National Inventory Pubs closed, reopened or not reopening

 So, here I am blogging on Noo Blogaaah for the first time, using my more modern laptop, since my original one uses Windows Vista, upon which it is impossible to write a blog post Apologies in advance for any spelling errors - not that i usually offer that, having re-read numerous posts! Incidentally, the full stop does not appear to wor on this eyboard, so am going to have to be inventive

Oh, and the letter cay dot dot dot dot

The other night I was chatting to Wee Fatha about the Royal Cottage in the Staffordshire moorlands reopening $ Probably only a local inventory addition, it is nevertheless a stunning isolated boozer, and I have nown for many years that Cliff doesn't run it for profit - he runs it in order to ceep in touch with his friends$ Having been closed since March, am not sure if he will have managed, neither wanted, to read the 82 pages of govt guidance for pubs to reopen, and am not sure if he would be willing to use a bac entrance for you to leave via, assuming of course there even is one$ Bearing in mind his very restricted hours, and lac of a phone number, am not convinced that he will be willing to open again at all - Fingers crossed on that

Next up is the New Inn at Hadlow Down near Uxbridge, or similar% Regular readers may recall my reporting planned changes to the pub and its transformation into a hotel - when searching the tinterweb earlier I came across a blog post from two years ago by RetiredMartin, telling of his visit there in June 2018$ Nothing appears to have changed, and when checcing on the oft unreliable Whatpub website there was much good news about its ongoing trading

I was recently at the Barley Mow in Kirk Ireton, (copied from labels!)  and they appear to have made no changes apart from requiring you to sign in, and also  introducing a card machine - this remains a craccing and entirely unspoilt place for a pint

The last pub I wanted to mention, not least because am getting fed up of the unusability of two letters, is the former Dun Cow at Old White Lea, Billy Row, Crooc, County Durham  

I found a pic I have of it when I visited just after it had closed bacc in 2007 or thereabouts$ I struggled initially to remember its full name and address but when I googled it using the term closed National Inventory pub, I noticed my blog came up as well as a few times when searching for photos, prompting me to search my stash of the same

This included the then open but now only hired out by the local Camra branch Seven Stars at Halfway House, and the also now closed hotel in where I thought was Whittingham in Northumberland - the something bridge

Am aware that a lot of pubs are not going to reopen possibly forever here in Sheffield which is when I started thincing about those I new of in more out of the way places in the country

Meanwhile am going now - I would seriously hope that in the meantime I can get this chuffing ceyboard sorted!

Your very best of health

Wee Beefy

Derbyshire dawdle

Eefnin,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your very best of health

Wee Beefy

Weekend wanders

Artanoo yall,

        the last two weekends have been a great opportunity to try new places to sup, including Chester, and Nottinghamshire - here are a few scarcely remembered details from the last two weeks....

Last Saturday I joined the lovely Vikkie along with Jill and Rich at the Industry Tap. Sadly I never got when it was owned and run by Lost Industry but they still supply a lot of the excellent beers there and despite the gusting wind it was a glorious place to sit outside in the bright sunshine. I started on a can of excellent Clamp from Sheffield's St Mars and finished on a half of the equally excellent Abbeydale Deliverance DIPA.

From here we walked to the Rutland for my first post lockdown visit and we sat on the last available bench in the beer garden where I definitely had a half of IPA......it was simultaneously busy and well managed and everyone enjoyed the drinks. From here we got two taxi for the four of us to the Crow Inn where I had at least one half, maybe two, of the excellent  BBNO IPA which was on excellent form. Lovely to sit in the garden there for the first time in ages, and to see Paul and Lisa, who may have other names......

We went to Bar Stewards next where I may have had a pint of Cask from the Past, and got a few cans to take out, and we once again enjoyed our drinks sat in the beer garden. We finished our crawl in the mighty Shakespeares where I  had a pint of something whose name sadly escapes me.

On Sunday me and WK went for a walk around Newstead and the related pit sight where there was lots to see, but also alas a lot of rain - and I hadn't bought a coat. Before heading back to Sheffield I popped in the Pit Micropub in the sports hall and had a choice of three real ales, all from Magpie, as well as a keg of Northern Monk. Sadly as I was soaking wet and short of time I didn't tell them the 5.2% Magpie summer ale was at best very tired - and at worst off. So I am both an awful customer and a dreadful blogger. Am surprised nobody else had noticed it but am well aware I should have said something.

Back in fine sunny Sheffield and me and WK popped in the White Lion - although I almost always go for Dancing Duck both me and WK had pints of a Salopian 3.6% session ale which the barman recommended. Am always a fan of their brews and this did not disappoint. We sat in the small room on the right and although we had to get off after just one we enjoyed our sup along with the excellent new exit down the passage at the side.

This weekend me and WK took a surprise trip to Chester - a place which I last went to aged 17 to watch a play with the janitor from Grange Hill in it which was by Shakespeare, but was also a place I have never been drinking in. Having booked last minute accommodation at a hotel about 20 minutes or less walk from the centre we arrived at 1500 and by 16.00 we had wandered into town. Seeing the crowd outside the Lodge on the way down I thought I had wandered into Crosspool, with some well rehearsed toffy-nosedness on display, but then having passed a few outdoor cider enthusiasts I thought I was back in Sheffield city centre - that aside though Chester has an amazing centre and we started our trip at the Old Hawkers Arms by the canal.

From an excellent range of beers I started on a pint of Abbeydale Aftershave at about 4.2%, and followed this with a pint of Hobsons stout - a brewery whose beer I haven't had for years! Whilst here we found out about micropubs and similar places to visit and headed with a mix of success to the 18.00 closing Beer Heroes where we had arranged a table for 17.30. The combination of Google maps and some confusion over the name of separate venues meant wqe got a little lost but Soon found it and WK was on a pint of session ale and I was on a pint of excellent Shindigger, sat on a small table inside. Sadly we only had time to stop for one as we had to leave just after six but from here it was a leisurely walk up  Northgate and just out of the centre to what turned out to be the best pub of the trip.

Goat and Munch was a micropub selling about 5 kegs as well as two local cask beers and we sat in the back room along with regulars and a dog called Rory, with WK on half a Marble stout and myself on a fabulous pint of Kernel IPA at 6.8%. Rory was very well behaved and loved by the customers and the atmosphere was relaxing, warm and friendly. After having got some directions we headed to the Brewery Tap next which I think may have been in a former Linen hall - 6 Cask from the Past by Spitting Feathers along with a couple of keg - I had a pint of the strongest pale on cask and finished on an excellent half of Hacker Pschoor!

After this WK went for some scran whilst I headed own the road to the  Bear and Billet where having given my details I quickly got a pint of Adnams whilst awaiting WK before getting him a pint of Weetwood Eastgate and myself a pint of Okells - another brewery whose output I haven't tried for ages.

Our last stop was the Cellar Bar where WK had a cloudy half of something refreshing and I had a fabulous pint of excellent Manchester Lagonda IPA in a venue where we initially sat outside but were later allowed back in. Excellent end to the night!

Yesterday although we nipped to the Oakwood pub next door for breakfast, we only made one pub stop - we nipped in the Lockkeepers next to the canal and WK was on tea as he was driving and I had a rather dire pint of BrewDog Punk IPA. The staff were nice but overall the visit was quite disappointing, since as well as the garbage selection of beers they also didn't offer the 50% off discount having only opened a week earlier.  We nipped into henious Co-op en route back to pick up the car to get some local take out, and made it back to fine sunny Sheffield in good time - where I had a can of a Northern Monk collab IPA at 7.2% with Alpha Delta and Pomona Island and others which was absolutely delicious!

Overall I continue to enjoy my lockdown drinking and am looking forward to finding some new places this week as am off. And Chester was a fabulous place to go for both cask and keg and scran, along with excellent architecture.

Your very best of health!

Wee Beefy