Macc Micros - Saturday afternoon in Macclesfield

What was planned as a trip to Macc's Food Festival turned into a very pleasant tour around some of Macclesfield's growing gaggle of micro bars - the Food Festival that had already been moved from earlier in the year due to Covid was unfortunately cancelled (not sure exactly why?) after I had bought some well priced train tickets so we decided to take a trip anyway - Macc is a place we use to visit a bit when we had a canal boat but we had not been or some years and is a place you tend to wizz through on the train etc - its a valley based town where rail, river, canal and road all squeeze in along the bottom of the valley - but in terms of rail and canal make it a great place to visit as it is a matter of minutes to the town centre - there are three pubs directly opposite the railway station- didn't visit this time but all get a decent write up on What Pub Queens - Josephs Holts The Old Mill Stone which is adjacent to the Nags Head a Robinsons pub - the Nags is also next to Maccs Whitby like 108 steps up to the very prominent Church which dominates Maccs heritage skyline. There are also two very good newish micro bars with 5 mins walk of the rail station and the others are fairly close. This journey started off in Titanic's BOD on Stoke railway station - based in the former 1st Class waiting room this small venue has only recently emerged out of lock down

It was busy as Stoke City had an away game at Derby - God knows how all those fans got on the Bus on wheels that runs the Crewe to Derby service - but it was all good natured - Limited choice at the bar - sign of recent reopening or a wider beer shortage that still seems to be around (Brexit, Covid and lack of lorries) my Titanic beer of choice would now be a White Star unless its really dark and cold and them Plum Porter - went for my old favorite Iceberg which was on good form if not a little frothy - also took the opportunity to pay for my + 1 for the Titanic 1st Class day in October - normally a great day (mainly due to the free beer and food) Unusually, hadn't done a great deal of planning for this trip - quick look at What Pub highlighted that there were quite a few entries for Macclesfield - had hoped to be pottering around food and drink stalls at the Food Festival - The Rugby Club in Macc appeared to be running a mini food and beer festival so that could be a possibility - but having played there a few times knew it was a bit of a hike from the town centre - they only place i had looked up was the Treacle Tap a micro bar just down from the station so we decided to head their and then just how the fancy took us. Boarded a very busy train heading towards Manchester - lots of City fans (not from Manchester of course) off to their game with Southampton - its only 14 mins to Macc so we were soon heading out of the station and into a very Sunny afternoon

Treacle Tap is a great micro bar - unfortunately has had to remain pretty closed over lockdown as it is micro - a former Saddlery shop its good to see it open again - was quite quiet on an early Saturday lunch-time but looks to have a range of interesting events on throughout the week - book clubs and even a Stitch & Bitch session! A bit early for food for us but the only other couple in were having some very good looking pies which appear to be a house specialty. I started with a very nice pint of Roosters Buckeye - wasn't long ago that I was supping this at the brewery on one of our MalTravAle podcast away days and ten followed up with half of Bristol Beer Factory Fortitude - an English Bitter - seen quite a few of their beer around and about recently the beer rep must be doing good business. Got very excited for a minute when I spied a couple of local camra Ale guides - one of the other things that Covid seems to have killed off - however these were heritage copies both pre covid - still it was nice to have a quick flick through - just like in the olden days!

Really enjoyed our time at the TT - the name by the way relates to an old nickname for Macclesfiled - Treacle Town - though I always thought Silk men (as with the football team was the towns alter ego) ((and have also heard Nuneaton called Treacle town as well) - the legend suggests that a wagon full of treacle overturned at the top of the towns hill and treacle ran down the streets and was scooped up by the towns folk. Macclesfield's other claim to fame include the birth place of  bread makers Hovis, David Dickenson (orange TV Antiques expert) both Bryan Redhead and Nick Robinson of radio 4 Today fame, footballer Peter Crouch, cricket legend Aggers, Yachty Olympian Sir Ben Ainslie (Maccs a long way from the Ocean) and Mr Methane AKA Paul Oldfield the world's only currently performing flatulist! 

A bit more research identifies that the Treacle Tap is part of the Beer Parlours group and they have a second similar venue in a former Toy shop in Congleton - the Young Pretender - one that's gone on the top do list! From the TT we walked up into town and started to look for some lunch - had had a quick trip advisor search in the TT - Macc appears to have lots of small independent restaurants and hardly any chains - lots of tapas style places lookd good and we made our way initially to Tempranillo which unfortunately wasn't doing lunch but looked nice and a couple of 'authentic' beers on including Alhambra. Just across cobbles on Maccs Church Street (think the Hovis Hill) is Salt Bar - a Scandinavian themed cafe bar with some beery option - I plumped for a Swedish Back yard Brewery Shedhead - an American Pale and this very nicely washed down quite an interesting 

Scandi platter - very different but we did quite enjoy

Heading back up the cobbles - with a view down top the station on our right spied the Wet Led bar that looked a good place for a final drink before heading back to the station and home and next door a very inviting traditional butchers that had a fine display of pork pies in the window - of course one was duly purchased and I did very well of not eating till the following day.

Heading back up through the Treacle Market and ubiquitous classic northern town hall our next stop, on what was now a very sunny and warm afternoon was the Five Clouds Tap and Bottle Bar 

The Five Clouds Tap  is next door to the Beer Vault looks like both venues have clubbed together and persuaded the council to let them have an extensive run of outdoor seating - looked like you could sit anywhere and both bars were doing table service - as it was sunny all the out door seats were taken but we got a very nice window seat in the Five clouds tap - a good range of beers - so much choice that I could decide and plumped for two halves instead - a Polly's Pale and a North Brewing American Pale - an enjoyable half hour was spent people watching 

Final stop was back down Church Street to the Wet Led yet another shop converted micro - which was pretty rammed for a Saturday afternoon - where a fine pint of Ossett White Rat was downed, down the cobbles and back to the station and  Stoke where there was just time to tick one more off my pub must visit list -

A Yorkshire pint in a Cheshire glass at Wet Led 

This was Bru in Stoke town centre - you guessed it another former shop micro - this was a cobblers shop and now a tardis like  bar with range of beers, gins and rums - it was fairly steady - tried another brewery for me Six Towns and we had a very nice chat with the landlady 

All in all a top day - really worth a visit to Macclesfield - little bit under the radar but we were impressed with the range of independent food and drink venues - its a nice compact town centre and plenty of heritage around as well.

North Yorkshire Coast sortie

Half term day out with brother back in my old stamping ground - North Yorkshire - a fairly wet miserable February day we decided to make use of the good bus network across the North York’s Moors and sample a few fine ales and visit three of the north coasts fleshpots. An early start catching the 9:15 Coastliner from Malton to Whitby, impressed with these new double deckers - free Wi-fi and at seat charging we bagged a table with both three pin and usb charging - bus fairly quiet - mainly Flamingoland staff and a few walkers Having done a bit of research we decided to alight at Ruswarp - unfortunately too early for the Bridge Inn - we wanted to walk the river path to Whitby before the forecast rain arrived. We had been tipped off by Bruce that Jacksons Butchers produced some might pork pies - we planned to give them a taste test against a Bothams later. The Butchers was doing a roaring trade for 10:30 on a Tuesday morning - and they are indeed purveyors of fine if small pork pies.

The walk down the Esk following the railway line is a fine walk - a little clarty in places - quite a few families also had had same idea - so there were a few people jams on what is a narrow path in places - fantastic railway arches that carried the old Whitby to Scarborough line not sure you can still walk over this now (Yes you can it carries the Cinder Track all the way to Scarborough) - as we got to the boat yard - stopped to watch a few red shanks feeding at the low water mark.

The forecast rain did arrive just as we arrived at the big harour car park - as it was still a little early for opened get time decided to hike up to Old town and pick up some kippers at Fortunes (for me) and a visit to the sweet shop for brother and a 1/4 of Army & Navy Mix - just as it started to pelt down - the Duke of York wasjust opening, so in for first pint of day and a dry out. Ossett Yorkshire Blond on good form and spent a pleasant half an hour looking over the harbour.

Moved in what was now a fairly hefty downpour to the Black Horse - perfrect timing as they were just opening the front door - front snug soon filled up with visitors and resident Tex - Wainwright Golden beer one of three ales on this morning. Walked back across the bridge and down the main shopping street - picked up some cheap (£1) but very firm pork scratchings from Landers Butchers - we then moved back to the Bus station to sort out the ride onto Robin Hood's Bay - bit of time to spare so popped in the Sation Hotel - not been in here before - a good range of beers on and a very welcome open fire - quick pint then jumped on the bus to the Bay - weather had well and truley set in now so it was a bit of a damp waddle down the cobbled main street to the Bay hotel - which was very busy and steamy - managed to get a seat and a very odrinary pint of Wainwright

Back up the Hill and again a few minutes to kill before our next bus so into the very spacious Victoria Hotel bar and had a rather good pint of TT Landlord.

Then back on the Bus for the final swoop down into Scarborough

Weather not much better in Scarbrough so hot footed it up, to what was a new venue for us, the Stumble Inn - a small micro bar in a former solicitors with a very ornate verhanda on the left - this is a very small bar but we managed to get a table and had a couple of good beers and spend time ticking of beers via the beer mats all over the walls and ceilings.

Nick having a power nap! We then headed down to Spoons for a final beer of the day before getting picked up and poured into the car to head home back to Norton - An enjoyable if wet day along the North Yorks Coast

Chatsworth Ramble and Buxton Beers

We finally woke to a sunny day in what has been a pretty mediocre August - determined to enjoy while we could set out towards Chatsworth - could persuade any of the ofspring to join us so it was just me and the better half - made good time to Chatsworth - surprsingly quiet around Leek and Buxton - love the drive along the A6 which follows the Wye with the Monsall Trail flipping over head - turned off at Ashford - Hassop station looked busy with cars in the overflow car park Chatsworth was steady - meadow car park was already full - can no longer pre book parking so paid our fiver at the hut and actually managed to park very close to Carriage House and shops - we have normally walked by the river and then over the deer park to Edensor but i had read a couple of posts from people recommending the walks up to the Hunting Tower and top lakes someenset off towrds the farm yard and the sounds of happy kids on the adventure play ground - a fair few folk around but beyond the hunting tower we were pretty much on our own - we probably walked for 40 minute without seeing a sole. There are some useful downloadable maps on the Chatsworth website - to see the lake walks look at the bottom for the Stand Wood Walks

we completed the easy going route - around 3 miles whic took us about 90 minutes with just a short stop by the Emperor Lake We cut the corner a bit at the start and went up the steps towards the Hunting tower - these are quite going and as they are under woodland wet and a tad slippy - we met a couple coming down who were taking it very steady and we both said we were glad that we wouldn't be returning that way - must count the steps next time we did it The Steps!

The steps are in flights, with a few flats inbetween and there are a couple of seats on the way up as well - you do make some height pretty quickly - which us great for the rest of the walk as its pretty much down hill for the next 2. 5 miles At the top of the steps the trees thin out amd you start to get some great views quite a few folk up around the tower which i think is now a holiday let, a couple of guys artived by bike and i did wonder what was the crack re cycling around the estate - we didnt see anyone else on bikes - checking the website later it does say that cycling is permitted on tarmac roads across the estate - (most of this route is on tarmac roads)

From the back of the hunting tower there a couple of paths and a road moving up towards to lakes - you hit the corner of the Emperor Lake first - there looks to be a newish holding pond on the left if the path and where the feeder from the moors comes in - i remember seeing on piece about this on the tv show that looks behind the scences at Chatsworth

A short walk then get you to the Swiss lake - there is a very nice Swiss Cottage at the far end of the lake, which again is a very nice hoiday let - the Lake looks a bit forloorn and has been drained - not sure what they plan to do with - it all looks a bit terminal - but there are nice views up to the high moors - we then continued on a very quiet estate road that tooks us out and back - a nice mix of woodland and views over the moors - this is the bit where we didnt see anyone else for quite a while. The road begins to drop down towards the river and the woodland then start to fully enclose you - lots of Beech as you get back nearer to the Gardens the varity of trees on yur right starts to increase - as we got nearer to the old aqueduct met a few more people - think this is the quick road route up to the Huting Tower that misses out the steps - hghlight is a clearing just above famous cascade - unfortunately you don't get to the see the cascade just the top holiding pond - but he view out over the valley is very nice

Its then just a short drop back to the farmyard and main car park - we eat our butties on a bench enjoying the sun and peeple watching - with the sun out the park was now quite busy.

Mid afternoo now so time to make a decision about where to head for refreshment - considered Bakewell and another trip to the Thornbridge - but looking at the steady numbers pouring into Chatsworth, decided it would be very busy and parking a bit of a pain - parking at the Brewery is fine but a bit of a walk into the town - so we agreed on Buxton We have had a couple of nice visits to the pop up beer garden outside the brewery and pre covid had tried to get into the Brewery Tap behind the Crescent in Buxton town, but had never managed - the Tap had been closed pretty much through lock down so agreed that we woud start there - I was also aware of a couple of new micro crafty bars also opening that we hadnt tried - Monk only opens Wed to Sunday - but Red Willow Buxton was open and had an online booking faciity so pre booked a table there for 5pm (Though this wasnt really required) We took the longer quiter route back to Buxton through Baslow and Stoney Middleton - we had stayed in SM a while ago and really enjoyed thus quirky village - good Pub the Moon - Bradfield Beers - we dropped into Buxton via the Tideswell road - Tideswell is a larger village that we haven't really explored - looks very nice range of shops and 3/4 pubs - both agreed that we need to come back here - route through Millars dale very nice Parked up in Buxton - quick walk through town - rubber necked the new facy 5 star hotel in the Crescent - both felt that te entrance is a bit underwhleming - guess there were a lot of planning restrictions - arrived at the Tap - now called 53 Degrees @ Buxton Brewery Tap House - need to do a bit of research about this The place as always was busy - but managed to get a couple of stools just inside the door - in theory they were still doing table service though at times people were also ordering at the bar - great rage of beer on offer - mainly Buxton (See Below)

I started off with 2 halves of the cask on offer - Bonde and Right to Roam - both good - Right to Roam my favourite Mrs had a Raspberry Mjoito

As the sun was shining I also succumed and had a Omnipollo Original Double Blueberry Ice Cream - and opted for the soft serve - a slushy type machine behind the bar tops off your glass - Omnipollo are a Swedish gypsy brewery known for their inventive styles!

Enjoyed it here and glad we managed to get in at last - we then took the short stroll around the corner to Red Willow - housed in what I think was the old Midland or Natwest bank - nice refurb - lots of boths and a nice mezzanine area - but as it was quite we opted for what we took to be the old managers office in teh corner - creating a nice little snug - a large round table with seating for about 8 be a great space to have a session - even had its own hatch

New brewery for me- Redwillow are based in Macclesfied and have 2 taps one there and this one in Buxton - stuck to sampling halves and enjoyed them all and great service from the 2 ladies behind the bar. Sabro Simcoe Pale Ale - probable my top choice Witless - a whitbier 4.2% Wreckless - American Plae Limitless another pale

Unfortunately they didnt have Shameless on - have to come back for one of those - lancashire crisps on the bar caught my fancy especially the Black Pudding and Mustard flavoured - though a little dismayed to read on the back that they were suitable for vegetarians!

All in all - a proper good day out and one that we will do again possibly in Autumn