Greetings all,
last year, having been out the Friday before and realised only at about 22.00 that the fest was on the next day, myself and Tash did not make it to the bus based Drone and other valley beer festival. We probably slept in late and then went out afterwards. This year I also remembered only on the Friday, having likely confirmed I was going on Faceache, but Tash encouraged me to go. What is a man to do when faced with this challenge? Decline? Well, not I. And albeit later than usual, I headed out.
It took about 3 and half years to get to town because the bus was full of pricks. People who couldn't get on, determine the fare or indeed their destination, or their reason or living. This is the first example of bus rage. Its something I will get over, one day. Probably....
I got the tickets at 14.45 and nipped in the Sheffield Tap for a quick half, of Magic Rock Rapture. I raced this down my throat outside in the sunshine, and soon I was on the 15.05 train.
I bumped into fellow Sheffield Beer Blogger Paul Holden - it was his first festival and he was meeting friends and his other half. As I was on a mission, I left him to ponder where this would take place and raced to the Dronfield Arms. Unsurprisingly, as well as the 6 real ales and keykegs in the pub, there was also an outside bar and plenty of seating on hay bails in the sunshine. I sat down on one with a pint of Steel City and Hopcraft Midnight in Antarctica and met up with Paul and his Brother-in-law o be Chris. A further delicious half of Bad Seed pale Ale followed, before we began the bus horror.
I explained to Paul that I suffered from bus rage, how many times this had happened at previous festivals and how nonsensical the service would be. Sure enough, the first two buses to arrive were A and C. We wanted B. It was then that we bumped into some gents that Paul knew and secured a timetable, before popping into the White Swan whilst waiting. There was a bar in the packed outside, but it was a cider bar. Inside there were two real ales, Adnams and Moonshine, so we got a half each, served in a pint plastic glass with no lines on. I know the pub isn't claiming to be a real ale mecca but the barman did not even speak or look at us, and we weren't convinced of the measures. A disappointing stop.
Round at the bus station, two buses turned up about the time ours was due. One changed from C to A and waited, the other remained as A and set off, allegedly to Barlow Brewery. Asking the driver of the other A where B was he had no idea. Luckily it did turn up - as a C. And not long after we arrived at Hundall for the Miners Arms.
Those of you who have visited Hundall before will know that its small. Very small. More a hamlet than a village. That the Miners Arms remains open, selling, I think, 4 real ales normally, is a credit to those running it. It does, however, mean that turning a large double decker bus round in the junction with some less than intelligent parking is a nightmare. Full marks to the driver for persisting the bus round the tiny gap.
In the pub the bar was rammed - they appeared to be selling 3 or 4 Pictish and Saltaire Raspberry blonde, but Chris was sure they had a Titanic cherry bitter on. This was in the outside bar - not the cider playground up the top - but the small one round the back of the pub. An enviable line of ales included the Titanic, which was surprisingly bitter for a fruit beer and which Chris and Paul had, along with a fantastic Siren Craft Oatmeal Pale Ale which I had. Chris thought the beer was a bit lacklustre being served from the barrel, and I agree in comparison to being forced or pulled up through a tight metal tube it has no or little head, but if the beer is of good quality that should let the flavours shine through. IN both cases this is what happened.
We were joined by other halves here and bumped into Josh and Louise. They had rather more sensibly arranged a lift from Eric, Louise's Dad, and he was on soft drinks bless him. Josh had returned form a long wait in the bar with ta pint which he shared and I stood with them whilst Paul and Chris caught up with their group. I then got a lift to the Travellers at Apperknowle.
This was the star of the show, and, in fact, my final stopping point in the festival. As well as 5 or more real ales inside, there was a large bar in the car park selling 20 or so real ales. Many where from Scotland and all 3 of us wanted the amazing Fyne Ales Jarl - alas this ran out whilst we waited at the bar. Gah! Instead, the three of us had pints of the excellent Oakham Citra. All beers were £3.00 a pint as well.
The views and scenery around the Travellers make this a lovely spot to spend time, and coupled with the excellent beer range this was easily the pub of the festival, although maybe tied with the Dronfield Arms. I had another pint of the Citra and got chatting to Tim Higham. I was introduced to Tim and his friend, whose name alcohol has taken from me, a few years ago by Barraharri. We were on a short 3 Valleys Tour in Dave's car and I met them at the Three Tuns. I haven't seen Tim since Dave's leaving do but he came up and gave me a nod and a hug and having now lost track of Josh et al, I sat with them.
My final two beers were Windsor and Eton Conqueror and Skye Black Gold. I supped these with Tim and also caught up with Paul and his friends before heading for the bus. This time, the transport worked fine, and I arrived at the station before 20.00 to catch the 5 past train to Sheffield. I nipped into the Sheffield Tap at this point and bumped into Mr Morton, who had also been to the festival. He noted that he had gone to the first and other early ones and there was little comparison with the hugeness of the modern festival, which he felt was a shame.
I can see his point of view in some ways. There are some, albeit less striking, resemblances with the Trans Pennine real ale trail - people turning up just to get hammered, people drinking before and on the transport, people treating the venues with disrespect. However, overall, the above aside, I think the 3 Valleys beer festival is a resounding success. Each year more pubs get involved, and each year delicious beers are served from local and national breweries in pubs who, for the most part, make a real effort to provide for the festival goers.
I had a fantastic time, and so did all the people who I spoke to who had been, maybe with the exception of the buses.Long may its increasing success continue.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Showing posts with label Travellers Rest Apperknowle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travellers Rest Apperknowle. Show all posts
Sunday, 7 June 2015
Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Moss Valley beer wander
Hello,
Sunday saw me yomping through the North East Midlands to the Moss Valley, or, to be more precise, the edges of it. More precisely still, the pubs therein. Here is what I found in some of those buildings.
Myself and Miss N blazed a trail to Eckington along the TPT, and arrived in what is now virtually a ghost town, as if Eckington wasn't already a stand in for the set of Threads. No offence Ecky folk, but the past malaise of almost none of its many pubs selling real ale has now been replaced by the more pressing malaise of none of its many pubs being bloody open!
Annoyingly I had failed to make note of the pub that is in Eckington purporting to offer a range of real ales* that I had spotted somewhere in the beer writing world, and feeling that arriving red faced in the Co-op and asking random people which of Eckington's pubs were open may make me look a little piss-headish, we opted instead of boozing to get refreshments from the shop, and carried on our trek.
We made good progress along Back lane, turning left off the track near the house in the woods that Wee Fatha claims isn't on the map (it is, and I don't believe its not on his 1970 version - questions arising about why he's not got a more recent one must wait to be answered on FB or similar!) before heading up the hill past the School playing fields to behind Bramley Park. Here our progress slowed significantly.
Because we spent 50 minutes becoming increasingly thirsty trying to escape on to the road amidst a frustrating lack of any signage. To make sure this problem doesn't reoccur, please donate to : www.perhapsyoudconsiderputtingwaymarkarrowsorsignsupnobheads.com/FMS.html to enable the council or authority responsible to put just one lousy chuffing indication of which way the path goes, at the 4 way junction of the path you've just walked up, the one you need of which there is no obvious evidence, and the two created by ruminants out of boredom. Thanks.
So, having got over that as I so obviously have, and escaped onto the road via Eckington School playing fields, we toiled up the hill and into the Fox and Hounds at Marsh Lane, now mercifully keeping more modern hours of open all day. We quickly ordered two glasses of water and two perfectly kept cellar cool pints of Jennings Crag Rat at £3.10 a pint, which hit the spot perfectly. We sat outside in the beer garden with me perversely craving the heat of the sun, and once we'd applied plasters and other medication (don't ask!) we steadied ourselves for a walk to the next pub.
This was the Devonshire Arms at Middle Handley. There's no longer any point sighing and muttering about its gastro credentials rather than it being a proper pub like what it used to be - because it simply isn't and it is almost impossible to conceive of it being anything else other than a commuter home if it had not taken its current direction.
Sat outside in the setting sun, we supped pints of Farmers Blonde for Miss N and the excellent Barlow Dark Horse for me, from a range of usually four cask ales. As well as the beers, the other feather in the pub's cap is that they take cards - buses aint cheap in the area so you need all the coinage you can get. Especially if you get stuck in Apperknowle...
Walking into the sunset we were rewarded with outstanding views over the Drone Valley with beautiful colours streaking across the sky and vapour trails criss-crossing and fading into purple and then dark red as we walked. We didn't actually get stuck at the Travelers Rest in Apperknowle, but I can safely say that it wouldn't have been the worst place to do so.
The current CAMRA Dronfield Sub Branch Summer pub of the season, as well as gaining massive kudos by selling rarely mentioned Blue Bee Pilcrow Porter last week, also excels by carrying an ever changing range of other real ales, plenty of ciders, and by selling absolutely fantastic pork pies. We ordered a large one to share and weren't disappointed for £3.00 - the ales were around the same price and we had a Reef Porter from Coastal Brewery and the rather marvelous Abbeydale Asbo. I didn't see the strength., but I confess it "dinnarf" remind me of the Abso. Lution. Either way it was cracking.
Alas, having arrived in near darkness and with time getting in on we needed to try and catch a bus, which we did, much to our surprise and slight disappointment, despite the best efforts of Tin Pot Travel. Clearly, the trick to doing this walk properly is to start walking at 10.30 instead of 13.30, not get lost, and end up at the Travelers a bit earlier, therefore fitting in a few more beers. Even without following this recipe, this was a very enjoyable visit to a proper locals pub selling great real ale in fabulous countryside.
All in all, despite not reaching Ford or Troway or visiting the Butchers, the Moss and Drone Valley edges offer some fine pubs and a decent range of beers. Well worth taking a hike from Woodhouse or Norton or Coal Aston, or Dronfield, or anywhere nearby really, to sample what the area has to offer.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
*investigations suggest I made this up! I can't find it in Innspire and the Internet mocks me by suggesting its the Fox and Hounds in Marsh Lane, or the at least accurate in terms of location but less likely Duke of York in the centre of Eckington - am I losing my mind, or is there not only the George that sells real ale in Eckington now?
Sunday saw me yomping through the North East Midlands to the Moss Valley, or, to be more precise, the edges of it. More precisely still, the pubs therein. Here is what I found in some of those buildings.
Myself and Miss N blazed a trail to Eckington along the TPT, and arrived in what is now virtually a ghost town, as if Eckington wasn't already a stand in for the set of Threads. No offence Ecky folk, but the past malaise of almost none of its many pubs selling real ale has now been replaced by the more pressing malaise of none of its many pubs being bloody open!
Annoyingly I had failed to make note of the pub that is in Eckington purporting to offer a range of real ales* that I had spotted somewhere in the beer writing world, and feeling that arriving red faced in the Co-op and asking random people which of Eckington's pubs were open may make me look a little piss-headish, we opted instead of boozing to get refreshments from the shop, and carried on our trek.
We made good progress along Back lane, turning left off the track near the house in the woods that Wee Fatha claims isn't on the map (it is, and I don't believe its not on his 1970 version - questions arising about why he's not got a more recent one must wait to be answered on FB or similar!) before heading up the hill past the School playing fields to behind Bramley Park. Here our progress slowed significantly.
Because we spent 50 minutes becoming increasingly thirsty trying to escape on to the road amidst a frustrating lack of any signage. To make sure this problem doesn't reoccur, please donate to : www.perhapsyoudconsiderputtingwaymarkarrowsorsignsupnobheads.com/FMS.html to enable the council or authority responsible to put just one lousy chuffing indication of which way the path goes, at the 4 way junction of the path you've just walked up, the one you need of which there is no obvious evidence, and the two created by ruminants out of boredom. Thanks.
So, having got over that as I so obviously have, and escaped onto the road via Eckington School playing fields, we toiled up the hill and into the Fox and Hounds at Marsh Lane, now mercifully keeping more modern hours of open all day. We quickly ordered two glasses of water and two perfectly kept cellar cool pints of Jennings Crag Rat at £3.10 a pint, which hit the spot perfectly. We sat outside in the beer garden with me perversely craving the heat of the sun, and once we'd applied plasters and other medication (don't ask!) we steadied ourselves for a walk to the next pub.
This was the Devonshire Arms at Middle Handley. There's no longer any point sighing and muttering about its gastro credentials rather than it being a proper pub like what it used to be - because it simply isn't and it is almost impossible to conceive of it being anything else other than a commuter home if it had not taken its current direction.
Sat outside in the setting sun, we supped pints of Farmers Blonde for Miss N and the excellent Barlow Dark Horse for me, from a range of usually four cask ales. As well as the beers, the other feather in the pub's cap is that they take cards - buses aint cheap in the area so you need all the coinage you can get. Especially if you get stuck in Apperknowle...
Walking into the sunset we were rewarded with outstanding views over the Drone Valley with beautiful colours streaking across the sky and vapour trails criss-crossing and fading into purple and then dark red as we walked. We didn't actually get stuck at the Travelers Rest in Apperknowle, but I can safely say that it wouldn't have been the worst place to do so.
The current CAMRA Dronfield Sub Branch Summer pub of the season, as well as gaining massive kudos by selling rarely mentioned Blue Bee Pilcrow Porter last week, also excels by carrying an ever changing range of other real ales, plenty of ciders, and by selling absolutely fantastic pork pies. We ordered a large one to share and weren't disappointed for £3.00 - the ales were around the same price and we had a Reef Porter from Coastal Brewery and the rather marvelous Abbeydale Asbo. I didn't see the strength., but I confess it "dinnarf" remind me of the Abso. Lution. Either way it was cracking.
Alas, having arrived in near darkness and with time getting in on we needed to try and catch a bus, which we did, much to our surprise and slight disappointment, despite the best efforts of Tin Pot Travel. Clearly, the trick to doing this walk properly is to start walking at 10.30 instead of 13.30, not get lost, and end up at the Travelers a bit earlier, therefore fitting in a few more beers. Even without following this recipe, this was a very enjoyable visit to a proper locals pub selling great real ale in fabulous countryside.
All in all, despite not reaching Ford or Troway or visiting the Butchers, the Moss and Drone Valley edges offer some fine pubs and a decent range of beers. Well worth taking a hike from Woodhouse or Norton or Coal Aston, or Dronfield, or anywhere nearby really, to sample what the area has to offer.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
*investigations suggest I made this up! I can't find it in Innspire and the Internet mocks me by suggesting its the Fox and Hounds in Marsh Lane, or the at least accurate in terms of location but less likely Duke of York in the centre of Eckington - am I losing my mind, or is there not only the George that sells real ale in Eckington now?
Sunday, 29 November 2009
Norton to Marsh lane - pubs round the edge of Moss Valley
Hello,
Mr P and I had often discussed a path that he had walked many times in the past, from Norton into the Moss valley and Coal Aston. We had discussed a few times hat fact that ignoring horrors like the Real ale free Chequers, there were 3 other pubs in Coal Aston that we had never visited, so had an ongoing intention to try and find the path. Our recent planned crawl had been cancelled owing to my having been a ill and fighting o off a niggly cold, so it makes no sense at all that yesterday, at the end of November, we agreed to try retracing the path….
Mr P and I had often discussed a path that he had walked many times in the past, from Norton into the Moss valley and Coal Aston. We had discussed a few times hat fact that ignoring horrors like the Real ale free Chequers, there were 3 other pubs in Coal Aston that we had never visited, so had an ongoing intention to try and find the path. Our recent planned crawl had been cancelled owing to my having been a ill and fighting o off a niggly cold, so it makes no sense at all that yesterday, at the end of November, we agreed to try retracing the path….
We started on Norton Lane and followed Cinderhill Lane in a chilly wind to the path that leads out and across Bochum Parkway. Mr P noted that the last time he had walked the path there was no main road, which led me to question just how reliable this route might turn out to be. Having said that, I had looked at it on Multimap and he had his trusty A-Z and we were quietly confident. We walked down the side of some fields on a muddy path following a wall, spotting a hare heading for the ditch as we headed downwards.
The path soon split and we took the rather uninviting right hand path that walkers forgot, before joining another track, and heading diagonally right towards Hazelbarrow farm, in the hamlet of the same name. After losing the path in the fields below Hazelbarrow we picked it up again in the Nor Wood and then headed down increasingly muddy tracks into the valley, crossing the brook and heading out into the field, bow following the Dronfield Rotary walk signs. After further mud and paths that served as drainage streams we popped up on Birches Lane next to the Royal Oak in Coal Aston, just as it opened.
Inside was a nicely lit and warm pub split into 2 sides but no longer two roomed. There is a traditional Tetley bar, probably 1930’s, in style if not in material, sporting 4 handpumps. We opted for pints of Brains Reverend James at £2.68 a pint, which was a hearty and well-kept pint to start to the day’s proceedings. Warmed and refreshed (it was about 3 degrees when we set out) we set off again; alas we didn’t have time to check out the Cross Daggers or the Yew Tree. We headed into Frith Wood and up through waterlogged fields and quagmire to Summerley, and then up the road into Apperknowle. There was a strange feeling of de-javu as we headed down Barrack road to find the Barracks shut - I am still not certain, but I think they open at 16.00 on Saturday and I always forget. We trudged back up the steep hill to the main road, lamenting the long gone Yellow Lion and headed for the Travellers.
A warm fire greeted us here as well, and some 5 real ales, including 2 from Bradfield Brewery. We both opted for Spire Brewery Dark Side of the Moon, which was on good form and about £2.40 a pint, and settled in the small snug on the right. Given that it was dinnertime we asked the barman if we could eat our sandwiches, and he agreed, and I bought a half of Bradfield Yorkshire Farmer to help my rather poor sandwiches down. We left the pub to walk up Moor Top Road, past the farm and a rather impressive looking tumulus and headed right and then straight on for Middle Handley. Arriving in the village we saw all its facilities in one vista – the chapel, the phone box, the post box and the Devonshire Arms.
The paintings are modern with traditional subjects, and the bar, whilst facing the door and sporting some traditional adornments, is wider and more open that the original, made with light wood and very brightly lit. That said there are 4 handpumps as well as Pilsner Urquell on draught and some good bottled beers. The Devonshire was the first pub I ever saw and drank Brampton Brewery beers and there is still a very good range of Sheffield and Derbyshire ales on – I had Bradfield Farmers Blonde at £2.60, Mr P the Kelham Island roll it out at £2.80 a pint, with Absolution and Stones also available. After a good rest we headed to Marsh Lane, where we found the Fox and Hounds keeps traditional hours, being closed at just gone 15.00.
We went in the Butchers, now reopened having seemingly swung between closure and reopening regularly over the last 2 years. I had last been in December 2007 when we had a very nice meal and some excellent Abbeydale beer. Now there are still 2 handpumps in the lounge, 1 was in use selling Old Speckled hen from Greedy King. We both had a half., costing £1.15. We caught the bus into Eckington with the light fading, and having missed our intended ride out decided with some trepidation to try and find a pub selling real ale. Eckington used to, as well as having something like 15 pubs, have a majority selling real ale, but I heard last year that only The Bird in Hand now bothered, and that looked close on he way in. We headed round the back of the bus station, and ignoring the pedestrian street and carried on. We noticed the Mansfield pub on the corner had reopened, but there was only one handpump with no clip, and no customers. Up the road the lights of the George blazed and we headed in on the off chance.
Although the Wells Bombardier was off, there was cask Stones and we soon realised we had found the best place to drink in Eckington. It would be pointless visiting if you had an aversion to sport – both TV’s in either side of the pub were showing the rugby, followed by the unsavoury details of another hopeless Owls performance on Final Score. The pub was packed out and the staff friendly, and although I would have loved to have had another beer to choose from at least they had the right idea, and it was only the necessity to get the bus and head home the persuaded us out of the pub. We took a quick ride to Mosborough and walked along Duke Street to the Alma.
Me and Wee Fatha used to go to the quiz there almost every other Tuesday for years, always drinking Vaux Samson, usually being fed and steadfastly never doing anything as reckless as winning. After Jim and Jean retired around the time Wards closed, I visited much less, but it was nice to be back, and to find real ale on, this time Wychwood Hobgoblin. The lounge was packed out but there was only us most of the time in the taproom. I always wonder whether this is because the new owners after Jim and Jean left tarted up the Tap Room, which was better in its plain appearance. I always think now it looks a little incongruous, but it doesn’t detract from the fat that the Alma is a cracking pub. A short walk away we caught the 30 and back in Handsworth for some spicy casserole and for me, perhaps unwisely, some more alcohol. A warming and enjoyable end to a great day, with some excellent pubs en route.
Wee Beefy
Wee Beefy
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