Wuzza - AKA Wirksworth, Derbyshire

Morning Readers

       some of you may know that I had been trying to complete my post on myself and WK's trip to Liverpool back in May, but 2 weeks ago I was trying to complete it and whilst typing CAMRA it replaced the letters MRA over the entirety of my whole post - and as I came out and went back in it then,  proceeded to save the 3 letters - instead of 3 pages - of text - as just that. So its not a rejection of my trip to Liverpool, rather a distinct change in information.....

Not that this should in any way reflect on my appreciation of Wuzza, mind - despite the dubious quality of bus services from Sheffield and later into Derby, I do still go every few months or so - and out of the 5 pubs have been to, today I will concentrate on my favourite 2, regular, bowzers

First up is The Feather Star - previously known as the Red Lion, a large former coaching Inn on the side of the square previously run by Marstons - I think I only went in once or twice and they may have sold Pedigree? Either way, it was took over by the fab folks who ran - and run - the Feather Star.

As everyone knows, Feather Star is a term given to a fossil - possibly an Ammonite? Which is found locally. Their micropub was run out of a small former  Antiques shop a little further down the road, but I suspect the owners of the building may have wanted the venue to move on, and the Feather Star folk recognised the need for a bigger premises and so eventually managed to purchase - and move into - The Red Lion. 

The first thing to acknowledge is the massive increase in beer choice - The Feather Star has 5 or 6 handpumps for cask from the past and possibly 6 keg lines? Have had a number of marvelous pints of Cloudwater IPA around 6-7% on my visits and their range of breweries is fantastic! Often also sell Aldwark Ales which is reasonably close to Wuzza. I highly recommend a visit.

Nearby on what I thought was John Street but is listed as North End, is the fabulous Royal Oak, a possibly 17th (not sure) century, unspoilt locals pub with 5 handpumps for excellent cask from the past along with the addition of 2 guest keg lines, often serving kernel or Verdant. There is a large fire in both rooms and outside there is a walk through barn which has seating in it through to a pleasant garden with further outdoor drinking areas.

They regularly sell Whim Ales from the Hartington Brewery on cftp, including their IPA and Flower Power at 6% - but mainly the range changes regularly - also often sell Shiny and other small local independent brewery beers.

Also - the loos are outside, and although it no longer appears to be National Inventory listed

(?) - am certain it used to be - it still remains unspoilt and the interior appears to contain many numerous original features.

Although check the opening hours if you are panning a visit!

So - there are my 2 favourite pubs in glorious Wuzza!

Cheers

Wee Beefy

Feather Star Wirksworth - now at the Red Lion

 Evening readers,

      its sad to say that I only two weeks or so ago found out that the fabulous micropub, the Feather Star, in a tiny former antiques shop on St John's Street in the market place, Wirksworth, had in fact, closed down. Wee Keefy was in Wirksworth doing one of the 4 local circular walks, and said that on trying to find a place for a drink, many places had been shut but the former Feather Star micropub had since become a cake shop or similar. I told him, of course, that he was being ridiculous - since I followed the Feather Star on Friendache. But a quick search online proved that the owners had purchased the former Red Lion market place pub, and were selling a wide range of real ales along with fabulous keg from the future. More woe my Friendache checking! Of course -  I had to visit......

Following our own, admittedly sodden walk, along another Wirksworth based circular walk, we quickly spotted the pub which may be the Hope and Anchor, and then the Blacks Head, before spotting the thankfully open Feather Star, and it's sign, outside the entrance to the Red Lion. Straight away hearing music, and reading the sign, we worked out quickly that they had a brass (instrument) band of 3 blokes next to the bar - and the pub was rammed.

Carefully reaching the bar there were a range of 5 cask from the past on the bar - which I have to say both the beers and settings looked amazing - along with 5 kegs from the future. WK had a low gravity Buxton stout on keg and I had a half of the fabulous Cloudwater Barn in Edale Valley, a wonderful DDH IPA or similar, and in absolutely excellent condition. We then decided to sit outside in the now sunny and dry outdoors, and took off our sopping coats and looked at the view.

Outside there was seating for about 40 people, probably more, on tables and under two covers, and as we admired the view w also admired the fab beers we had bought. I had already tried a glass of the barn in Edale valley in can earlier in the month and remembered I had really liked it - strangely on this occasion it may even have tasted nicer on draught? Either way it didn't take long to sup - so leaving Wee Keefy in the baking sunshine I popped back inside to get a pint of Shiny Cloudy session IPA on cask.

Its a shame to admit but as the pub was so busy, I couldn't see if there was a third room inside, or see what was behind the bar area - I also got chatting to the lovely Jo behind the bar - both when placing my order and also when she popped outside under cover later. When I went back out with my pint it was tipping it down and I found WK sheltering under the covering, sat near what looked like a former settee/chaise lounge or similar, which may have been at the Black bulls Head, Openwoodgate. I have nothing to back this up however.

Jo told me that other Jo and her business partner had closed in December or January 2021 and bought the lease of the Red Lion in May 2021. Recently it had been service outside only whilst they tided up and cleaned the inside of the pub. Puzzlingly if you go on both the Feather Star and then teh Red Lion details on Whatpub it says on th Feather Star that they have taken over the Red Lion - but then on the page for the Red Lion tells that the pub was currently up for sale.

Sadly we only had chance to stop for one - or two in my case - of the selection of beers at the Red Lion, but I have to say that I absolutely loved it! Its somewhere I would like to go back to with Tash next month if possible - the cask range was very good in being reflective of locally brewed cloudy beers along with slightly more traditional Mallinsons and Shiny offerings - not that am saying both of the Shiny or the Mallinsons would have not been cloudy...

So having only recently discovered that the "old" Feather Star had sadly closed, am now very happy to report that the "new" Feather Star has now reopened at the Red Lion. They have an outside area for ordering food but as far as I am aware you can now eat inside - alas I never got to check that since neither me or WK were planning on stopping for scran!

Wishing Jo and Jo and the others others all of the very best for the future.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Derbyshire dawdle

Eefnin,

        yesterday myself and the lovely Tash took a train and a bus to Derby and back and out into the Ecclesbourne valley for a wander. Here are some details of the boozers we tried and the beers and other drinks we supped en route.

I got to the station early on to purchase a Derbyshire Wayfarer - I hoped they were still available and also that you could pay in cash at the ticket office because although I had some cash in my wallet I had next to none available in my account. Luckily both were true and by 09.55 I had the ticket and 35 mins to wait for the train to Derby. Having met up with Tash and said goodbye to Matty we got on board wearing face masks and were soon in Derby. After a lengthy escape route on an underpass we stopped in some public gardens for a coffee and then headed to the bus station where we got the 6.1 to just past Idridgehay - luckily the bus has a system which names every stop so as soon as we had passed the stop for the Black Swan in Idridgehay we were told the next stop was Wood Lane where we got off.  

Its a while since I have been into Kirk Ireton and last time we caught a bus there from Ashbourne which seems not to exist these days. And although me and Tash walked down the same hill and along the road into Idridgehay back in 2013 we had clearly both forgotten just how steep a walk it was up into the village. We got off the bus at 12.40 and by 13.05 we were sitting outside the Barley Mow. I was on a pint of Hartington IPA on gravity and Tash a bottle of Fentimens Victorian lemonade and we sat outside the door on a bench enjoying the scene and the fellow visitors. Our first sups did not last long.

Soon I was back indoors and on my second pint of IPA and I bought a pack of crisps for Tash along with a half of cloudy cider. After I had nipped to the loo I noticed that the pub now advertised a contactless payment machine for bank cards since the Covid outbreak - alas I don't have a contactless card, and besides which the man serving told me that was fine as the machine was currently upstairs. I also mentioned to him that I was glad they still didn't have a till - instead just a wooden drawer behind the counter. Apart from everyone signing a sheet when they came in, it seems that absolutely nothing else has changed - well, apart from the fact that the barrels are no longer behind the counter but am not sure when that took place. I thought the other day that it may have been 1993 when I first visited this pub and it's still a cracking boozer. Another pint of Hartington for me came at 13.50 and 5 minutes later he came out to call last orders.....

We sat in the churchyard on a  bench next to get some dinner before setting off along Wirksworth Road, which then becomes Whapantake Lane before becoming Dark Lane and heading into Millers Green before coming out in Wirksworth, or Wuzza. A swift wander up the hill and down the other side allowed us to spot the tiny micropub which was our next stop around 16.00.

The Feather Star is situated on both floors of a tiny former antique shop on the main road, serving 4 or 5 casks from the past and 5 glorious kegs. Straight away I got Tash a pint of cider and myself a lovely pint of Cloudwater on keg and we wandered up the ginnel next door to a seating area in front of the church. We got sat in the last of the sunshine and marveled at both our surroundings as well as our drinks along with a large number of dogs who were accompanying the customers. When I nipped back indoors I found they were playing the marvelous Pigs Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs on the record player, and after a chat with the lass behind the bar I chose a can of Shiny IPA at 6% or more and got another pint of cider for Tash. After seeing the lass from the Barley Mow at Bonsall (where I haven't been for a good while alas) and having got chatting to all the other people sitting outside, we went for a wander round the church and then up to the nearby Royal Oak.  

Me and Tash had last visited in 2013 as well and this time I was once again on a pint of Whim Flower Power and Tash was this time on a pint of Cider. We were both sat at a large table in the room on the left and after signing in and Tash nipping for a smoke I got us both the same again, this time served in a splendid Burton Bridge glass. I finished this stop on a can of Verdant IPA at 6.5% from their supply and thoroughly enjoyed it! Regrettably all too soon it was 20.00 and the bus was due about 20.30 so we headed out back onto the high street and walked down the road to catch the bus back into Derby.

Once back in Derby we had an hour to wait until the train so having walked back up towards the station we nipped for a quick one in the Alexandra. I was once again on an IPA this time on cask but am not sure what Tash was on. After enjoying our drinks along with understanding the system for getting to the obviatorium (..?!) we left about 20.10 to walk back to the station to get the train home to fine, sunny, Sheffield.

Overall we visited 4 excellent pubs, one of which was a first for me and Tash, and all of which were serving excellent quality ales and crucially, allowed us to pay in good old cash! Although we probably only walked 4 miles in total the exercise was well received and the whole day was perfectly enjoyable.

I shall look forward to doing another such trip next month!

Your very best of health

Wee Beefy