, but despite it being primarily a restaurant they still had 4 national real ales on - I had a pint of Pedigree and Mr G a glass of coke. There was only seats just below the telly so we did not hang around long - and given the late time we headed straught to Cauldon for the Yew Tree using Sat Nav.

I have to say that for no specific reason I felt really nervous about asking about the health of Alan East (?) the former landlord? I therefore cannot confirm if he is well. The layout remains the same ( but the room on the far away right is currently closed), and they have also dropped down to a single beer - that said, the 2 pints I had of the Burton Bridge bitter were excellent, and am happy to say that the pork pie I took away was excellent!

Next we headed back into Ashbourbe and wquickly up to Bonsall - this time the Barley Mow was very much open! Having established that we could set up a tab if we had more than one, I chose a pint of Abbeydale pale ale and Mr G a half of the same and we sat in the far corner near the fire. I also had a whole pint of BH brewery ( possibly Black Hole?) pale before we headed off in the dark to get to Elton. 

We arrived at 1930 and found the pub losed - but to be fair I don't think they open until 2030 or 2100? So we headed back out and pulled up round the back of the pub in the centre of Winster where I had a pint and a half of Abbeydale and Mr G a slowly supped glass of coke.

The fact that we managed to get to so many pubs over the two visits was a celebration in itself - although it was sad to miss out on the excellent Duke of York, and equally to see the state of the quiet Woman.

Looking forward to another trip out that way soon!

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Unspoilt country pubs - a Sunday tour by car

Hello,

        on Sunday myself and Tash were taken out for the day by Wee Fatha on a tour of some classic unspoilt pubs in Derbyshire and Staffordshire. We started our journey travelling to Beauchief Abbey in Sheffield to meet WF who gave us a quick tour. We then got into the car in bright sunshine and set off.

We were soon heading through Chatsworth out on to the A6 and then down to Darley Dale, through Wensley and Winster via some absurd driving by fellow visitors, to arrive at Elton, and the Duke of York. It was shut. It only opens during the day on a Sunday but arriving at 13.55 it was firmly closed. Despite the maniac actions of drivers in Winster nearby we returned there and got parked to visit the Old Bowling Green pub.

I haven't been here for some time and was glad to find that not only was it open but the bar was open all day. We sat outside in bright sunshine supping a pint each of Peak Ales Chatsworth Gold for me and Tash and a half, of which he had less then half, of Abbeydale Daily Bread for WF. The pub serves food and three real ales, the other being Abbeydale Moonshine, and claims on its sign to be from the 15th century - I think it said 1472. Its slightly modernised inside, mainly to extend the amount of seating, but is still a pleasing old style inn.

Off next on a perplexing ramble via Newhaven, Biggin and Hartington to the Manifold Valley. A beautiful drive along the road and up brought us to Grindon and then finally to Wetton, followed by a trip down into Milldale and up onto the main road before finally heading through Thorpe for Ilam. here we took the beautiful road cum track to Throwley and on into Calton before arriving at Cauldon and the Yew Tree.

I can't remember how long it is since I last visited, maybe three or four years ago, and although the pub still retains its collection of amazing antiques, and still sells there real ales, some things have changed. For a start, although landlord Alan East is still on the premises the bar work is mainly carried out now by his son in law and, one assumes, Alan's daughter. They also now have a card machine - which made our visit longer and more thirsty and of course, more excellent.

I started with a pint of fresh on Burton Bridge Bitter, and bought halves of Rudgate Ruby Mild for Tash and WF.  I then went to buy another pint along with a large for WF and a small for me, pork pie. This took quite some time to eat and both were lovely, as was the Bitter. Having been for a wander round and nipped outside for a look at the garden, I then came back to use my card for a further two pints of the Burton Bridge, one of which I shared with Tash. It was good to spot Alan, standing almost transfixed by his ancient polyphon playing in the entrance. Be it bank holiday Sunday or not, the pub was packed throughout.

Our next stop was in Hanley a 40 minute of so drive away. The Coachmakers was threatened with demolition many years ago, despite its listing by English Heritage and CAMRA as a pub with a historically important interior. Since then the new bus station that its clearance was to bring about has been built, yet the pub remains standing. On our visit many locals were sat on the benches outside the pub and inside the beer range was reduced considerably, being just Bass and Black Hole Black rising or similar, a strong dark mild. I had a pint of Bass , Tash a half and Wee Fatha some of a half of the Black Hole.

We were sat on our own in the front bar room with the gentle hub-ub of conversation in the background and the sound of the barmaid serving customers to keep us occupied. It was good to relax in here, although disappointingly the wall of beer mats seems to have been changed into one painted dark grey. Despite this, little else has changed in this National Inventory pub - including the threat of demolition. Still well worth a look if you have or haven't visited already.

We had been planning on visiting the Quiet Woman but decide instead to return to Elton and made our way back to Alstonefield, then the same way from Milldale and then headed to Parwich. As I had a pressing need we stopped there at the Sycamore. This traditional Robinson's house is still very much part of the village and we had a half for me and Tash, one being Robinson's Double Hop, and a tomato juice for WF.

The pub has three or four rooms and serves fod and real ales, and Parwich is a great place to start or finish a walk in the area. I first went about twenty or more years ago and still enjoy a visit - alas we were heading off for our last stop so did not stay around long.

At gone 22.00 we arrived in Elton to find the Duke of York open. Whilst Tash and WF locked the car and got coats on I ran into the pub to order a pint and two halves of the only real ale on which was Marstons Bitter at £2.75 a pint. As is unsurprising, nothing has changed in the Duke of York since I first visited last century - apart form the main bar duties are now carried out by Mary's Nephew.

I discovered whilst there that at present the were not open Sunday lunchtimes because Mary had been very ll in hospital - there are no plans at this time to reopen Sunday lunchtimes, so its 20.30 til 22.30 (or later) most nights of the week.

The beer was also fresh on here and tasted lovely, so much so that I had another pint, and took Tash outside up the old sloping steps to see the toilets - an unusual feature to have outdoor toilets these days. Inside the fire was lit and the locals were chatting to each other about all sorts of things, and the barman as well. Lets hope Mary gets better soon and we see her behind the bar once more at this fantastic old boozer.

So ended a lengthy drive round five brilliant unspoilt or at the very least old pubs in Derbyshire and Staffordshire. Its difficult to pick out a favourite as all have distinctive characteristics but I think as a group we probably liked the Yew Tree at Cauldon best of all -  a cracking traditional pub that has managed to adapt to modern times whilst losing none of its considerable character.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy