Wuzza - AKA Wirksworth, Derbyshire

Morning Readers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cheers

Wee Beefy

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

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

Tuckers Grave Inn, Faulkland, Somerset

Hello,

        inspired largely by a photo on his Friendache profile by former pub photo blogger Dimpled Mug, this post aims in sketchy detail to provide memories of my visit to the pub way back in the Noughties.

The pub, sadly, is currently closed and is on the market, at least as a going concern, for £595,000.00. At present, I definitely have £5.95 of that sum available, so maybe could arrange to purchase it over a thousand years? After all, we will soon all be living for many centuries, in space, or similar. Anyway, its more likely that someone else has that kind of money available. The only concern is whether or not they have any interest in preserving its unique character.

Myself and Wee Keefy many moons ago visited Christingpher in Bath where was studying teacherings. He became a supply teachering soon after, eventually quitting as he felt the role required him being a parent, social worker, drug councillor and then a teacher, wrapped up in delivering a curriculum in a style which interested none of his pupils.

Whilst there, and on our way home, we visited many National Inventory pubs. This was one of them.

The Tuckers Grave is, lets face it, a strange name for a pub. I understand it relates to a suicide or hanging which took place nearby of a farm worker called Tucker who is buried under the crossroads outside. It is quite an unusual looking pub as you approach and we had been spoilt in the local countryside by chocolate box country pubs. We needn't have worried.

There is a passageway as you enter with white and pink paint and lots of wood and the bar and main rooms are on the left. The bar is basically in the bay window - although there are other bar free pubs in the UK (less than ten) this is the only such arrangement I have seen. In front of the bar is a long table in a narrow room with just enough space for patrons to sit down each side on large wooden settles.

There is a further room past that to the left where me and WK sat and off the corridor is the blue room. I went in and found it smoky and painted pink, a peachy light red if am to be more accurate, and found two old guys supping cider inside. I said hello, and they asked me if I had come to take photos since I had my rather large SLR camera with me. One then said "do yer know why they corl this the fuckin blue room? Esspecially as its painted pink? Its cos this is wur we come to swear!". It seemed that the swearing of the two drinkers was not tolerated in the bar. It was cider and profanity in here. I have no reason to doubt their tale from the half an hour I was in there....

I had been served earlier by the landlord, who spotted me standing near the bar looking thirsty. Its not actually as weird a set up as you may think - there are three barrels (maybe four?) including a cider, stillaged in the window and the till is on a small table to the side, with the glasses and tankards stacked and hung up on the rafters. I had a pint of Butcombe bitter and WK a half of Cheddar Valley cider, which I later got a pint of.

The folks on the long oak table offered us some roast potatoes from a giant platter and asked where we were from - I probably talked to them for fiteen minutes before returning to WK who was finding his cider all too easy to drink.  The pub was a wonderfully welcoming and busy place serving excellent beer and cider. There is a link here to the entry on the National Inventory pub website.

Incidentally, and am not saying this is contradictory evidence, but the pub is not mentioned as closed on Whatpub and the website says it was last checked in 2017. So is it definitely shut? The BBC reported that Ivan and Glenda Swift could not find a buyer in 2011 and were intending to close it and the NI website reports it for sale. If anyone knows if this pub remains open then please let me know!

Either way, the pub left an impression on me, and I still have my numerous photos which I took whilst inside. If it has closed that is a real shame. As you can see on the NI website the pub had a fantastic and in some ways unique interior.

Cheers!

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

A Monday night in the bath. Hotel.

Now then,

           less than a week ago I met Tash in town after work. It was a Monday night, and Christmas was fast approaching. The previous night we had been in the Rutland til late drinking and moshing after seeing a fillum at the picture house. Tonight we were meeting to enjoy a coffee. I didn't meet Tash until gone 19.00 and we'd both had a hard day. No prizes for guessing which decision we made then, about where to go...

I mean, am sure the Bath Hotel could have done us a coffee, but we didn't really want one. And when we got in Sheffield's only National Inventory pub and saw a Cloudwater Extra Special IPA on cask on the bar, it frankly seemed silly to have a hot drink. The Cloudwater IPA was 7.2% and on at what is a very reasonable for the Bath £4.20 a pint. I set up a tab, got us a seat and ordered two pints. We then spent a short time drinking and catching up with the staff. Followed by another short time....

Mark was working and possibly Paul. We sat at a table near the drinking corridor where Scott and Stef and Sean were chatting, next to what I imagine is one of the Bath's first Christmas trees  - a bloke came in a taxi and said he had a spare one to give away so they accepted it and dressed it, naturally, in pump clips and baubles and tinsel. We wrote a card to the staff (at least, all those whose name we could remember) and handed it over before Scott came over and Stef, Scott mainly to wish us a very happy Christmas and New Year (you too mate). More pints of the excellent Cloudwater IPA were bought and supped. This was an outstanding IPA, and devilishly easy to drink despite its strength. Perhaps one of the beers of the year.

Tash had another chat with Stef and we were joined by Sean (other Sean) and Matty fresh from Meadowhell. He had bought bags of reduced price sandwiches and was doling them out amongst the four of us. He bought us more pints of Cloudwater IPA and we continued socialising. At some point, I lost one of my sarnies and some fish cakes - I understand they weren't found in the Bath so are probably rotting somewhere between the road and our front garden!

As time went on more IPA was bought and we were joined first by Pete Green who seemed a trifle refreshed, but was his usual friendly charming self, and also by Kat. More sarnies were doled out and the pub started to slowly empty whilst we ordered more pints of Cloudwater and Matty bought  a number of people halves.

A final round of IPA's came our way before we bought shots of Lagavulin to finish on - I think actually Tash may have migrated to another drink by this stage but I finished on the Cloudwater IPA, over four hours after I started, and six pints down. What an amazing night. What an amazing pint!

Many thanks to Matty for his generosity and him, Tash, Stef, Sean, Pete and Kat for their company. Although I was, unsurprisingly, slightly zombified the next day at work, this was the best nights out all Christmas.

And in case am not back in again until 2016, I would like to wish all the staff at the Bath Hotel a very merry New Year. Here's to a prosperous 2016.

Cheers!


Wee Beefy

Ull

     "its spelt Hull, burrits prunarnst Ull, thats what everyone rand ere sez" said Kev, as we sat in a circle of red leather chairs, with classic album covers on the walls whilst music played loudly in the background. We were, in Ull. We we here to celebrate Jobi's birthday. Gawd love her, this involved going on the worlds shortest pub crawl in Ull's Old Town. Here is what happened.

Wee Keefy had picked me and Tash and Matty up and drove us to Ull to meet Jobi and Jambon, and we then went to the William Wilberforce Spoons to meet Kev, Sue, who's birthday celebration it also was, and her friends Lynda and her other half, who alas I have forgotten the name of. Como siempre.

The Double W sells quite inexpensive ales and food and is set in a glorious old building. The beer list was well out o date but I had a pint of the Caledonian and some American brewery Amber ale and Tash some Zulu Pale - both pints came to about £3.45. Upstairs we ordered food for us all, and a few holes started to appear - I thought I had dabs of sour cream on my bowl but they were in fact three missing chunks, and Jobi had a cold cooked chicken burger - which they replaced with 2 pints. Downstairs, I was asked if I had been served, so said yes and turned to the guy next to me to ask if he had been and the person asking ran off! I had to wait five minutes to get two pints of Rhymney Export...

About 10 yards away is the Olde White Hart pub. Accessed down an alley way and through a large courtyard, this is a very old pub which I think is, or at least was, on the National Inventory. In the bar its Theakstons and Caledonian, granted, but the Flying Scotsman as on good form. Most of us had that as we sat in the room on the left near the second of two giant fireplaces. We were joined here by three or four of Jobi's Ull friends - to be honest, I really can't remember their names. I can remember they were great company though. This was a feature of the Old Town boozers.

Another couple of yards away is a modern pub called Walters, named I understand after Walter Wilberforce who ran a barbers there. It has a long narrow layout with loos at the end and about eight handpumps and some kegs and a range of bottles and cocktails. I had a delicious pint of Brass Castle Loco and Tash tried some local Atom Brewery Chamomile, whilst Jambon picked the best ale of the night with a punchy IPA which might have been called Nightflower.

We were sat in the booth as mentioned earlier with most of the party stood up,  mingling and chatting and supping the excellent range of ales. At this point the older part of the group (sorry Kev et al!) moved on to the next pub early as they had a train to catch, and we followed on behind after anther half.

WM Hawkes seems like the oldest pub but am guessing its not - I think the amount of old worlde decoration suggests its trying to be older than it actually is. I had another pint of Atom in here as did Tash but we weren't keeping notes, as its no doubt abundently obvious! Got chatting to a local briefly in here and he was pleased that we had come from Sheffield, which was also part of Yorkshire - neither  of us had any time for Humberside.  We stayed in here for a while soaking up the excellent atmosphere and surroundings - although, one gripe, having been told about its wonderful spirit selection, the two staff didn't seem to know what was on, and there was no spirit list. A missed opportunity methinks....

Virtually over the road is the Lion and Key. Our much smaller paty struggled to sueeze in to this rammed pub. Wee Keefy had the Cathead Brewery mild whilst me and Tash had the Leanside Alexandria IPA and something else form a local brewery. To be honest, the Leamside was lovley, but I also tried the Cathead Blonde and it was dire! Here we sat out the back with a good mix of drinkers and enjoyed people watching, and listening to stories of imbibing.

Our final pub was the Old Black Boy, also a National Inventory candidate, with an interesting long layout of two rooms downstairs and one up, with a terrace upstairs. The beer range was less good in here and I had a very average pint of Oakham JHB, and stood downstairs with Wee Keefy and Jobi and others, whilst Jambon Tash and Matty sat upstairs "enlivening" or potentially ruining some couple's date. The Black |Boy is keen on closing time, and we were outside before midnight.

Getting home via a drugged up paranoid mentalist in a burger joint and a long queue at the station taxi rank really didn't dampen our spirits. In fact, it was just another part in a wonderful jigsaw of experiences and ale and ale houses and people in the Est Yorkshire city. A thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended destination.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Leeds and York and nearer home

Hello,

         this is a post about me and Tash's celebrations of our second anniversary. To the imbibe-minded this may be a worrying proposition, but don't worry, most of our celebrations, since we met and got together in a pub, were drink related. Or sodden.

On Friday it was Erika's birthday celebration. We headed off to the Harlequin for 16.00 and I had several pints of the excellent Exit 33 Stateside Pale Ale at 5.0%. I was joined by Tash, Lorraine, Lou and Gary and after 4 pints in 3 hours, we all disbanded, and me and Tash went to stalwart Shakespeares.

Here I had at least 4 pints of Buxton Bitter Recognise, on cask, a darkish 6.7% hoppy collaboration which was one of the star kegs at the recent Sun fest. Joined by Wee Keefy, and having caught up with Vicky C, WK bought us a bottle of De Molen Moord and Brand, a 10% plus Bourbon barrel aged stout which poured like tar but tasted like black gold. We had another beer after this as well, I am told.

The day itself saw us potter around and leave at tea time for a luxurious coffee before heading to the Bath Hotel. I can't remember what pints we had at first but they might have been Bristol Beer Factory. Or Arbor. Or neither. Afterwards we shared 3 halves of Cloudwater IPA at 6.7%. It was a fantastic cloudy IPA that went down far too easily - described accurately by Steff as fantastic and expensive. It was very much both.

From here we caught the bus up to the Walkley Beer Co. They had run out of cask but had Victory Hop Devil at 6.7% on keg at £4.20 a pint. Despite the strength, we had two pints each, and took a bottle of lemon saison home. We finished the night drinking Lebanese beer and wine in a nearby restaurant. All I can say is, the wine was OK!

On Sunday we raced or rather, the bus dawdled, into town to catch the 11.21 train to York. We got on the platform as it pulled away. With bus replacement services on almost all trains we opted t have a coffee and decided to go to Leeds, and maybe onto York from there. Our first and as it turned out only stop in Leodis was at Friends of Ham. Now twice the size, with ample seating up and downstairs and a larger bar, this is still a fantastic, if expensive, place to start a day out.

We caught up with Emily, now free from the unfair pay structure at Thornbridge, and ordered 3 tapas dishes each and two pints, both pale ales from Alechemy in Scotland. This 8 piece cost us £30.00. Luckily, the quality of the meat and cheese and pickle and ale is so good, I didn't mind. Three cheeses included Welsh sheep cheese and a delicious blue, along with laardo chorizo and others, was our snap, and every last lingering mouthful was superb. We also had two halves of keg, one Alechemy Double IPA  at 9.1%, and 1 of Hawkshead NZ IPA at 6.5, an astringently biting bitter pale ale with bags of hops.

Soon we were on a rather expensive return journey to York. Our first stop was a shop, but better was to follow as we visited the House of Trembling Madness. Following the signs upstairs to the pub, we found an incredibly old building with a tiny bar and limited seating which was heaving. We both got pints of the excellent Bad Seed Brewery Eldorado Pale before halves of the Mad Hatters Toxteth IPA. We got sat down at a table and soaked up the atmosphere, conversation, and noticeably, the warmth. The shop down stairs is also well worth a visit for bottled beers.

We walkd to Fossgate next but decided against visiting the Blue Bell - the road was closed and people were sat on tables outside in huge numbers. We didn't fancy the scrum so walked on down to the bottom and turned back up towards Parliament street and then towards the river. A short relaxing stroll followed before we sat down in the shade, then headed over what might be Skendergate Bridge to the Swan at Clementhorpe.

This beautiful National Inventory listed corner pub has a drinking corridor, possibly known as a West Yorkshire drinking corridor, and a compact lounge on the right of the bar, with wonderful tiled floors and a fantastic beer garden. We sat outside with a half of Moonshine for Tash and a half of Prescott Simmer for me, and caught the last rays of sunshine near a covered area where grapes were growing. We went back for two more halves of the Prescott, before heading to Cromwell Street and the Golden Ball.

This is another unspoilt National Inventory pub, with a tiny snug on the bar rights and three larger, basic rooms including the bar. As it was a hot day we sat outside and supped some of the many beers on  tap. This included one from Ainsty Ales and Kettle Drum best bitter from Treboom brewery. We sat in the sunshine then shade for a while before taking up residency in the bar, and eating a ramekin of chilli and honey peanuts. Locals played dominoes and chatted quietly in the basic bar room, and we could easily have stayed all day. The Golden Ball is community owned and is an excellent example of such an arrangement.

Our penultimate stop was in the Maltings, now boosting an outside seating area. We had pints of a Roosters hoppy beer and a half of the excellent Magic Rock Grapefruit, then sat outside and got chatting to a couple form Chester Le Street. The Maltings certainly needed some extra space and this is just another string to ots bow.

Our final stop was in the York Tap. About 14 cask ales to choose from, I think we had halves of a Magic Rock or Waen beer, but this was a short stop as we had to catch the train back to Sheffield using our two sets of tickets.

All in all, an amazing three days of impeccable beer in three excellent Yorkshire locations. A lovely way to celebrate our anniversary!

Cheers

Wee Beefy