Quiet Woman falls silent

 Evening all,

               it's with sadness, and sadly less surprise, that I have to mention the death of Ken Mellor, long time landlord of the requisite jewel of the Quiet Woman at Earl Sterndale near Buxton and Longnor. I spoke to John Clarke on Saturday and he told me that the landlady had died, but a check online suggests it was Ken himself - although, sadly, my lack of trips into the peak district recently suggests that both may have passed away. According to the UKCaving website, Ken died a couple of days or so before 28th August 2020.

Regular readers may know that since about 2018 or so, things had sadly gone a little downhill at the Quiet Woman. I first went with Wee Fatha back in 1993 or similar - another ironic thing since Ken died shortly before my Dad. Wee Fatha always loved the pub, along with Ken - am hoping they are having a chin wag about times past, beers no more and dogs, as you read this.

On one visit with the lovely Tash Ken told us that he used to babysit Cliffe at the Royal Cottage when his mum and dad ran it - to be fair they both at least seemed a similar age, but am certain Ken would have been in his late 70s or 80s when he passed away. Checks on the internet as always have been frugal - one says that the place is looking for a new owner or tenant - this of course would depend very much upon whether or not it was still licensed, and of course, sadly, the circumstances of both Ken and his wife. Sadly I can't see it opening up as a pub again. We will see.

I have a mixture of memories of the pub - and I realise I may have already shared  some previously. I know that on my first visit in the early 1990s I had a now discontinued Marstons strong brew called something to do with monks - or royalty? Merry Monk is what I remember - and I recall it was on Cask from the Past as well. Not seen it even in bottles for years but it was a must have beer as I started drinking in 1992. There was also a mild beer on almost always, as well as Marsons Bitter - this was the last beer I ever had under Ken's Stewardship. He also sold Shaw's Brewery beers for a short while, along with Wincle. also for a short while.

People had also a mixed reaction to the pub - I recall visiting with my good friend Davefromtshop many years ago - when they changed requirements for licensees. As the only licensee of his bottle shop (selling draught cask from the past) Dave had to be contactable at all times - when we were in there once his phone went off twice. He apologised and Ken told him to go outside - when he got back in, Ken's wife said "wiv got a bin fo them things". Dave as the nicest man on earth was simultaneously saddened by his failure as well as quite shocked.

On the positive - not forgetting of course his entry on to the National Inventory of Unspoilt Pub Interioirs - was the sale of locally laid fresh eggs and locally made pork pies. Even when he sadly had to stop selling the ones made in Hollinsclough he still stayed loyal to his local suppliers!

Both WF and WK often picked up bottles of the Quiet Woman bottled beers made by Leek Brewery or similar, but sadly over time a few too may grim batches appeared and both parties lost interest.

Overall though, I would like to say that I will really miss both Ken and the pub, and to  pass on my regards and message of regret to the Mellor family for their recent loss.

R.i.P Ken Mellor

Wee Beefy 

Black. Lurcher.

Hello again,

       I am aware that aspects of this latest post may seem quite familiar to the one I posted last month about Matins from Abbeydale Brewery. Not least because memories - or a distinct lack of the same - are once again involved. This time however, instead of just memories and guesstimations, the real reason for my post is to share praise. For a classic beer brewed by Abbetdale Brewery, previously only available at a single pub, and due to the insufferable national closure of pubs, now available to all.

Back in the nineties, soon after Abbeydale started, and possibly on only my second or third visit to the same, I tasted some Abbeydale Black Lurcher in the Three Stags Heads at Wardlow Mires in Derbyshire. On my first visit the beers were all, or all apart from one, from Hoskins and Oldfield Brewery in Leicestershire. There was a bitter, a strong ale and an even stronger ale if memory serves. But when I discovered that Abbeydale Brewery in sunny Sheffield were supplying all their beers, I also became aware of a beer called Black Lurcher.

The first issue comes from strength. Checking on the Abbeydale Brewery website Archive of beers, Black Lurcher is listed as 7.0%. I also currently have a mini keg of this wonderous product and it is once again shown as 7.0%. Strangely I seem to recall it being 8%. And this is something I have found, on the tinterweb as well - including a blog called Beertalk. That said its not actually the strength of this fine ale that matters. its just it's fabulous taste. And that is in abundance.

The other thing to point out is the name - numerous websites (on the tinterweb, where everything is true, remember) state that the beer is named after one of the many pub dogs, one of which was the very same, a black lurcher. On my first visit I distinctly remember the lurchers - who are very large, and very dosile, most of the time - as well as a small dog which used to sit quite often with or near landlord Geoff. I understand the dog passed away sadly many years ago, but it is one thing that I specifically recall on a number of visits. Not how to spell the landlord's name alas.....

So, the beer - it is black. And it is, despite it's strength, a very easy drinking tipple. There is bitterness in there as well as dark maltiness and there is sweetness in the taste, but it sits soulfully and carefully at the front of the sup, and the aftertaste is mostly malty bitterness. And to state once again - it is very easy to drink. If you want to read other thoughts of mine about this there is something here... a point in time (2012 it says) when it appears that the pub bottled the beer themselves, a fact proven by my brother WK's visit in that year and never actually confirmed by the fab folk at either the pub or at Abbeydale brewery. I recall finishing there with WK, Chala and Christingpher in 2010 or thereabouts after a lengthy trip around much of Derbyshire and Staffordshire before Chris went down to Bath to study before becoming a teacher. Chris, a man of strong wills, definitely had a whole pint of this. His description of the beer was of it being an immense undertaking. It's also the Three Stags Heads where me and him went in late December 1999 and absolutely loved it.     

The last point to make is that I also remember that around the same time that Black Lurcher - and indeed Last Rites - was produced, that Abbeydale produced a strong beer called King James the....third? Or James the....number. It was brewed especially for former brewer or employee James who had taken on the running of the New Barrack Tavern in Sheffield, also in the late nineties.  Unfortunately the brewery website Archive is a very long list of beers and so whilst it may well be on there, I did not find it before finding the reference to Black Lurcher.

Finally, its one of the few benefits of this awful undertaking of pub closures that Abbeydale had some Black Lurcher spare and were able to sell it, and both myself and Wee Keefy were able to purchase a mini keg of this fabulous brew.  Long may this beer last in my house - although am afraid to say it will probably all be gone by tomorrow. Meanwhile, long may Abbeydale continue to supply it to the excellent Three Stags Heads at Wardlow Mires after they reopen, and long may they continue to brew it. If it is still available I would strongly suggest that you purchase some......

A classic beer for a classic pub.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy.

Ayr, Portpatrick, Isle of Whithorn, South West Scotland

Hello again,

           waking up in Ayr we were downstairs on time with WF and all had a fantastic breakfast before going out of the Chestnuts Hotel full up and refreshed. We headed for Maidens but nipped up a road on the left up into the hills and took a lengthy wander before ending up back in Maidens and parked on the further beachside car park. We left WF with the car and a wander to the cafe and post office before myself and WK headed through the bushes and out onto the beach before walking all the way along to steps up the cliffs and onto the headland where we scattered grandad's ashes over twenty years ago.

The spot is still accessible, and also very quiet, and as the sun came out we had a brilliant view over the beach and out to Ailsa Craig. If memory serves it was January 1996 when we scattered the ashes and it is somewhere we have been back to  number of times. Following a path through the woods and back down a stream side path to the beach we walked further down this time before heading back to the car park to find that WF was likely in the shop and so walked down he road to find him. WF had nipped for a quick cuppa and to use their loo and was just on his way out when we arrived and soon we were heading back to Maybole and then through the hills to Martins stones and church before heading into Barr. Alas the pub there is now closed, possibly permamantly, depending on which source you get your info from, but there is a small cafe in the village shop and they do sell some decent bottled beers including March of the penguins from Williams brothers in Alloa which I got a bottle of.

From here we spent a long time in, and getting to Glen Trool before heading to Minigaffe and then through Newton Stewart before rejoining the A75 and heading into Stranraer. Here we parked outside a fantastic pub called The Grapes. This unspoilt low level pub, on Bridge Street and with a fabulous white sign with a rising red horse on it, describing it as the home of Stranraer Tukker Clan, is wonderful. Built in 1862 and unchanged in fifty years or more the pub sells two real ales - on this occasion Orkney Brewery Corncrake and Man of Hoy, and whilst Keith took WF down a corridor to the facilities I must have had about three excellent pints before we left. On the national inventory (alas I can no longer access that page as my computer says it is unsecure....) it is a fabulous community boozer selling excellent drinks, and with a fabulous unspoilt interior.

Heading out of the town we followed the old military road all the way down to Portpatrick, and as WK went to find somewhere to park the car, I waited outside our destination. We were soon inside the Crown Hotel, and took our seats to order food, and having all got pints of Sulwath Criffel in cask we settled down to tuck in. The food was excellent, and the beer also. After eating, myself and WK fetched the bags and got the room keys. Despite an initial problem, with them telling us the wrong room for me and Keet, we soon got in and having left WF for a short period we headed up to another pub up the hill. It was OK, but their strangely named Portree IPA was definitely Greedy King and although I suggested we visit the Harbour House Hotel, instead we popped into check on WF. After making sure he was in bed, and arriving back at 10.20, we found them closed, and the lass we spoke to allowed us to take a look in the bar - online searches suggest it has recently changed hands and in a change to info on Whatpub they sold two Portpatrick Brewery beers on cask.Bback at the Crown we had another two or three pints of the Criffel before heading to bed.

In the morning WK left just before me to check if WF had got downstairs OK and a member of staff knocked on the door. She said she had been asked by someone to remind me to come down for breakfast. She didn't seem to know who Fatha was which seemed strange, but not as odd as the idea that either of two  others would ask me to be reminded. On reaching the bottom of the stairs I was apologised to by another member of staff who had said they had been expecting to see two ladies, both of whom presumably stayed in our original room, and whom hopefully both remembered to sample, and enjoyed, the food in the breakfast, as much as we did!

After a lengthy wander around the sunny harbour we headed on a lengthy trip down to the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse where me and WK went for a walk and spotted some excellent wildlife, before joining WF again at the RSPB office and taking him up back towards Portpatrick and into a pub next to a caravan park in a place called Clashwannon, near the village of Dunnure.  Opening at four this pub sold two real ales - Osset Yorkshire Blonde and one from Portpatrick. Explaining how much I appreciated this chance to finally try some sadly I was informed it was off, and although I did buy three bottles of the same breweries products, as well as my two pints, I ended up leaving them in a bag in our last hotel. It seems I shall never taste Portpatrick beers....

That place was the fabulous Steam Packet Inn in the Isle of Whithorn. A place I have been twice in the last twenty years and never managed to visit the pub. By now for the first time it was raining and after we got inside and sorted our rooms I started on a pint from Stewart Brewing in Edinburgh  before having pints of every one of the pubs own brewery Five Kingdoms beers, along with two of their IPAs on keg. Food was in a room on the right and it was fantastic, although there seemed to be some confusion about who was having which sauce with their steak.Mine was rare and beautifully cooked, and WK enjoyed his too, but these days WF is such a slow eater that by the time he had finished he was mardily asking them why they served food on cold plates. The main issue is that in the amount of time it took him to sloth his way through his scran it is inevitable that it would cool down.

WF went off to bed early whilst me and WK sat in the bar by ourselves whilst chatting at some points to the brewer and the bar staff and finishing in my case (with WK on ginger beer) on a fabulous whisky. Alas I missed breakfast as I woke up early on with problems with my hernia, and whilst WK admitted the room was cold, today WF moaned that the tea was cold - two hours after he had arrived for breakfast. I really enjoyed the Steampacket - I just hope that as that is where I left my bottled beers (I found the Five Kingdoms ones!!), they enjoyed them!

Due to hernia issues we didn't stop for another boohar en route home and WK carefully drove me back to mine for about 19.30. I have now had two of the three Five Kingdoms brewery beers and they were both ace, I can highly recommend them! I am now invited to return to some parts of the holiday again next year, so who knows, perhaps I will one day try some Portpatrick brewery beers....

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Fiddichside Inn Craigellachie, Moray

Hello all,

     I wanted to write a few words about the above pub, and its landlord Joe Brandie. It may seem strange to pay such a tribute when you discover that I only went once, but that visit was special and affecting. I heard last month that Joe Brandie had sadly passes away at the age of 88 and that the future of the pub is unknown. Lets hope that someone can be found to purchase and run it for many more years.

I visited the pub about five or six years ago with Wee Fatha on a trip up to Aberdeenshire. We had visited the nearby Arbelour distillery and were heading, I think, for the West coast and Seil Island from Fortrose. At least some of the above statements are true....

We stopped first at the Highlander Inn which has an astoundingly large range of whiskies and two or three real ales, which we both enjoyed. I don't remember if the Fiddichside had a car park, but I do remember walking over the bridge and along the side of the road before walking down the steps to the tiny pub to find it open, and landlord Joe stood behind the bar.

Many references to Joe that I have read mention his enjoyment of welcoming visitors from all over the world, and that is one of the first things he said to me. He also didn't seem to mind being in my photos. Myself and WF got halves of Belhaven best and sat down at one end of the tiny, impeccably clean, basic bar room. Mr Brandie returned to his place, and stance, behind the bar. For five minutes we supped in silence before striking up a conversation about our route and destination. The silence, by the way, was easy and glorious.

The pub is on the National Inventory of Unspoilt Pub interiors and was likely unchanged inside for fifty or sixty years, maybe longer. The most amazing feature was just how small the boozer was. I recall the loos were near the entrance but can't remember there being a second room. The bar could probably hold about twenty people. There was a fantastic mirror on the wall facing the bar and a few small stools and tables and a bench that me and WF sat on, and that was it. Basic, unspoilt simplicity.

One thing that we didn't talk about was his wife Dorothy. Not that there was any reason why we should have done, having only just met. However whilst searching for info about the pub I learnt that she had been licensee for many years and had died in 2009 aged 89. The longevity of the couple is notable, but its quite sad to think that Joe would have run the pub by himself for seven or eight years.

I ended up buying some crisps and another drink, and found to my delight that he had started selling Cairngorm or Fyne Ales bottled beers, am fairly sure I had a bottle of Trade Winds to finish my visit.

The pub is in a fantastic rural location, sat in an idyllic spot just past the bridge next to the Fiddich outside the main part of Craigellachie. This factor may raise the price of the building and deter potential buyers from keeping it going as a pub. As yet there are no details of its future. I do hope it reopens, and remains as it appears to have done for so many years, unaltered.

Wee Beefy

Milliguin at the Red Lion Inn, Wensley

Hulloo

       Its a good guess that very few readers will have been to the pub, sunk the "special" in the post title, or indeed have ever been to Wensley itself. For those who have not, a local song proclaims:

"At Winster wakes there's ale and cakes,
At Elton wakes there's quenchers.
At Bircher wakes there's knives and forks,
At Wensley wakes there's wenches"

Songs eh. What do they mean? In this case, perhaps something, but only from long in the past. I hope that has helped you gain an understanding about the local area. Although I doubt it has.

In more recent times, the post the title may raise a few questions - unless you actually went to this pub, which closed in or around 1998. I went in the 1990's having discovered to my surprise that the Crown, a coaching inn with a renown for food (according to Wee Fatha)  that stood in the square set back from the road had closed many years ago (seems in the late 1980s). Anybody who visited that pub, as well as this pub in its latter years, would probably be surprised that it was the Red Lion that persisted. Maybe not as surprised as I was by what I found.

Before continuing I am grateful to the National Inventory of Unspoilt Pub Interiors website, a link to which is here , the Wensley Peak District Villages website, an entry by Tom Bates on his "about Derbyshire" website which confirmed some of the pubby facts, and general comments on the tinterweb, for being able to expand on my single and my brother and Ray.L.F's single visit, to the pub. Its always good to find out more about a pub and its history and surroundings.

Wensley, it seems is a name derived from Woden, a Norse God of War. Its not clear how a small village between Darley Bridge and Winster was afforded such a moniker but it is, as am sure you are aware, not the only Wensley in the UK. Wensley Dale, a tiny fissure in the grand landscape, runs alongside the village. Having entered Wensley through that dale, I can safely say that footpaths aren't, and heinous sumps of mud are, prominent features. And prior to a little research, that and my visit to the Red Lion was almost everything I knew about the village.

Winster, Darley Bridge and nearby Elton are beautiful villages with Winster and Wensley sharing some similar features, namely a network of alleyways, snickets and undriveable tracks to link the houses. The other three also boast excellent pubs so its a shame that Wensley no longer has any. Am not sure in fact that other than a post and telephone box the village provides any services to the traveler. It is however well worth a stroll around, or rather along, to admire the architecture. You can always get a drink nearby.

On my visit myself and my companion had got lost following a public footpath from Bonsall Moor and had arrived with muddy hands and even muddier boots. A sign in the Red Lion doorway instructed us not to take our boots off, but to place them into plastic bags before we entered the premises. Am not sure if we did, I think we risked leaving our clodden footwear in the porch and went in our socks.

The interior was, I would assume, 1950's. There was cushioned seating, and coach station cafeteria style steel tables with formica tops. There was a lot of red, and an old Mackeson advert on the wall. Two old couples were in having sandwiches and pots of tea. A glance at the menu showed all sandwiches came with beetroot. Even the beetroot.

My companion and I went to the loos - she came out to ask for some water as there was none in the Ladies, and was passed a bowl of warm water from behind the bar to get the mud off. I ran the trickling cold tap to tackle mine. I can't remember what she had to drink, but I had a can of Youngers Tartan Special, as all the fonts were covered, apart from maybe one. We sat down at a table and briefly perused the beetroot heavy menu before asking one of the couples how far it was to anywhere more, um...foody. Or which served draught beer.

It seems the couple running the pub were not - they were Brother and Sister. The pub was no smoking from 1968 which is in my experience very unusual, and was at one time linked to the farm next door. I took one photograph whilst in the pub and the landlady reacted as if I had taken a bus to Be-elzebub. My excuse of snapping my companion at the time did not wash it seemed. After enjoying our interesting choice of drinks we left, never to return.

Wee Keefy and Ray.L.F visited a year or two after us, and this is the first I heard about the legend that was Milliguin. WK would have probably opted for a soft drink - they did have a working milkshake making machine after all, but Ray.L.F was to try the "special". Milliguin, since you ask,  is a half a pint of Guinness and a half a pint of milk in a pint glass. Am guessing you probably have to drink it quite fast because the milk would likely curdle. As something of an alcohol enthusiast and sure this presented no barrier to Ray.L.F. I am not aware that he had more than one however. Having drunk late at night in the Farfield when it was part B&B with guests in their pygamas, am also willing to bet that nothing about this pub seemed strange to him.

This was a very unique pub and one which I was very glad I visited. Its similar, if only in it's unusual idiosyncrasies, to the Three Tuns, when run by Lucy in Hay on Wye, the Sun in Leintwardine Herefordshire, and the Seven Stars at Halfway House in Shropshire. All remnants of a simpler and now seemingly forgotten style of pub.

If any readers know of any unusual, unspolt or just completely unmodernised pubs in the UK, serving beer or milk related beverages, then please do let me know.

With kindest regards


Wee Beefy

The Bridge of Aln Hotel, Whittingham, Northumberland

Hello,

        I was recently sent a link to a report by Tash from a Professor of Entrepreneurship and Regional Economic Development at the University of Northumberland. This was about the important influence on the happiness of locals versus the often equal frailty of the local pub, in small communities. The link is here, and the report uses statistical analysis and sources including the Office for National Statistics, and Actions with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) to support the claim, that pubs in small communities are a positive focal point within them.

What I found interesting was I was sent this a couple of days after reading that the Bridge of Aln Hotel in Whittingham, Nortumberland, an isolated community not too far from Netherton with its famous Star Inn, was currently closed. No details were provided, but I always worry when an isolated pub closes, especially one on the National Inventory. There is a link to the listing here which gives some details and beautiful photos of this unspoilt former hotel.

I visited in 2013 with Wee Fatha. We were staying in Long Framlington, a long finger of habitation on the A697 just down the road. Having eaten in the village we headed for Whittingham and then to the Star at Netherton. The Bridge of Aln didn't look particularly open and you enter through a door at the back, having parked in the courtyard. I don't think the large front door is any longer in use. There were lights on so we knew it was open but am guessing it doesn't attract much passing trade.

Having found our way to the bar we found a gaggle of locals enjoying drinks and conversation about local life - despite its remoteness, the area has numerous small villages and hamlets and it appeared all those drinking there were local. It was quiet (if that makes sense given my description of the conversation) warm and relaxing and the locals soon started asking us where we were from and going. I had a pint of Youngers of McEwans on keg and WF a soft drink and we went for a wander about in the actually quite large building. To note, the Whatpub website states it sells real ale - am guessing this is seasonal, as there was none there when we visited.

The bar is 1950's in style, as are much of the furnishings, and one of the doors (maybe for the bar?) has a sign stating "Select Bar" on it. This is a feature I have never seen before and am guessing it relates to its former days as a hotel.  We didn't get to see the rear right room but it looks rather fine on the National Inventory pub website. When we got back to the bar we explained that we were going to see Vera at the nearby Star at Netherton and we were told to hurry as if there was nobody in around 21.30 she would shut - we arrived just as she was saying goodbye to the last customer so just in time!

Another pub in the area that, alas, I have not yet visited, is the Star at Harbottle. It is only 3.8 miles away from the Star at Netherton and is similarly isolated. I was disappointed to read that this pub is also currently closed - especially since the pub has diversified to provide a tourist information service, and sell crafts as well as becoming the local shop. In his report, Professor Ignazio Cabras states" this positive effect increased threefold between 2000 and 2010 (the period examined) - possibly because pubs have become increasingly important as other local services such as post offices and village shops have closed."  

It is interesting that both pubs are in Northumberland, given the provenance of the report, and that in this case, the diversification has (temporarily I hope) not kept the Star at Harbottle trading. Especially since in other rural communities the pub taking on the shop - such as the Sycamore at Parwich in Derbyshire, seems to have helped keep the pub open, and strengthened its place in the community.

Perhaps the details in the report show that, sadly, the pressures upon rural and isolated pubs are increasing ever more since 2010 and that even necessary diversification of the business is no guarantee of pub survival. In the end, you still need footfall. If people aren't coming to the pub to drink it will close. Lets hope both pubs reopen and continue to serve their communities, and that both communities in turn do their best to support them.

Your very good health

Wee Beefy

Three Stags Heads Wardlow Mires

Hello,

       a couple of Sundays ago I was out with Tash, and Wee Fatha for post birthday celebrations. We met him at the Abbey after 12.00 and drove over to Ashford in the Water for a snack and hot drinks in a Tea room. From here we drove up to Monsal Head, through Wardlow and the long closed Bulls Head, and into the Car Park opposite the Three Stags.

I first went to the Three Stags Heads with Wee Fatha in 1994. We did a tour of GBG pubs in Derbyshire and finished there for a pint of Hoskins and Oldfield, this being before Abbeydale Brewery started. The pub was, as far as I can remember, exactly as it is now. Except there is a young bloke behind the bar,  whose name I can never remember(Robbie?), and his Missus, along with Geoff and Pat, and the dogs are all new in the intervening 22 years....

My next visit was with CAMRA when I was a member so still last century and they opened the room on the left for a massive spread - am guessing a pub of the month award. It was incredibly rammed, something that also hasn't changed, and I remember having a pint of Black Lurcher, the Abbeydale strong blend dark ale, which used to, and may stil be, 7.2%. Since then I have been in numerous times, most notably four or five with Tash. We had a proper good Saturday session in there on our first ever weekend away. Its fair to say I have been a trifle refreshed on more than one occasion. We have also eaten there, and the food is exceptional.

Don't go to the Three Sags Head if you don't like dogs. There are and always have been, numerous of them sat on chairs, sometimes venturing onto the tables, and sitting on the floor in front of the fire. Customers bring their own, and the lurchers or maybe whippets or others in the pub are well trained, even if they do, understandably bark, at strange hounds. The pub used to have two or three huge black lurchers who often took up the seat on the left by the bar, and when we were in earlier this month one of the snaller dogs got on the table and started drinking Tash's beer. She didn't mind, the dog seemed to like it (only a little bit was had) and the beer was replaced.

On my last four or five visits i have always drunk Abbeydale Absolution. A gloriously easy drinking 5.3% Sheffield brewed pale, in case you have been living in a cave for the last 20 years. Its not session strength but is always well kept and is very good (and easy) to have several pints of. That was true on this occasion, as I finished my third pint as the lights came on, after it had become almost dark except for the fire.

I understand the pub opens three days a week only - Friday from 18.00, and all day Saturday and Sunday. Its rumoured that he sells more real ale in those three sessions than most of the local pubs do in a week - I have never had less then two pints when I have gone in and most other drinkers follow suit so I imagine this could be true. There is cider, and there are some bottled beers as well, which may include a fruit beer and a lager - but I might have dreampt that. And please be aware that mobile phones that go off or make noise are very much frowned upon, so please respect the opinions of regulars and staff alike and turn yours off before entering....

It was good to see Geoff and Pat and the others and once again become immersed in an beautiful  traditional pub atmosphere with real fires, real ale, real opinions and great atmosphere. Very much a no nonsense boozer. And despite and because of his recent ill health, I wish Geoff, Pat, possibly Robbie and Mrs possibly Robbie, the very best for the future. Lets hope they spend many more years at the helm of this wonderful pub.

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

Back street boozers

Hello,

              if you have ever been lucky enough to visit the Hand & Heart in Peterborough or the Golden Ball in York you will have some understanding, and hopefully appreciation, of what a back street boozer is and can be. Often plain but with a number of rooms,usually a tap and a lounge and snug, mainly selling real ale and almost always full of characters, and, in the case of the above, possessing nationally noteworthy interior features.

Luckily, although we are only blessed with one National Inventory pub here in Sheffield (itself a back street boozer, albeit on a corner) we do have other notable survivals. Here are details of two I have recently visited.

The first is the Grapes on Trippet Lane. Granted, a back street boozer is often part of a row of houses or similar, but the Grapes stands alone only by virtue of driveways and demolitions nearby. Inside is where it really stands out as a back street boozer however. Trippet Lane is behind West Street and has 4 pubs on it, with the Grapes being owned, as the sign on the side proclaims, by the Flynn family. For years they leased the Grapes and ran the nearby Dog and Partridge until the pub company increased the rent to the extent where it was more profitable to take their own pub back under their control. Fixtures fittings staff and regulars alike moved a few doors up and we now have the Grapes in its current guise, showing its considerable original features off.

There are three rooms in the Grapes, plus the loos, and three real ales. There is also a decoratively tiled drinking corridor with a TV,  and a beautiful patio to sit on and soak up the sunshine. Or the rain. The beers are Tetley Bitter, Stancil Bitter and Abbeydale Moonshine. The Moonshine is perhaps the best I have tasted (apart from at Daves beer shop,  granted) and is served just cool enough to be refreshing without losing any of its flavour. The pub also sells the new Guinness Dublin Porter and Golden ale on keg, and the full range of new Guinness beers in bottle should the fancy take you.

The pub can get very busy and crowded especially if there is a wake on, and when busy there are often drinkers spilling out onto the street. The rooms inside are small but the pub is clean and well run and homely, just like a back street hostelry should be.

The other pub I visited recently is the hostelry known locally as Fanny's on the corner of Earl Street and Arundel Lane. The pub stands alone as the only residential building on a street of factories and industrial units. The Lord Nelson as it is now known is a compact pub which, although slightly opened out inside still retains its three room layout, and in rare moments of clement weather, there are seats and tables outside for drinkers.

For years it was a Kimberly brewery pub (and possibly a Stones House previously?) and now owned by Greedy King. In the mid noughties I used to go in and have Kimberly or Hardy Hanson Olde Trip, but on a couple of occasions this was on its last legs. Since then, the beer range has improved significantly, as has the beer quality.

Of the 4 beers available on Monday we all had pints of the Toolmakers Die Sage Bier, a hoppy pale lager malted ale at 4.2% (ish) and £2.80 a pint. The beer was in perfect nick and although I don't remember what else was on, it was well worth three pints for each of us. More importantly, it was lovely to sit in the tiny room on the right and watch the world pass by, listening to conversations or the football on the telly and generally relaxing.

In years gone by both of these pubs used to be in the Good Beer Guide, and although maybe overtaken by other pubs in Sheffield regarding ale, their stoic unchanging attitude, mainly in respect of their interior features, makes them well worth a visit.

Lets hope I can try out some other similar pubs in Sheffield as well.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Bath Hotel, Victoria Street, Sheffield

Hulloo,

              its time, I think, to celebrate the pub stock that we love. To be precise, with the recent hopeful;;y temporary closure of the Red Lion at Ampney St Peter, its time to celebrate the unspoilt stock of UK pubs. Tonight, Sheffield's only full entry on the National Inventory of Unspoilt pub Interiors is the Bath Hotel.

I first went in the Bath Hotel when I was on the beer festival planning team in the nineties. The dark Tetley mild was off for the summer as the students were away so there we a choice of two real ales, Tetley, ad the Tetley rebadged "Bath Hotel Bitter" or similar. It seemed strange, I admit, to have a weaker version of Tetleys on. It was, after all, weak enough...

 A handful of visits followed before I heard about its refurbishment by Brian. Regulars, and regular readers, will remember that Brian was a significant player in a group of people who brought the pub to the attention of the Pub Heritage Group, and ultimately, affected its inclusion. His work restored damaged furniture and revealed original features and he reopened in 2008. Or 2007. Or 2004. Or 2005. I don't know.....

Soon after he reopened me and Christingpher went in late one night and experienced a carer looking after his large local chip shop employed care receiver. At some point the carer mentioned something about when his ward ought to attend the chip shop and the guy went, if you'll excuse my French, fucking ape shit. He punched the carer full in the face, repeated the phrase "y fuggin Basta" and threw glasses around, including at me and Christingpher.

Afterwards staff offered safe exit to drinkers but me and Christingpher remained, although I have never seen our glasses collected so quickly......

In 2012 Brian leased the pub to Thornbridge, and I was worried. I genuinely didn't trust them to make  careful job of looking after the interior - see my post from May that year re concerns. In the end, I slowly came to appreciate the work done (but sull not the dark grey paint!) and with Edd and Steff in charge, now Steff, fell in love with a reliable source of excellent ales and, for a while, Edd's homemade sausage rolls.

Recently, as you know, Edd has left and taken up residence in the Dronfield Arms, meanwhile Steff has taken over the role permanently, although she does not yet have a contract. And recently, over the last two nights. I have been in twice, exclusively drinking one of THE cask pints of the year. Rule of Thirds comprises Magic Rock High Wire, Beavertown Gamma Ray IPA and one from Siren Craft Brew. Its 6.4% and is frankly astonishing. Last night, my first pint only took 10 minutes to drink! I strongly urge you to go and get a taste, and hopefully several pints.

Throughout this period, which started in the late 90's, the interior has, in fact, improved, and Brian's work remains virtually unchanged. The Bath is a reliably good, comfortable, friendly and vibrant boozer which has a beautiful, stunning unspoilt interior. I hope that we can all continue to enjoy the pub for what it is now, for many decades to come.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

What I learnt about beer, last year.

Happy new year!

             I was going to write this post on new years eve, as a kind of self justifying look back at my libations and other slaking exploits, and to throw in some observations about beer and its styles, methods of dispense and price. However, alas, beer got in the way (as did iced pavements but that's another story) so tis is a slightly late review of beer.....

Beer styles eh? Tchh. Who'd av um? Dark this, light that, this with wheat, that with lemon, this aged in marmalade casks, dry hopped with enchanted bark. Its a long running ball ache to keep up. Luckily for me, I know what I like, and know what I would like to try.

This year I found out I still really like saison, the beer you can't buy in the Wellington at Shalesmoor. BrewDog bar opened in Sheffield and sold the excellent Fantome saison, in three flavours, at what in terms of price in the shops is good vakue - £10.00 a bottle. What with their ambitious beer range I was quite often found in BrewDog riking a saison. I was also impressed by the Radler from Burning Sky Brewery. Given that Mark Tranter helped me fall in love with saison when he was at Dark Star, he seems to be leading the way once again.

I also found out I like beers from newer breweries. Siren Craft Brew continue to impress, as do Northern Monk, Sonnet 43, Fuggle Bunny here in Sheffield, Squawk, Burning Sky, First Chop brewing, and Weird Beard Brewing. All supplemented by Magic Rock, Kernel, Cromarty, Abbeydale, Blue Bee, Wild, and many more.

Meanwhile, more specifically, I have developed an insatiable desire to drink beer with rye in it. The Ryesing Tides 7.4% IPA was one of my beers of the festival at Shakespeares and noticing rye as an ingredient, mainly in IPA's, is always a good indication I will like it - brewery notwithstanding that is.

Which leads me on to strength. I am sure my difficult year has played a part but I seem to be much fonder of stronger beers now. In the good old days when we all had polio or something, almost all strong beers were dark and incredibly difficult to drink. Now, that is no longer the case, which costs me money, and sometimes consciousness.....I think I was into double figures for nod-offs in 2014!

The number of shops I can get a decent range of interesting UK bottled beers has also increased, I learnt, with Beer Central, Beeches and Hop Hideout being stand out examples. Despite this, and my obvious bias, the beer range at Archer Road Beer Stop remains exceptional.

My final "learning" (?!) is about desire for beer. Different from the types of UK beers when I started drinking 23 years ago, the sheer and vast range of UK beers, real ale, bottled or kegged, is astonishing. The appeal of these products is, perhaps unsurprisingly, increasing. With still over a 100 breweries opening each year and different venues offering a range of high quality, tasty, uncompromising and enjoyable beers, its now very easy to satisfy that, in my case seemingly never-ending, appetite for real ale, and now, keg and bottled offerings.

I'm sure this increase in demand will be mostly maintained in 2015. However, I am wary of the threat to our dwindling number of National Inventory pubs.

I read on Dimpled Mug's blog today that the exceptional Red Lion at Ampney St Peter in Gloucestershire was shut after the death of the landlord. This is tragic and very sad news and brings into sharp focus another aspect of drinking beer in the UK - where we do so. Last time I visited, with closing time fast approaching, I went to get another pint with a good third in my glass on the table. "You've already got some" said the landlord. I agreed, but assured him I wouldn't dawdle, to be met with the response "You can have one in the wood then" meaning he would bring it over once I had finished my current one, but it would remain in the barrel until then.

I think any post about beer should include the places we drink it in and the traditions and peculiarities that are attached to those places. I hope therefore, that in 2015 we don't see any more historic unspoilt pubs close, and maybe some reopen - but I have little faith that will happen.

Whatever does, I wish you a prosperous and thirst quenching year ahead, with lovely beer in lovely venues that suit your needs.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Some unspoilt Staffordshire pubs

Hello,

      this weekend saw Wee Fatha celebrate his birthday. For reasons which make us,  his passengers,  seem like we have enslaved him in automobile ferrying servitude, he came up with a plan to visit some of the best unspoilt pubs in Staffordshire, and one in Cheshire, on a day long escapade that promised up to 11 pubs. Given this level of self sacrifice, it would have been rude not to attend and sample some excellent boozers along the way.

We set off in a howling maelstrom and consoled ourselves that there were really only views from car windows and the inside of buildings awaiting us - as it was there were sunny spells all day - along with ferocious showers. Luckily more time was spent inside pubs than walking to them.

We started in the wilds beyond Eccleshall down a network of lanes that once were tracks and lanes that had since returned to being tracks, to arrive at the Anchor at High Offley. This two roomed canal-side pub has a fantastic setting up a flagstone path from the waterway near a bridge affording views along the Shropshire Union. There are outside toilets, one real ale, and conversation prevails in the bar, which comprises two giant settles, an open fire and a quarry tiled floor. WF and WK were on halves (and once again, please remember WF has no more than a quarter of every half), whilst myself and Miss N were on pints of the Wadworth 6X.

The only minor shame from a photographic point of view at least, was that the pub was still quite brilliantly and painstakingly decked out in Halloween decorations. That didn't make the company or the surroundings any less enjoyable though, and we were there for nearly an hour in the end. Pub 2 and pub 6 were studiously removed from the itinerary to accommodate this reckless but wholly necessary extra long stop.

We parked up at Norbury junction for our dinner then headed onto the Swan at Whiston. Set in acres of land and bathed in bright winter sunshine this long white pained building is not really in Whiston at all - its just the nearest group of buildings find-able on the map on the isolated road the pub stands beside. Included on the basis of it having long been a Holdens outlet, here I had a pint of the mild at £2.35, Miss N a Harvest Pale at £2.90 and there were also halves of Enville Ale and Holdens best to try. The mild was perhaps the best of the bunch, although the Harvest was in good nick.

Into Cannock next and the Crystal Fountain is owned by Black Country Ales (or at least run by them) and is on the National Inventory of unspoilt pub interiors. An unusual high wall forms the frontage with entrances at both ends linking and giving access to the main bar and snug with access to the lounge and function room from the left. A good range of beers included 3 from the Black Country Ales fold - WK had the BFG and WF the Pig on the Wall - whilst myself and Miss N opted for pints of the excellent Great Heck Citra. The Pig on the Wall was great but the BFG a tired and disappointing brew - which is surprising as the session bitter in that breweries pub.

Despite that this was a cracking boozer, the interior of which is, to my mind, 1950's - lots of austere lines and frugal yet elegant fittings. For more info on the interior, here is a link to the Heritage pubs website.

Into Stone next and a chance to visit the ever popular Swan in daylight. This pub sells Coach house and Joules (are they not the same?) beers plus guests in a  large multi-roomed pub wit real fires and stone floors. We chose halves of Coach-house Wizards Wonder, Rudgate Thunder Flash, Coach house Gunpowder Mild and Blythe Bridge Ridware Pale. It was telling that the non Halloween themed beer was far and away the best - but this was an enjoyable visit to a comfy, welcoming, busy pub nonetheless.

Outside Stone a couple of miles away lies Oulton. Curmudgeon profiled the Brushmakers here back in July, but visiting now in the dead of winter the photo on the blog was of limited use - since the sign had been lost. Luckily, blind boy here spotted an illuminated Bass sign and insisted we went back for a look - and sure enough there it was. The Brushmakers is a one room (I think!) drinkers pub selling three beers - two from Thwaites and a guest. On this occasion we all went for the Coach House Dick Turpin which was a pleasant drop, and settled in the corner to talk and soak up the scene. There was sport on the telly and plenty of customers, and nearly as many dogs, with a refreshing mixture of ages chatting convivially in the warmth. Well worth  a visit.

Food came next as we broke our own rule and visited Cheshire - just over the border at Scholar Green to visit another National Inventory pub, the Bleeding Wolf. An impressive interior of dark wood and leaded glass windows on the bar along with impressive heavy wood doors to the loos in a style similar to the Racecourse in Salford awaits - along with three real ales. We all went for Trooper and ate from a menu that was somewhat more expensive than your usual Robbies fare - not that it mattered because the food was excellent. On the way out I noticed some Robinsons bottled ales stained glass features in the glass either side of the entrance door - a nice subtle and more easily photograph-able touch.

Back into Staffordshire and  despite getting lost, which is customary, we did eventually find our way to the Vine at Tunstall. A quiz was on in the darts room in this unspoilt back street boozer, also on the National Inventory and which boasts outside gents, a long drinking corridor, lounge, and a redoubtably old gas fire in the narrow bar. Our round of J2O for WF, bottled Guinness for WK and halves of Walkers something unreadable on keg for myself and Miss N came in at under a fiver. Although, arguably, the Walkers was sufficiently dire to make that total about right. Alas this was a short visit as time was getting on, nut its good to see the Vine still quietly and unassumingly getting on with being a proper boozer.

Time was literally getting on for our penultimate stop - the Coachmakers at Hanley. The bus station across the road has been built and despite opposition from a  mixed brigade of concerned and passionate supporters plus people who know what they are talking about when it comes to pub preservation, the powers that be have confirmed demolition will go ahead to make way for a car park.

Despite this the locals remain upbeat, unified by an understandable  dislike of the municipal overlords who seem to have ploughed on with the decision to show that they were right all along rather than for any claimed benefit. They also seem convinced that the demolition is a long way off, but I'd still get there sooner rather than later before its too late. On our visit, halves of Black Sheep Ruddy Ram, plus a half and a pint for me of the Bass from the cask in the cellar were ordered. We sat in the right hand room warmed by the fire listening in on the conversation and plotting our next move. Lets hope this wasn't our last visit.

Our final stop was to have been the One Legged Shunter - a pub seemingly with no phone number or website, attached to a heritage railway and situated down a dark lane. The GBG claims it opens 18.00 til 23.00 weekends in winter but the fact that the station isn't on Caverswall Lane and we had reached it without spotting signs of life suggested our search was fruitless. We did turn down a few lanes initially before returning to the station to spot a pub open sign behind the locked gates. Perhaps they don't open Sundays in winter anymore, and no doubt its run by volunteers and is not exactly likely to attract passing trade on a chilly Sunday, but its surely not impossible to announce such a  decision or confirm such an arrangement via the tinterweb. To be fair, a search on the web in the comfort of my home identifies a phone number but it still says they open 12-23.00 on Sundays. A case perhaps, with this being their FB page, of getting but not utilising social media. Humph.

Unperturbed we pushed on to Cheadle where the Hunstman was holding its quiz. A range of about 7 beers heralded some LocALEs including Joules but I went for the Lymestone Einstein - an overly sweet beer that I probably should have had a taste of first. Initially the loud music round was a bit annoying but once we'd found a corner to sit in and guessed a few of the answers, along with listening to Fawlty Towers and Blackadder in the loos, I think we all rather warmed to this pub.

So started a long punt home and ended a tiring day out for all concerned. Stand out pubs were probably the Anchor, The Swan and the Brushmakers but there wasn't a bad pub in the ones we visited. A great advert for unspoilt pubs in Staffordshire, and the existence of the National Inventory.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy.

Ecclesbourne Amber - five unspoilt Derbyshire pubs.

Hello,

      I returned late last night from a trip to the Derbyshire. The idea was to head for Buxton, and then out to Elton and finally into Derby. Only one of those destinations was achieved. Luckily, a Derbyshire Wayfarer meant that it was still possible to visit some very good pubs.

Wayfarer to hand myself and Miss N caught the train to Derby and then the Swift to Ashbourne. Ashbourne is now missing the Green Man and Black's Head, since its being turned into a clothes shop. How vital. Mind you, it appears there are plans to install a bar in another part of the premises. Quite what was wrong with retaining the old bar on the right and turning the newer side over to retail is beyond me. Luckily up the road is the Smiths Tavern.

A good range of beers were available and having found ourselves somewhat hungover from a Friday night out at Shakespeares we discussed having halves. Obviously all thoughts of this went out the window when we realised the magnitude of our having to seem like lightweights, and two very agreeable pints of Castle Rock Harvest Pale at £3.10 were purchased. We repaired to the upstairs room to the strains of classical music and slowly started to adjust to the reintroduction of alcohol. The tone was set for the day ahead.

Catching the bus to Kirk Ireton involves comprehending the Cretan style Ashbourne bus station in joke - that is, all buses arrive and leave at exactly the same time. Most buses arrive and change destination, thus leading to "an hilarious" back and forth sprint from one end of the line of five vehicles to the other, many of which don't have numbers or destinations on. Eventually we found the 103 to Kirk Ireton and hopped on board. This bus serves two places, and basically covers most of the same part of the route a bus that leaves at the same time does. Except now there are two buses doing one route with an extra leg. That's called public transport planning that is. Well done.

The Barley Mow was quite full when we arrived, and there were six beers to choose from. We started on pints of Storm Bosley Cloud, and it was OK, £2.80 a pint, but a little tired. Next we had pints of Whim Hartington IPA, until time was called - at 13.50. Gripped by fear I rushed into grab two more pints of IPA. Excellent beer, which considering we had two pints in 25 minutes, was probably a good job.

We walked down to the main road and through Idridgehay past the closed Black Swan (note - turning a pub into a restaurant means you have to be really ace at being a restaurant - since you lose your drinkers trade). From here we went and caught the train from Idridgehay to Wirksworth, for a much needed bite to eat, and then finally back down the Ecclesbourne Valley railway to Duffield. Not a bad price for a restored railway, and a relaxing, gently rocking, scenic journey.

Duffield saw us in the Pattenmakers. They still serve Bass form the jug but their guest ale range seems to have increased slightly since I was there last year. I had a pint of the Nutbrook Black Beauty and Miss N a Magpie IPA, from a range that also included Leadmill and Springhead.

A short hop on the bus and we were crossing the Derwent and walking up to the Holly Bush at Makeney. This National Inventory of unspoilt pub interiors listed pub features a magnificent walk in snug comprising two huge settles which gives access to the bar. Anyone can sit in this small snug but to all intents and purposes its like being sat in a private bar, a little like the one at the Bridge in Topsham, Devon. Here we both had fantastic pints of Pedigree from the jug, and settled down to watch the dark, cosy bar fill up, and to get chatting to some locals. We soon realised that waiting three hours for the next bus to Buxton, having secured nowhere to stay, was probably a bad idea. Having decided that accommodation could be secured in  nearby Milford or Belper, we chose to throw caution to the wind and have a couple more rounds.

Usually my every visit to the Holly Bush requires a clock watching race, but now I was afforded the opportunity to  have a good few beers. So whilst Miss N studiously kept to Pedigree, I went for a pint of the 7.0% Blue Monkey Fat Ape, at a rather reasonable £3.40 a pint. Not an especially subtle beer (unsurprisingly), but it was worryingly easy to drink. Our final round saw more Pedigree and my drinking Thornbridge Raven at 6.6% - and £3.80 a pint. I hadn't realised it was on Keykeg to be honest, but given the mark up the containers seem to attract I don't think that's a bad price.

Down the hill and the King William was doing accommodation, so having secured that we headed over the river to the Mill House which, mercifully, does food til 22.00. Slightly tired after a pint or two the food was just what we needed - obviously accompanied by more beer. Two halves of Pedigree came to £3.10.

Our final beers were in the long homely bar of the King William in Milford, pints of the Whim Flower Power, a lovely hoppy beer to cleanse the palate at the end of a very long day. Details of day two to follow.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Three stags, two sessions, one beer.

Hello,

             your oft absent blogger is back from another sojourn, this time only a short hop away to Litton in the peak district. I had made grand plans to visit Brizzle before coming to my senses and planning a short and more affordable trip away in Derbyshire.

The criteria was simple - I would select a National Inventory pub, and find a B and B nearby, thus enabling me to have a proper late night session in said pub. First idea The Royal Cottage, as well as not actually being on the N.I, isn't exactly surrounded by accommodation. Meanwhile everywhere in Elton or Winster (for the N.I listed Duke of York in Elton) was either full or far too expensive. Luckily, a place to stay 15 minutes walk from the Three Stags Heads at Wardlow Mires was found. And so began an epic stint sitting in and soaking up the atmosphere of this fantastic unspoilt pub.

Arriving in Litton at tea time and having dumped my stuff in my room the first thing to do was go to the pub. Obviously. Very little point being a beer blogger if you don't even venture to try the local pub. The Red Lion is a popular old boozer situated overlooking the village green, and serves good quality food and more importantly, real ale.

On the bar was a choice of Abbeydale Absolution, Acorn Forester, a mainstream national beer and my choice of tipple - Wincle Sir Phillip. At £3.30 for a 4.3% beer its a bit steep but it was the prefect accompaniment to my meal, and just to make sure I had three pints of it. A very satisfactory start to the night.

I then walked out of the village, diced with death walking along the A6 before visiting the Three Stags Heads. The pub was packed out when I got there and I ended up sitting in the Green Room with a couple who, much to my horror, were flagrantly ignoring the no mobile rule! That's two such incursions witnessed in just one year! Clearly the pub will be a themed sports bar by next week at this rate....

The beer range is Abbeydale and more Abbeydale - Brimstone, Deception, Absolution and Lurcher in order of strength. The Absolution is a more than reasonable £3.00 a pint (5.3%) and so it seemed daft to have anything but that. As the crowds thinned a little I ended up sat with the landlord who was talking about their upcoming (Saturday and Sunday 14th and 15th September) pottery and food festival.

Against a backdrop of a fire in the range, a tumult of dogs and good natured banter this was a fantastic session. So often when I visit the Stags I'm on borrowed time, waiting with bated breath to be informed by whoever was kind enough to drive me there that we needed to leave. Now I was sat in walking distance of a bed and constrained only by how late I thought I could realistically get to sleep and still make breakfast at 8.30. This was bliss.

Saturday saw me off down Cressbrook Dale below a canvas of cloud strewn skies and fleeting bursts of sunshine that changed the appearance of mt surroundings constantly. I came back into Litton via Tansley Dale and walked slowly back towards the Three Stags, passing the landlord on the way walking his dogs. Robbie the barman was on hand to dispense beer and conversation and so began another, perhaps even more enjoyable session on the Absolution.

Being there for 6 hours reveals the Stags' contradiction. The pub is a relaxing refuge from the madness of the modern world, yet it's simultaneously an ever changing scene, constantly filled and emptied by a steady flow of customers including walkers, cyclists, a family training for a Forth Bridge abseil, pottery fanatics, sightseers and locals. All washed in and out of the tiny bar, lit by the sun streaming in through the front door, and as ever almost overwhelmed by dogs of all shapes and sizes. To cap it all the Absolution was on great form and had it not been that I was off to Fluff's 40th birthday party I might have been walking back to Litton for the last bus - or contemplating another night away.

As it was, a possibly drink inspired cheeky request to a couple I hoped were Sheffield bound resulted in them giving me a lift back - they even dropped me at the Beauchief Hotel, the venue for the party! Well, after all, if you don't ask, you don't get.

In respect of which, what I got, as well as a helping hand, was a day of exercise and sloth, and excellent beer and company in a fabulous, unspoilt National Inventory pub, which was a fantastic end to my Summer holidays. AKA, exactly what I was after.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

More unspoilt pubs in the secret kingdom.

Hello,

      its important to clarify that the pubs listed in his post aren't literally more unspoilt - instead they are simply unspoilt, but are featured in addition to those previously mentioned. I hate to think anyone would be disappointed at not finding a pub more unspoilt than say the Star or Bridge of Aln. A carved wooden seat in a garden shed with beer drawn by garden hose from a cave in next door's rockery perhaps? Or I suppose, the Seven Stars at Halfway House...

Anyway we were heading North again in the morning, after stopping to photograph the Bridge of Aln Hotel. Landlady Esther had made an interesting remark on the subject of photographs the night before - having joked about fees for appearing she extended the welcome to take what pics we wanted but then said "mind you, last time I found someone taking photographs of the outside of the pub a week later it was listed". This was not presented as a  a bonus. I expect this is a reminder of the fact that not everything is brilliant about pubs as listed buildings, for everyone. I want to see the pub continue but I imagine Esther would much rather it was retained in a more useful capacity if she became unable or it became too expensive ti run it.

Our first stop was Dryborough Abbey, a rather extensive ruin with plenty of inside bits to explore and scenery to admire in hot sunshine. From here we headed to Kelso, and then onto Selkirk for our first pub of the day, the Town Arms. A pleasing outer appearance with sees sharp rising battlemented dormers (I should probably have read the Regional Inventory article again since I blatantly know nothing about architectural terminology), Bass plaques either side of the entrance and sadly protected by glass and grill, two original Dryborough windows advertising Burns Strong Ale in Bottle and Gold Medal Edinburgh Ales. There's an alley called Bogies Wynd through an arch that looks like it could be part of the pub to the left with a stone looking market place road sign above it, and a carved head of Bacchus and woman and child further up above the entrance. I rather like this design!

Inside there are two doors that lead to narrow drinking areas each side of the large long bar, the one on the left housing a huge Dryboroughs mirror, with an intriguing darts snug at the end. The bar has a highly impressive carved wooden back and....no handpumps. Some surprise then that the Scotland's Heritage Pubs guide says it serves real ale. In their defence, its not about the beer. A tomato juice for WF and a half of "somebodies" Caledonia for me were the drinks ordered.

Its very easy for the Town Arms to get busy because there is barely enough room for the bar as it is, but even on a hot day, with the front and back doors open the cool breeze kept temperatures bearable. We didn't have long to stop but did get talking to a few locals and also managed to snap a few pics. It would be brilliant to get in when it first opens however, to photograph the magnificent bar.

A trek followed all the way down to Wark where parking was a little awkward since the bridge was closed - this meant the church service was being held in a marquee on the village green in front of a very car reliant congregation. A lovely setting am sure, but can't see it being a hit in Winter...

We ended up parking near but avoiding the pricey GBG Battlesteads, instead visiting the regional inventory Grey Bull. An interesting narrow pub occupying the left hand part of an L shaped building, with a games room on your left and a small paneled bar in front of you. The best room is the smaller paneled one at the back, also with bar access, and there is outside drinking and outside loos. Alas no real ale, so I braved a half of Worthingtons smooth.

Our first real ale came at the Crown, in Catton just outside Allendale Town. By now it was getting on for 16.00 and we were getting hungry, but its 12-3 for food, which is hardly unreasonable. Despite this we stopped for a few halves anyway. I had the Allendale Wagtail and Pennine Ale and WF the Wylam Gold Tankard as we sat outside in the sunshine with the gazebo still up from a mini music festival the day before. This is a cracking pub that I hope I can get to visit again.

In Allendale Town it was hunger stations so we headed for the Kings Head. This Marstons pub serves food all day, and despite the dubious speed of its delivery (our meals took 10 minutes, which is almost too fast), we were nonetheless very glad of sustenance. The Marstons Ashes Ale was reasonable but hardly exceptional so the minute we'd done eating we popped next door to the Golden Lion to find an admirable choice. Once again we sat outside, me supping a pint of Anarchy Blond Star and some of WF's Geltsdale Pale at 3.9%. Good to see this pub back in the guide and doing well.

Another long run brought us to Ovingham outside Prudhoe, still just in the county of the secret kingdom (I think), and the Bridge End Inn. This pub has been in the same family for decades and sort of, despite a former GBG write up, opens out onto the village green. The Allendale Pennine in here was a little tired but OK, but the Wylam Collingwood was probably better. Here and at the Golden Lion the beers were still averaging about £2.90 a pint.

We headed for the coast next to another regional inventory pub but also a CAMRA pub of the season, the Delaval Arms at Old Hartley. A spick and span red and white tiled entrance reveals three rooms, with the larger back room on the left housing the bar, with dining in the front left and a folk session in the right. Just three beers to choose from and we had halves of Batemans Golden, and Wylam Angel at a slightly more expensive £3.10. Both were in good nick and the pub was full of interesting features and crucially good atmosphere.

This turned out to be the penultimate destination as we headed down through the Tyne Tunnel and the A19 to Leamside just outside Durham to try Leamside brewery beers at the Horseshoes. It was quiz night and the place was packed and to my significant annoyance almost every inch of bar space was taken up with wide bar stools and punters. Its fine if you know what you want because the far end of the bar is clearer but it was hard work for me to see what was on and there's no way of making space without turfing someone out of their chair.

We tried three halves of their own beers, the Adventure, Revolutions and the Alexandrini as recommended by the locals - which was the better, hoppier, and more refreshing of the three. The pub has a pleasing interior with lots of dark wood (I think - it was very low lighting...!) and provided amusement when the quiz answers were read out.  Each questions was shortened and the answer followed, and I cracked a wry smile at the following dead pan couplet "he cut off his ear and took is own life....that 's Van Gogh...Question 35..." and so they went on.

Before I adopted my customary slumber on the way home I asked WF for his top 3 pubs and favourite beer - he chose the Free Trade in Berwick, The Bridge of Aln, The Star at Netherton and the Town Arms Selkirk (yes, I know that's four) and in a surprise move rated the Anarchy Citra Star his favourite beer! I'd concur with all the above except I'd probably replace the Town Arms with the Crown at Catton and Golden Lion at Allendale - two incentives to return to the area.

Another fantastic Beefy beer expedition ended with only three pubs not visited and no off or expensive beer encountered. Some of very many reasons why a trip to Northumberland's pubs is highly recommended.

Wee Beefy.  

Unspoilt pubs in the secret kingdom

Hello,

       I know the Secret Kingdom is a book for the yout. Its about some sort of miniature city discovered by a child which turns out to be real. That's what I dislike about childrens books - palpably unrealistic. Now, where's that intriguing phone book...

Anyway this isn't about that, this is about this - a trip the weekend just gone with Wee Fatha round some relics and ruins of Northumberland - the secret kingdom of the title. One reason it may have acquired the name is that its relatively unexplored, in a tourist sense. There are huge areas with almost no-one living there and probably (I admit I have no evidence to support this!) less population per square mile than anywhere else in England. One of the endearing side effects of which is a goodly smattering of unspoilt pubs, including two of perhaps the best in England. Here's how I got to them.

We started our tour by driving to Berwick on Tweed but stopped in Spittal nearby to take in the sunny view across the river. Here we also made an unexpected visit to the Red Lion. A cosy pub back from the seafront this traditional boozer has a friendly landlord and a single real ale - Robinsons Dissy Blonde. I concede its probably the worst Robbies beer but any port in a storm as they say - and after over 3 hours driving we were parched.

In Berwick I finally got to visit the Free Trade Inn. The first time I attempted this I was twenty and I was on holiday dragging Abz round some slightly less than impressive boozers on a constant hunt for "new " beers (don't worry, I grew out of that). Even then though I could see the Free Trade Inn was something special, yet every time I found myself in Berwick thereafter it was closed. Now we were parked in front of it and following a phone call the night before they had opened early. Brilliant!

On entering I was greeted by Brenda who figured I was the call maker, and found someone already sat at the bar, quickly followed by a few more punters. All of us wanted a pint of "real". Northumberland Brewery Secret Kingdom was pulled through by the barmaid whilst she had some banter about uproarious antics in the pub the night before, until we were all served with malty ale at £2.60 a pint.

For those of you who don't know about the Free Trade its on CAMRA and English Heritage's National Inventory of Unspoilt Pub Interiors. It is, and I concede this may be the least inspiring jewel in the crown reveal ever - the only partition pub in the UK, and, one of only three pubs called the Free Trade (apparently, Brenda says one has opened in Cornwall. The other is in Newcastle). The partition of the piece features because you enter down a corridor before finding a further thinner passage to the back snooker room "the newer Victorian part" ahead of you, and the entrance to the bar on your right. The bar is separated and the corridor formed by a wooden partition held into the ceiling by curved metal staves creating a  unique bar snug. The rest of the room opens out to your left with ancient leaded windows providing light and privacy.

The whole experience of visiting was enhanced by chatting to friendly locals and visitors and Jenny the barmaid, a refreshingly upbeat and helpful lass with an amusing take on the way the Berwick gossip machine works "oh aye, like that time I died!" was one example of Chinese whispers getting out of hand. She was also very well versed in the history of the pub and told us that it was previously called the Free Trade and All Nations. She also directed us to our next pub. In summary, after waiting so long to do something it can often be a disappointment. The Free Trade Inn was not.

The Pilot is a jennel away at Low Greens. Slightly less classic in comparison but sporting three handpumps, original room layout and plenty of light yet warm wood paneling . Here I had a pint of the Anarchy Citra Star and WF a half (well, some of, as I hope you know, its often only a sip and I "have" to finish the rest...) of Hadrian and Border Farne Island. This was £2.90 a pint and almost exclusively the price we found in pubs throughout the northern reaches of Northumberland.  We settled down to sup and listen in on the conversations - including resounding distaste at hoppy beer! I like to think I did my bit in buying a whole pint of the excellent Anarchy beer. Each to their own.

Our next stop was further North in Horncliffe. The Fishers Arms is in a terrace in this small village, formerly a Vaux pub, and featuring two distinct areas to a single room with a basic bar at one end. There are two handpumps, one was in use from which I tried a half of the Allendale Curlew, which was the first of many of the breweries beers on the trip. After this we decamped to Norham to scramble round the castle before ending up in Coldstream.

The Besom is a Regional Inventory pub with two handpumps. Initially I was a little disappointed - although we had come to admire the interior, the choice of Greedy King Old Golden Hen and Wychwood Hobgoblin was seriously underwhelming. However in fact, the pub slowly grew on us. A wander around the two left hand rooms with their Coldstream guards theme (tasteful as well) was a feather in its cap and although I'd have preferred a bit more adventurous beer it was certainly selling, and the company and conversation were spot on.

A long haul South and East followed bringing is to Embleton and the Greys Inn. A small back street pub which was clearly the centre of the community they had a good range of about 6 beers to choose from - we tried halves of Tempest Unfermentable, Alnwick Amber and Tyne Bank Pacifica. The Tempest was very dry but enjoyable, the Alnwick (brewed elsewhere I think) was inoffensive and the Tyne Bank smelled positively grim but actually tasted very nice.

Our next two stops were missed due to a lack of parking and a lack of time - both the Jolly Fisherman at Craster and the Red Lion in Alnmouth will have to wait for another time what with both locations being completely rammed on a boiling hot Saturday. Instead we headed off to our accommodation in Longframlington and to the Village Inn for tea - and some of their VIP brewery beers (which ironically, I think are brewed in Alnwick). The pub is old but with quite a lot of modern alterations and an odd mix of quieter dining area and raucous bar separated by not a lot. Still, the food was good and the two VIP beers tried - Village Bike and Village Ghost, were decent, with the Ghost warranting another go. Assumedly they were £2.90 a pint, but it all went on the bill.

Just up the road is the Regional Inventory listed Bridge of Aln Hotel at Whittingham, our penultimate stop. Now accessed at the left hand side despite an impressive porch entrance facing the road into the village this pub in a Grade 2  listed building was last refurbished in the early 1950's. Although the austere lines of post war make do and mend fittings doesn't necessarily suit the grand old pile housing it, I found the pub was full of character and characters.

No real ale but from a choice of smoothflow Tetley and Youngers Scotch I chose the latter, and we sat down and almost immediately got chatting to the locals. Esther the landlady was holding court and it was, apart from a 5 minute interruption to find out the lottery numbers, probably a scene played out for decades. Unfortunately we couldn't linger though as we had to speed through the lanes to Netherton before the Star shut.

Which we managed, despite WF taking a rather literal interpretation of the directions, and got to the Star just gone 21.40. Two gents were just leaving, and I suspect that despite officially closing at 22.30 Vera would have locked up after they had gone.

This is another National Inventory pub, with 40 consecutive entries in the GBG, formerly a hotel, and with the newest part being of considerable vintage itself. A servery greets you as you enter, with a table no-one sits at (rumour has it there is another room used if its gets busy) and Vera fetches the beer from barrels at the back of the servery. To my surprise, this time it was Exmoor Gold - having been Castle Eden Ale since God was a lad.

We took the beers and juice for WF on an ancient tray and sat in the sparsely appointed room on the right. Just fixed slatted benches and tables, a few chairs, a giant Ushers of Edinburgh mirror, and a seat for Vera. Nothing to distract you but conversation, and the clinking of glasses on tables. A fantastic pub.

Details of day two coming soon.

Wee Beefy.

Past pints and future events

Ey up,

      am taking it easy this week, since the weekend is looking quite refreshing, and now i have to pay my significantly larger mortgage payment I need to be a bit more canny with the pennies. At 300 for a pint, that means I am probably going to have to take up a more traditionally British way of drinking. You know. Friday through Sunday. I'm sure I read somewhere that's really good for you...

Anyhoo, before I came to my senses I did a little bit of extra drinking over the last few days - here s some details and some gnus.

On Sunday I went to the Derbyshire (you've seen he Derbyshire) and walked along the latter stages of the Monsal Trail, AKA the good bit between Millers Dale Station and Blackwell Cottages. Wee Keefy drove us out at some point after dinner and we walked through the three tunnels we'd previously not been in before heading down into Chee Dale to walk back to the Station, near where we parked. Sunshine, fresh air, fauna and scenery is thirsty work. however. So we decided t go for a pint.

After much deliberation about the Anglers Rest or Red Lion at Litton, we decided to head a little nearer home and drop in at the Three Stags Heads at Wardlow Mires. It was rammed,  mainly due to there being a folk music session in the green room as it isn't called. Following the usual plan of stepping over dogs and falling over chair legs I hustled my way to the bar to order a pint of Abbeydale Absolution £3.00, 5.3%) and half a Brimstone for WK (£1.40).

I realise that repeatedly noting that I didn't remember the Stags being inexpensive and what good value it is may suggest to readers that I have begun my dotage already, but its worth repeating on the basis of it being true, and good to know. Perched on a table near the open door, with lilting airs wafting through from the room next door and the conversation bubbling along sociably around us, it was a perfect scenario. Improved only by my getting another pint and a half of Absolution for me and WK getting himself half a Deception. The Three Stags is a classic National Inventory pub, which keeps its beers in top condition and is well worth a visit.

Last night after an exhausting day of work (that's not sarcasm kids) I wandered round to Shakespeares to have a jar or two. I started on a pint of Blue Bee Light Blue, and sat in the Clock Room trying t get over the fact that I am smiling in the photo of me in a certain magazine. They must have taken 20 photographs and I don't remember smiling. I look like a slightly simple serial killer. Luckily the excellent but short-lived pint of Light Blue made up for it. A welcome return for this excellent brew.

Next up was another pint, which also didn't last long, although I had to have crisps due to an unacceptable paucity of pork pies, after which I had halves of the Toolmakers Fine Finish and anther half of Light Blue. I did try the Derventio stout and to be honest it was dreadful. Its testament to Chris' skills of tact and fairness that he managed to describe in a way that didn't involve saying it was crap. A thoroughly nice chap, Mr B.

The Fine Finish was also "eclectic" but not in a bad way, the same as which could be said for the half of Ashover Smoked that I followed it with, along with Abbeydale Tramlines Two. A great range of refreshing beers for a sunny evening. Just needs pork pies...

Off up the hill next to DAda, from being a real pub and nominated for pub of the month many times recently fame. Jamie was manfully running the show when I arrived, and I quickly organised buying a  couple of bottles of Kernel to take out using ny bottle discount card, and bought a pint of the Hawkshead Red. Things were looking good.

It was nice catching up with Jamie but alas the Hawkshead was a little underwhelming. Luckily I sorted this problem by having a p[int of Halcyon. Nothing to say really about one of my favourite beers....

Soon I was joining some students (they didn't run away quick enough see) from Sheffield Uni who studied bones and stuff. That's an actual academic discipline I'll have you know. In a surprising break with tradition I remember all of their names - Jordan, Lyndsey and Mike. Unfortunately for them I "helpfully" scribbled this blog's address (Shit, I'm such a stats whore) on a  piece of paper, a feat which worryingly illustrated that I was feeling "a little tired".

This was not helped by another half of Halcyon and half of the cask Thornbridge Three Beards (it may not have been on Keykeg before btw). A strangely drinkable brown bitter with almost no body, but in a refreshing way, for a darkish 5.0% plus beer. Intriguing..

Eventually I had to admit defeat and head home, leaving those more sober than me to speak clearly to each other. A great after work drink.

Finally a bit of noose. Its the Three Valleys Festival this Saturday. Its really rather good. Here is a link to their website, and everything. Its basically mandatory that you attend.

Also, a new Thornbridge beer is being launched at DAda - Melba has a surprise fruity ingredient (if you've never heard of any words associated with fruit) and is brewed by no less than Jamie himself. Obviously the Halcyon has made me forget which Friday,  but I think its the 14th June. Perhaps best you ring to check, or just go on both Fridays to make sure.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Greater Pubchester

Ay up

    on Sunday I met Wee Fatha out Abbeydale Road way to be picked up and whisked off to Manchester to meet up with Dimpled Mug (DM) and to visit a rather impressive list of pubs, not least the Racecourse Hotel in Salford, and the Queens Arms in Patricroft that DM himself had recommended.

WF as always chose a crow flies (drunkenly though) route down minor roads all the way to the Snake before following a familiar if busy route onto the motorway heading for Eccles. We arrived just gone 14.00 but it was near half past by the time we got parked - albeit next to the pub we were heading for, The Lamb              which is on the National Inventory of Unspoilt Pub Interiors (N.I).Once inside, I quickly remembered that I didn't actually know, with any certainty, what DM looked like. Cue much confusion when a bloke came up and said "Hello Iain" and started telling WF how to sort out the car parking problem.

WF piped up "have you found your mate then" and spooked by this I asked the guy if he was Dimpled Mug, then quickly made the situation worse by saying I was meeting a bloke in the pub but didn't know what he looked like. Luckily I added the caveat that he was interested in pubs, but the bloke had walked off by then.

DM found we finished our pint and a half of Holts Bitter and Mild and headed for Patricroft. En route we mentioned that I hadn't been in the N.I listed Stanley Arms nearby so we made an impromptu stop there, me and DM with pints of Holts Bitter, WF on tomato juice, poor lad. The Stanley Arms is a fantastic street corner local, and despite the large ostentatious excesses of the Lamb, the Grapes and the Royal Oak, I think this is perhaps my favourite Eccles pub. A small, busy vault at the front plus a lounge on the left, a small bar and corridor (with a 3rd room being all but domestic) this is a cracking little pub that I'll visit again.

Next we arrived at the Queens Arms Patricroft. What an astonishing boozer. Up a road cum track that goes back on itself as you head from Eccles, I can't imagine anyone would ever find this place by accident. Granted, being one of, if not the first purpose built railway pubs, passengers at Patricroft Station would have known all about it but I doubt even Wee Fatha remembers it being open.

Its relative isolation and non-existent passing trade have perhaps contributed to its unspoilt features - and there are many. A lounge, in the more literal sense is on the right, with a long front vault and the bar in the middle. An unusual standing lobby style area is separated by a wall - this was probably the off sales. The floor is covered in fantastic black and white tiling which leads to a room on the back right and another longish room on the left, with the entrance slightly enlarged (in fact the back room is just that now - it would have been two). A long corridor with half height paneling and another serving hatch and entrance to the vault runs the length of the pub beside the bar, at the end of which are toilets which even include a baffle.

Beer wise in here we had pints of Thwaites Best since the Blonde that they usually sell had run out. The combo of large fireplaces, old brewery mirrors, snob screens, original doors and windows made for an intoxicating mix. Many thanks to DM for this excellent recommendation.

Next off for a contrasting pub, the Racecourse Hotel in Salford. A ginormous dull grey warehouse of a building but of admirable mock Tudor inspiration, fantastic internal features and innumerable internal rooms. The huge gantry-less bar with the spirits housed on stands reminded me of a poorer version of that in the Central Bar Leith, and the large paneled rooms to the right and back left were austere (in their size versus furniture), but this was accentuated by the movement of tables and chairs in preparation for an upcoming 50th.

The Oakwell Mild was alas run out so it was pints of Bitter for me and DM, whilst we spent time exploring this |N.I giant, including the huge "vault", bigger than some pubs on their own, and with a separate entrance, that was hired out to clubs and groups. As I mentioned on Tuesday the pub will close on Sunday 26th May so I'd highly recommend you go and take a look. A real shame.

I had never been to Higher Broughton before. To be honest, except for the roads leading to  the Racecourse, my only previous experience of Salford was Chapel Street and the area round the Crescent. So I didn't expect anything but derelict buildings, flats and wide dual carriage ways as we headed to the Star on Back Hope Street. WF and DM however were already assuring me of Higher Broughton's finer points and reputation. Even then I was surprised and impressed as we trundled up a cobbled tree lined lane and parked behind Back Hope Street.

Walking down there is in fact another pub bang opposite our destination with some fantastic tiling advertising Openshaw Brewery ales and stouts on the side. Alas the Horseshoe may have been closed for a while, though its in good nick. Luckily the excellent Star Inn has been brought by a community co-operative. It has a brewery, an unspoilt interior and is a focal point in Higher Broughton. It's brilliant, to be quite honest.

Architecture wise there is a tiny bar as you enter to the right with seating for all of about 10 people, then a small joining corridor to a long lounge with a fireplace at the end. Through the door on the right is the loos and a back room on the left which used to have a pool table but is now more empty and better suited to  revealing interesting period furniture and features. Fully deserving of its place on part 2 of the N.I, there are up to 3 real ales served, but we were all on the Star Inn brewery Starry Night, a very palatable pint.

Sadly DM had to meet some mates elsewhere so left us at this point, whilst we trekked on towards Bury to become discombobulated trying to find the Irwell Works, a building advertised by only a banner across the top floor, it seems. Once inside however we found a range of about 8 beers on, WF having some of my pint of Irwell Works Tin Plate Mild, after which I moved onto a pint of their excellent Eldorado pale ale. Great views of the area through the windows and a friendly atmosphere wiped away some of our frustration at not being able to locate it.

Back into Manchester next we had food on the mind and headed to Pi at Chorlton. My first visit to the area was a pleasant one, with the bar reminding me very much of the Treacle Tap in Macclesfield, to the point where I have to assume they are owned by the same company?

We had inexpensive pie and mash in here (my beef and chorizo with beer gravy was incredibly satisfying) and drinks wise WF had his sought after Tatton Blonde, and me a pint of their Penny-less pale ale. Afterwards, I also tried a half of Millstone Vale Mild and a very enjoyable Red Willow Witless, which even I concede is better on Keykeg. The end is nigh....

Our penultimate stop was for Wee Fatha as he wanted to visit the Cheshire Line. Its something of a large Marstons eatery more than a pub now and was painfully quiet, but the halves of Ringwood 49er and Marstons Empire were decent enough, though the Marstons was in fact by far the better.

We rolled up finally at our last stop in Woodford and visited traditional Robbies house the Thief's Neck, AKA the Davenport Arms. I think this pub suffered in my estimation from having seemed by description a really unspoilt pub, which via a combination of tiredness, being busy, and light free loos made me slightly less able than expected to appreciate the place.

That said, in terms of traditional features, outside loos is a sure sign of a good pub. And the friendly staff laughed off my rather mardy complaints (they hadn't turned the lights on see, but I thought there was a sensor or light switch which...ah well...) and the beer was enjoyable - WF had a single atom of his Unicorn best and I had the rest plus a pint of Robinsons Seasonal Uncle Sam.

Before long we'd got back in the car to set off home and I awoke about two minutes later, nearly home. I never realised Woodford was so near...

Thanks to WF for driving me to the corners of Greater Manchester, and to DM for his company and knowledge. A fantastic trip that was the perfect end to my two weeks of sottish excess.

Wee Beefy.