Dippling along the street of fishes in Jorvik

Dippling along the street of fishes in Jorvik Half term in York can be a little claustrophobic so a chance to have an afternoon crawl with podcast mate Bruce a full time Yorkite, got us thinking about exploring some of the less trodden parts of York – having been drinking in York since around 1983 it is hard to believe that there are still one or two boozers that neither of us have stepped into or at least haven’t visited for a vey long while so we agreed to focus on Fisher Gate – south east of the city centre and one of the forgotten bars/gates of York. A bit of Whats app toing and froing and we had agreed a plan which would introduce me to a number of new pubs – less so for Bruce – we were also planning to take both our sons on their first proper York crawl. York’s famous medieval walls are punctuated by four main gatehouses, or 'bars', Bootham Bar, Monk Bar, Walmgate Bar and

Micklegate Bar below). These restricted traffic in medieval times, and were used to extract tolls, as well as being defensive positions in times of war. There were another six postern or secondary gates, two survive Victoria Bar and Fishergate Bar. These are much less ornate, with out the bastions of the main bars and neither have vehicular access through them unlike the main bars, making then quite pleasant to walk through and linger a while to take in the heritage – though look out for the push bikes.

The Fisher Gate

Fisher Gate dates back till at least 1315, also known as Georges Bar, possibly liked to the nearby St Georges field (now large car park) and St Georges Catholic Church. Fischer Gate began life as a Roman road that led south from Eboracum, during the Viking era when Eboracum became Jorvik the road became known as "Fiscergate", the street of the fishers. It is in this art of York that the rivers Ouse and Foss came together and the area was the city's major manufacturing and trading centre. Historically the road leading to Selby the bar was actually walled up in1489 as punishment for the locals who had rioted in response to a proposed rise in taxes. It was thankfully reopened in 1827 and thankfully missed survived the construction the inner ring road in the 1970s. which also left it car locked and a pedestrian gate. Beer connoisseurs may well know it as one of York’s finest beery gems, The Phoenix sits next to the city side of the Bar, this pub has quelled the thirst of folk for centuries especially the workers of the now long gone, Phoenix Iron Foundry and cattle market (closed in 1837) though at this time the pub was aptly named the Labour in Vain Interestingly, this part of York is politically very green – the ward has been held by the Green party since 2003. 

Taking a moment at York Station

So a quick train from the parents abode in Malton to arrive at a busy York station just before noon – Bruce was keen to show one of his favourite haunts in the south of the city tucked away mid terrace in Fulford . 

Enroute to the Welly

The Wellington or Welly is one of the many Sam Smiths pus in the city and thankfully one that has remained open – though it did close for a time in 2020. Listed as a CAMRA heritage pub whose description states It is the oldest purpose-built York pub to survive so unaltered. Left of the central flag-stoned corridor (which dog-legs round the staircase) is the quarry-tiled public bar. To the right are two small lounges, both served from the servery doorway across the corridor and both retaining their fitted seating and bell-pushes. The only major changes have been the creation of the large rectangular opening to the servery and the associated modern counter in the 1980s. One of the first statutory listings arising from a CAMRA/English Heritage pilot study in 1994.

A couple of really good guides to York Pubs, the first written by Paul Crystal – Pubs in and around York, Destin World publishing, gives a nice summary of the pubs history and its Crimean War links to the next pub on our itinerary – The other is The Directory of York Pub 1455-2003 written by the late and great Hugh Murray – a bit of an expert on all thinks York particularly Pubs and beer – I spent a number of very enjoyable hours in York central Library, reading through his multitude of papers and photographs that are held in the Library archives. Originally Lawson’s beer house – not surprising with its position in a mid terrace row, It was named the Wellington from around 1881 but then re-named the Sir Colin Campbell, Campbell was an officer who fought in the Crimean at the battle of Alma – The name of the Street the pub sits on. 

The pub was bought by Samuel Smiths Brewery in 1887, who promptly changed the name back to The Wellington. A grade II listed building with a bar and 2 parlour rooms all with open fires – Alma Terrace can be accessed by a very nice walk along the river from the city centre it does feel like you are stepping back a century or so – we arrived bang on Noon as the very welcoming landlady pulled back the bolt on the front door and in we went. I’ve fallen out with love with OBB so feeling adventurous went for a pint of XXXX best which is their updated version of what use to be their Light Mild – not a bad Kick off beer at 3.4% (Dark mild still there) The Welly hold a quiz on a Thursday which is very popular – be warned this is a pub that takes Humphrey’s rules and regulations very seriously with numerous posters on the front door and walls reminding you that this is digital free pub, so no phones out and no swearing. 

The bottom of Alma Terrace opens on to a very nice river walk though we would have
been under water the week before

Our next venue, was another new one for me, is situated back down Fulford Road towards the city is the rather elegant, The Light Horseman – Mr Chrystal in his York Pub book, claims this is the only pub in the world with this name. 

Bruce schooling my son n heir on the finer points of pub architecture 

The pub has had close links with the nearby Imphal barracks which over the years as home to a number of cavalry regiments and was used as the officers mess for some time. The current building was built as a purpose built pub in the 1870’s, though there was an earlier pub of that name on the site built sometime after the cavalry Barracks were built in 1796. An impressive white building with a very ornate bar in the main front room, if you visit look out for the Light horseman lantern. 

One of three Thwaites’ tied houses in York, on entering the cask offer looked promising with three pumps adorned with forward facing pump clips – however only one was on Thwaites IPA and unfortunately no Thwaites Gold or Bradfield Farmers Blonde – no reason given but having cheeked a few reviews this seems to be a regular occurrence – only one Beer IPA on offer. 

 

Thwaites are still based in the Star Brewery in Blackburn though this is no focuses on Crafty Dan Craft brewing, and there appears to have been a strategic move towards a pub hotel and spa business, thwaites core beers began to be contracted out to Marston’s who also bought the top two (Wainwright's and Lancaster Bomber) and the bulk of Thwaites' beer business in March 2015 for £25.1m. Marston’s will continue to supply Thwaites pubs with beer under a long-term contract. Bomber was originally a Mitchell’s of Lancaster brew – Thwaites buying the Mitchell’s brewery out in 1999. Thwaites now own 270 tied houses, as well as a number of hotels and Spa complexes run under the Daniel Thwaite Brand. Wainwright labelled as ‘A Lake District original’ is now brewed by Marston’s in Wolverhampton – it was first brewed in as part of the brewery’s 200 year anniversary celebrations, named after Lakes author Alfred wainwright, who was born and bred in Blackburn, it was a Silver Award winner in 2019 and is now marketed by Carlsberg Marston’s as Modern Cask and is CMBC’s best selling cask ale, the Morning advertiser ranks it 7th in the best selling cask beers worth around £26 million a year. However as we know CMBC have some form in taken over regional breweries and iconic beers and murdering them – Jennings, Ringwood, Wychwood so watch this space.

  

Further along Fulford Road is another prominent white building the Edinborugh Arms which was a new pub for all of us – it’s a little ‘landlocked’ in a loop of the inner ring road (its just round the corner from the Sea Horse (another time stopped Sam Smiths house). 

Having had a chequered history of late, local press had painted a positive picture following a recent take over and refurb, though omens were not great as What Pub did report that no real ale is currently available, though press stories had mentioned the newly open pub would have a beer focus – to be honest we walked in to find a large screen showing football with volume well up – a bar full of macro lagers but not a hand pump in sight so we turned tail and went to seek sanctuary in the Phoenix passing through the fisher gate Bar. 

The Phoenix, a must visit pub when in York – never fails to please specially when it is on the quiet side and you can get in the front room and enjoy the real fire, to enjoy fine ales and a very fine pork pie. As always a fine array of ales confronted us – I went for a pint of a new collaboration beer between Keighley’s Goose Eye Brewery and the omni present Ossett – Pretty fly for a goose eye, a very refreshing golden pale at 3.8%, unfortunately neither brewery website explains the name, though the Ossett ones does explain this is a rebrew having first been done in 2022 on Goose Eye kit this 2024 version has been rebrewed at Osset this time round.

Off the Phoenix never fails to please - another fine array of Yorky beers 

/

Is there a finer sight in Yorkshire? - Pint, Pie & Fire in The Phoenix 

It was time to head round the corner past York’s Barbican arena and to Walmgate and Lawrence street

junction where handily three pubs jostle within about 100 yards of each other – our plan had been to start at the Rook and Gaskill another long standing beery legend in York Its been a while since I’ve been in the Rook and currently working on a tome about York brewing I was keen to check in to see if Non Beards Brewing was still based at the pub as they seem to have left the virtual world. Unfortunately, we had our timings wrong and the pub doesn’t open now till 4 pm, so it was a quick jog across the road to the Rose and Crown – which looked like it had all the R and G punters in as it was fairly rammed for a Saturday lunchtime and we had to seek ‘seatage’ in the restaurant room.

 A former Tetley house, now run by Punch it appears to attract a nice mix of locals and tourists/foodies and drinkers and we were surprised by the beer choice – including two from local brewer Ainsty – I went for their Flummoxed Farmer listed as a Blonde/Golden Ale – Salt Jute, Saltaire blonde, Ainsty Angel and a Vault sour were also on offer. 

There’s a nice choice of seating areas in this pub including a very nice outdoor area at the rear. Unlike the other two neighbours this pub is not listed in the GBG, but is just as good and well worth the visit - interesting food menu. 

One door down, is the Waggon and Horses, a bit of an outlier in York as a Bateman’s of Lincolnshire tied pub and their northern most outlet. A former coaching house on what was the on the road from the coast – Walmgate was the site of York’s medieval fish market. 

Batemans have an estate of 69 pubs, with an astonishing 23 in their homish town of Boston, the actual brewery – Salem Bridge Brewery is actually in Wainfleet All Saints, which is roughly half way between Boston and Skegness – we once took a very long drive for Brother’s birthday to visit the brewery which do brewery tours and have a small visitor centre and bar – I can remember our particular visited was plagued by hyperactive wasps which must have been dipping in the XXXB. – it is quite a picturesque brewery with what looks like a windmill (quite common in these parts) that acts as the brewing tower – I seem to recall being able to sit in the bottom of this with the sipping the tour samples. Still a family (4th generation) run business, very much a traditional cask focussed brewery with their iconic XB and XXXB beers – They have recently developed a small parallel craft brewery – the Salem Brew Co which focus on small batch production of what they phrase innovative beers – these seem to be mainly Keg and small pack Skull and Hammers American Pale (5.5%) and Beast from the East Golden (6%) being recent productions 

 The X’s were a way of measuring and promoting the strength of beers in the 19th century. A single X, stood for the Latin word simplex or single XX duplex/double strength and XXX triplex or triple strength beers Modern XB is 3.7% ABV with Triple (XXB) –at 4.8% ABV 

We managed to bag a nice seat in the front window – our fellow drinkers included a couple of locals and a bunch of very young looking Army officers, York retains quite a few large army barracks, The Royal Yorkshire Regiment, Medical Brigade and Reserve Signal Regiments have their bases in York A pub of this name was first recorded in 1795, the current building is Grade II listed, formerly a coaching inn like the Rose and Crown retaining is coach arch – its still offer 6 bedrooms . Its What Pub description starts ‘run by a landlord who loves his real ale – hence the impressive beer board. 

The W & H impressive beer Board 

On leaving the Waggon we head back towards the town centre passing through the walls via the East bar – Walmgate – this street is another where you could do a day long pub crawl starting with Bar 88 at the East end and ending up at the Foss Gate Tap at the far end – passing at least 9 other drinking venues – our target was Brew York which is about half way down Walmgate – we were initially held in the yard by a flustered bouncer/security guard who said they were at capacity and could cope with any more large groups – thankfully this was mainly aimed at the mob that had followed us into the yard and once they had gone he was happy to let the four of us in – to be honest the bars (up and down) were accessible and whilst indoor seating was pretty much fully occupied – thankfully we know of the little hidden outdoor seating spot at the very back of the beer hall, overlooking the River Foss and we managed to get a large table to ourselves – as usual they were  far too many beers on the beer list to choose.- around 20 ! 

Passing the once magnificent Spread Eagle on Walmgate- sadly no longer with us 

Racing the hordes to Brew York's Beer Hall 

All calm in here 

I looked for something new and settled for a pint of Clever Gyle new England Pale ale (this is their second version with strata and mouteka which give a lime like bite,(the beer is apparently named after a line from Jurassic Park ) and a half of Buck, their American Brown Ale both enjoyable. 

If you know - you know - Brew York's secret rear beer garden by the River Foss 

Our York hosts Bruce and Ben had evening engagements so we parted company, son and I headed back to the Railway station with just time for a quick half in the York Tap which is handily right next to the platform the York to Malton trains sit on, I unfortunately didn’t record my choice of ale and cant make out from the photo though it looks good! 

The view from York Tap - handy conveniences 

All in all a very pleasant afternoon in York and it was great to se a number of pubs a little away from the tourist hotspots still doing well and offering a very broad range of great beers – we had know duff pints and paid on average about £4:00 a pint. Alongside the Phoenix, if you are venturing to York, especially, on a busy day and fancy seeking pubs with good ale and somewhere to sit then heading to Lawrence Street and the Rose and Crown, Waggon and after 4pm, the Rook and Gaskill would be strongly recommended.

Dipping a toe in the Cotswolds and a trip to a closed pub of the year

 

Dipping a toe in the Cotswolds and a trip to a closed pub of the year

Having survived a fairly miserable January it was time to seek some early spring solace in the and of rolling hills and honey coloured stone cottages. The Cotswolds, with its abundance of water, fertile land, and agricultural traditions, provided an ideal setting for brewing to flourish. As early as the 13th century, monasteries and manor houses were brewing beer for their communities. By the 18th century, commercial breweries began to emerge, catering to the growing demand for this refreshing beverage.


There is now an ecliptic beery mix of old and new, with the likes of Hook Norton brewing since 1849, a very traditional brewery with its own malting and fleet of shire horses and Donnington Brewery outside Stow, brewing since 1865 working alongside more modern contemporaries such as North Cotswold brewery, who started in 1999 in Moreton on the March and Hawkstone at the tourist honeytrap that is Bourton on the water (gave up trying to find a car park space at 11on a very cold February morning – hate to think what its like in the summer) Hawkstone is currently in the spotlight as that provide ales and Ciders for Jeremy Clarkson and his Diddly Squat Farm which is just down the road.

Our base was Chipping Camden – a beautiful little town – somewhat a bit of an ugly sister when compared to nearby Bourton on the Water and Broadway – Chipping feels a little more down to earth with slightly less twee shops selling touristy trinkets and instead butchers, a library and two small supermarkets on its high street. Having stayed here a couple of times the past knew it is blessed with a number of fine hostelries which all handily offer accommodation – having stayed previously at the Noel Arms in the centre of town, this time we managed to secure a late deal with the Eight Bells – which probably would be my choice of the town anyway



The Golden Cross - Bromsgrove


We broke the journey down from Staffordshire on a Sunday morning with a drop into Bromsgrove which has quite a nice Wetherspoons with a handy car park just off the High Street. Slightly different for one of Mr Martin’s establishments the Golden Cross Hotel is a heritage pub having been part of the Bromsgrove beer scene for a number of centuries – the current building was rebuilt in 1932 but retains some of its earlier coaching house features including 12 booths – for a Sunday there was still a good range of beers available including a number of local breweries and I had a very palatable Indian Summer Pale Ale from Birmingham’s Indian Brewery to help wash the breakfast down.




A quick post breakfast amble up and down the hire street also spied a couple of potential future visits especially the Old Post Office which looked very inviting.

Chipping Campden’s Parish includes Broad Campden and between the two settlements the Cotswold Charm website reports that you can find indications and signs of the 30 pubs, inns and alehouses that have serviced the community at some time during at least the last five centuries. You can see that 20 or more have been lost over time; many alehouses produced their own beer but were forced out of business when the larger breweries cornered the market from the mid-1700s.

There’s a very informative website which gazettes all the old pubs and links them to present buildings it would be a nice afternoon wandering around ticking them off.

https://www.cotswoldcharm.com/chipping-campden-pubs

Chipping Camden's ancient market


There are 6 decent pubs in the town (and a lovely village pub in Broad Camden a pleasant mile or so walk away) and a couple more bistros and restaurants so a very nice place for a couple of nights.

The Red Lion is currently closed, the landlord having moved away in January 2024, this is a Green King owned pub, though is reported to be free of tie – I would assume they area looking for a new manager to take on.



The Volunteers from the Catholic Church

Most of the town's 250 listed buildings are in the High Street which is around 1 mile in length and handily on which most of the towns pubs sit. The only other town in the country with a higher ratio of listed buildings is Sandwich, Kent. So beginning a Camden crawl from the southern end of town the first hostelry is the Volunteer Inn.


Opposite The catholic church and school (Interestingly at the opposite end of the town to the Anglican St James which does dominate the town’s sky line – it is a pretty magnificent church – though the catholic St Catherines, is a suitable sister companion) This 300 year old stone-built inn , A pub since 1709; though its present name dates from the 1840s.

Since I was last here a new addition is an Indian restaurant. The pubs website reports that the oldest part of the premises is the front bar which once served as a room where local men would enlist hence the name. The beer offer normally contains a couple of local cask – looking at Untapped, they look to have Prescott Brewery HillCclimb as a regular alongside North Cotswold beers

Prescott a new one for me – a micro brewery based in Cheltenham, Hill Climb has been one of their staples for a while and an award winner back in 2012.


There’s a bit a gap now till the next pub – what classes as the major junction in town where the B4081 Sheep Street meets the High Street is cornered by the Red Lion Tavern – unfortunately on his visit was in the dark having recently closed – hopefully temporarily

The Red lion although a Green King premises is a free house,


The Red Lion - sadly closed in Feb 2024



town history says that it originated as The Redde Lyon on the upper side of Leasbourne and then moved to the current site on Sheep Street corner. A Grade II listed, Cotswold stone building with tick box open fire and handpumps its an impressive building – I remember it being slightly more down to earth than the Hotel bars further up the street.


Bang in the centre of town opposite the very photogenic Market Hall (ancient word ‘chipping’ refers to the market) is the equally photogenic Noel Arms and its very welcoming Dovers Arm17th-century coaching inn and one of the oldest hotels in the Cotswolds

Previously known as The George, The Noel Arms has traded continuously since the 18th century and you can still see the steps in the courtyard from its days as an important coaching inn, today’s car park housed the town’s historic bowling green until its sad demise in 1989 and towards George Lane was the site of the cattle market. This is another Chippy place with an Indian twist the head chef is Indian and holder of Best Pub Curry Chef Award, the Noel holds regular curry nights which looked to be very good value.



The Dovers Bar is to the right of the main entrance through a coffee shop and nice lounge – its feels quite pubby with a range of tables and when Ive been in, a nice mix of locals and hotel patrons – whilst a little on the pricey side but not quite normal hotel expect to pay around £5 a pint of the three cask ales on offer.



Why Dovers Bar – Robert Dover who was a Local lawyer who was a big believer in physical exercise and recreation – he established an Olympick Games – as something of a sports historian I have actually been ot the Games which were revived at the end of the last century – it’s a great Whit day out with Shin Kicking and a variety of sports followed by a torch lit parade back to the village- the games are held in a natural amphitheatre – Dovers Hill a short walk west of the village. The games likely began in 1612 and ran (through a period of discontinuations and revivals) until they were fully discontinued in 1852 due to increased rowdiness and drunkenness especially from the many hundred of Birmingham folk who took advantage of the new fangled train network However, they were revived in 1963 and still continue, though I note that alcohol is now banned from the event – it will be all them Brummies again!

Dover's Bar in the Noel Arms

You can find out more about the Games Cotswold Olimpick Games – The forerunner to the modern olympics and there is a very nice quote which gives a flavour of the games – I was in correspondence with Mr Burns for a while and I can thoroughly recommend a trip to the games -If this kind of thing wets your whistle there is another fantastic Olympic legacy around Much Wenlock in Shropshire which can also be called a for pre runner for the modern Olympic game -there’s also a good couple of pubs around so that may need to be another blog.


A word from a friend…
"...Events come and go; the novelty passes. But Robert Dover's Games continue to attract crowds to Dover's Hill on a late May or early June evening. One may ask why and offer emotional reasons - The setting has its romantic qualities. The sound of a band, particularly a pipe band, echoing across a hillside can be haunting. Bearing a torch aloft can evoke the past. Combine all three elements in the procession from the hillside as darkness falls and one can feel part of the agelessness of ways in which people have always enjoyed themselves."

— Dr Francis Burns - A life-long friend to and scholar of The Games.

So stepping into the Dovers Bar and again stepping into history following the footsteps of Charles II who rested here after his Scottish Army was defeated by Cromwell at the battle of Worcester. in 1651. The Bar was quite busy for a Sunday Lunch -Six nations rugby was about to start and large group of local husbands were into watch the game whilst their better have prepared the Sunday Lunch – a nice choice of three cask ales were offered – of course I had to sample all three there was a Rugby game to watch – though it was disappointing to see that the majority of drinkers in the bar were all on Madri that quality Spanish beer brewed in Wolverhampton – even the Chippy Husbands, who all looked to be in the their 60’s were knocking back the Madri with the odd Guiness – I cant really fathom that when there were here quality beers all from within 15 miles of the bar and around 50p cheaper!

I kicked off with a North Cotswold Brewery Cotswold Best a very fine copper bitter that was in fine form – saw quite a few North Cotswold clips around the pubs – they are a newish family run farm based brewery from just outside nearby Moreton on the Marsh.

All Cotswold brewer seem to like their mission statements – Norths is Fine all from the Fossee- (The Fossee being the ancient Fosse way – a Roman made road stretching from Exeter to Lincoln.)

I the moved on to a Cotswold classic an Old Hooky - First brewed to celebrate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee back in 1977 it’s now Hook Norton’s most popular brew – Im always surprised by the lowish ABV at 4.6% – Im perhaps indoctrinated with Old Toms and Rogers from further north – this was and is a good soldi session bitter.



Hook Norton’s current head, James Clarke followed his father into the still family run business, which had been set up by his great-great-grand­father John Harris in 1849. The Brewery will celebrate its 175th anniversary in 2024 – some feat as it has remained a solidly local brewer and managed to keep away the mega brew co’s.



A new brewery for me was my third pint in the Noel, a Uley Hussar and was surprised to learn that this is a Cotswold brewery with some heritage. Brewing at Uley began in 1833 at Price's Brewery in Dursley, After a long gap, the premises was restored and Uley Brewery opened in 1985. The brewery has its own spring water, and produce a range of beers, mainly named after pigs, which feature on the brewery’s logo and marketing materials

Uley Brewery is a Grade 2 Listed Building, a traditional tower brewery built into the flanks of Uley Bury. It was built by Samuel Price in 1833. Uley - We are Genuine Cotswold Brewers

Hussar is their take on a English golden Ale at 4.2% ABV, its tasting notes A golden ale with a fresh fragrant fruity aroma, the initial sup is light and refreshing, followed by a lingering dry hoppy finish, it’s a collaboration brew with the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars

The next pub along the high street is another Hotel Bar - The Lygon Arms which states it is the oldest Coaching Inn in Chipping Campden with records dating back to the 16th Century.

The Hotels own history Outlines the story of the building;

Originally called the "White Hart" derived from Richard II's heraldic symbol. The name was changed to "The George" during the reign of James I (1603-1625). In 1772 there is a reference to the Inn then called "The Hare and Hounds" and was sold in 1821 by John Stanley. There is some confusion over the date that the name became "The Lygon Arms", However, in 1837 an old document refers to "The Hare and Hounds, now called the Lygon".



Lygon quite a popular name in these parts there is a similar named Hotel/Bar in nearby Broadway, The Lygons were Gloucestershire aristocracy -the most famous being the Earls of Beauchcamp who were something f a British Political dynasty with 8th generations representing the area in Parliament



Entering what was probably the coaching arch under the prominent hotel sign , the bar is to the right – there s a very tempting glass case of cakes left out in the passage for some reason. A smallish bar which is a little more foody than drinky – but they normally have arrange of 2-3 cask beers on and usually Local breweries

Our final venue and where we had beds for the night is the Eight Bells just slightly off the high street. The Eight Bells was originally built in the 14th century to house the stonemasons that built St James' church and was later used to store the peal of eight bells that were hung in the church tower. The Inn was rebuilt using most of the original stone and timbers during the 17th century. What exists today is an outstanding example of a traditional Cotswolds Inn with cobbled courtyard.


A choice of four cask and some proper ciders, whilst this is very food oriented pub the enclosed court yard with heaters is a very popular drinking space the food is very good and so was the accommodation – breakfast a particular highlight. The choice on my visit was Wye HPA, and Butty Bach, Old Hooky and North Cotswold best - a favourite of mine Butty Bach was my choice alongside a very good Sunday dinner.

The Bar in the Eight Bells


Chipping Camden is a cracking little town and as stated whilst on the tourist track it still manages to retain a down to earth vibe and doesn’t get quite as busy as the nearby honey traps if Broad Way and Bourton, and is blessed with several decent boozer.

My cunning plan on the way home was to side step the M6 Toll now charging an eye watering £8.90 for a one way trip and head home via the M42 and call in at Tamworth – a Staffordshire town that’s been hitting the headlines in recent time – home to the UK best pub as voted by CAMRA – having recently called in another finalist in Skipton the Beer Engine I was keen to see whether the Tamworth Tap deserved the accolade for the second year running – The Tap home to the Tamworth Brewing Company back onto the Towns Castle and ha sits own heritage in the majority of the building dating back to the 16th Century and boasting a Saxon wall in its beer garden.

And secondly to see if we could catch a glimpse of Spudman – Tamworth’s Jacket potatoes seller who is based in a square next to the town centre church and through Tik Tok has recently enjoyed global viral fame with hour long ques e and over 2 million likes a day and is now regularly selling up to 1200 spuds a day.

However on both counts my cunning plan was a failure – the Tap doesn’t open on a Monday and by the time we got to Spudman he had sold out and was packing up.

A Closed Pub of The Year


Tamworth's Spudman - done for the da

However it was not an entirely wasted stop – spied a cracking little pub opposite the tap that will definitely be a future mission The Market Tavern Tamworth refurbishment by Joule's in late 2018.The Market Vaults is a 17th century building with 18th century frontage. Originally known as the White Hart, by 1803 it was named the Rose and Crown and by 1856 had become the Market Vaults with its vintage Banks window.

A future day out?




I need of a drink and a quick dip into What’s Pub identified the Sir Robert Peel- a pub which had looked busy as we walked into town earlier, in search of the Tap and what a cracking find it was – a little confused by the Irish word son the windows, we entered a pub full of life for a Monday afternoon and a ecliptic range of beers – with Siren, Oakham and MBH all on offer

Saved by the Sir Robert Peel


A very nice Oakham Slovenian Wolf in the Peel




Their website screams - Welcome to the 'Peel! A real pub, for real people, who enjoy real beer! and it lived up to the mission

A bit of research over a very nice pint of Oakham Slovenian Wolf (an very nice it was and a new one for me) explained the Irish windows and Powers Whiskey, Caffreys signs and Guiness windows all over the inside walls – this was a former O Neils Oirish pub and in a previous life was Hamlets wine bar and renkowed local music venue which first opened in 1976, converted from what were 2 cottages, doing a bit of research about the pub later threw up some even more interesting stories back in 1978 the Tamworth Herald reported

Tonic for wine bar drinkers who ‘downed’ 79 gallons of beer in a week
TOWN PUBS LOSE BITTER ‘BATTLE OF REAL BOOZE’

ANGRY Licensees have lost a bitter battle to stop a Tamworth wine bar selling draught beer for real ale fans.


Some publicans have found it hard to swallow plans by Hamlets Wine Bar to sell draught and keg beer.



They have claimed the toilets at Hamlets would not be able to cope with the extra “trade” when customers drank pints of beer as well as small glasses of wine.

And they say the town centre already has enough pubs selling draught beer, without Hamlets getting in on the act.

But after an inspection of the Bar, Tamworth Licensing Justices this week gave the go ahead for the real ale sale.

The granted Hamlets a new on-licence to include the sale of draught and keg beer and rejected the Licensed Victuallers Association plea to call time on the scheme.

Mr. Brian Barnsley, licensee and joint proprietor of Hamlets, said that at present the bar sells unusual beer by the bottle. “We were delighted to find customers’ demand for these beers has been dramatic,” he told magistrates in the last week of June, customers drank their way through 79 gallons of bottled beer. He said there were no plans at the moment to sell normal beers.

“We would be providing beers that are not normally available at the moment – Sam Smith’s real ale. It would be catering for a more specialist clientele,” he said.

Source http://www.tamworthbands.com/history/hamlets/index.htm



The current pub has featured in every issue of the Guide since 2005, the Peel was recognised in CAMRA's national 50th anniversary Golden Awards. It is named after the former prime minister and son of Tamworth, known for his role in the creation of the police force and the Tamworth pig. It did provide a fitting end to my mini beery get away and will feature in a future adventure.

A Twixmas foot in three counties

 

A Twixmas foot in three counties

 

In  with what has become something of an annual family tradition, the 29th of December found eight of the family heading to the bit of the Dales where the grand counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria meet. Our Yorkshire roots meant of course we had to stay in God’s own county and we had managed to secure an isolated, but very well equipped converted barn with one cracking view of the Ribblehead Viaduct. We had spent a previous Twixmas on the other side of the Three peaks but the lower slopes of Whernside were a new patch for us and I was looking forward to checking out the local towns of Ingleton and Kirkby Lonsdale that would be on our doorstep 

The usual plan is to hunker down and recharge after the hectic sprint through Christmas, the tick list for venue is quite straight forward – a space big enough with enough sofas and TVs to give everyone their on space and a could of pubs within striking distance – so the Three Peaks barn fitted very well – especially as the views from to position surrounded by Yorkshires three mountains’ and with the added bonus of hot tub and sauna.

 

Travelling up the M6, a couple of days before New Years, the first night the weather cut short any any idea of tramping across the moor to the Pub – the Station Inn at the southern end of the Ribblehead Viaduct and our other nearest option the Old Hill Inn – which counts Winston Churchill as one of to former gears seemingly all shut up – we decided to make in road into the various assortment of bottles we have been given for Christmas.

Our first venture out, saw a first time visit for me to Kirby Lonsdale, which is just in Cumbria, though historically was in Westmorland. Its a smallish, traditional market town with a reputation for high quality independent shopping (it was runner-up in the 2016 Great British High Street Awards), as well as excellent restaurants, cafés and bars and superb accommodation. Did I mention Bars – for a relatively small town this place is awash with cracking pubs and bars and its very own brewery ban in the middle of town.

CAMRA’s ‘What Pub’ lists 13 venues in the town and to be honest we didn’t do the place justice – but would make a great day out – though unfortunately the rail link was closed in the 1950’s and whilst there is a bus service to Skipton, Kendal and Lancaster, a day out probably would require the services of a dedicated driver to make it a grand day out!

 

Like much of this area, Lonsdale feels a little sleepy and this corner of the Dales does feel a little less touristy, however there is a rich history of industry and changing fortunes. By the late 18^th Century Lonsdale had developed reputation for tanning and weaving, boasting a number of carpet and blanket factories, two tanneries and Water powered textile printing works – this probably accounts for the number of pubs- most of this industry went into o decline at the start of the 20^th Century and there is little trace of this heritage around now. The loss of the railway and the delights of the lakes and coast just a little further west has meat they the town has remained modest in size and more of a place you pass through rather than a destination.

 

A poster in the current brewery states that there were 36 breweries and beer houses in the town, though it has been hard to find any information about the brewing heritage of the town. The current Kirkby Lonsdale brewery was opened in 2009 initially based in a pub on the edge of town and now an out of town unit on the Old station Yard a mile of so down the Yorkshire direction of the Kendal Skipton road. The Brewery has now opened a new brewery tap bang in the middle of town handily next to the main carport and just. Mins room the Booths Supermarket (With Free parking for 1 hour). This is the Royal Barn Brewery and Beer Bar formerly the towns auction mart, in the centre of Kirkby Lonsdale. The brewery in the Royal Barn is in addition to the existing brewery which will continue in production.

 

The Lunesdale CAMRA web pages give a good overview of the Brewery’s background and its slightly nefarious links in the tone

The Kirkby Lonsdale Brewery was officially launched on 9 April 2009. It grew out of the Orange Tree pub in Kirkby Lonsdale. At the heart of this is the Taylor family team. Kingpin is Richard, known to everyone as “Plug”, not from the Bash Street Kids, but from a former career as a plumber. Also involved are son Stuart, brother Roger (from Taylors Outdoor and Army Surplus store in the town) and Alan Stephenson (of Stephenson and Son coaches) . Plug was born in the Green Dragon, now the Snooty Fox, down the street so he is a real local and a born licensee. However, none have ever brewed before — not even at home — so this new venture has been a big learning experience. They have relied on Porter Brewing Company of Bury, who installed the plant, instructed the team in brewing and supervised the first brew. 

So far the work is all being done by the team of four. All can do any job, but Stuart is the main brewer.

One of the unusual features — unusual for a new microbrewery anyway — is a bottling line. I was there to witness the arrival of the first pallet of bottles. Bottling began in early April. In the future is another pub “when the right one comes up”.

Nick enroute to the Lonsdale Brewery Tap - don’t let the empty streets fool you

The Tap is well worth visit – but be warned like most brewery taps these days it is likely to be the busies place in town – our visits on an early afternoon initially found standing room only – it’s a big barn like space with a small mezzanine balcony – a long bar with the full range of Brewery beers as well as an impressive range of lagers including their own brewed Royal Lager. If like us you are keen to try as many beers as possible they do a couple of offers – 6 halves for or a half of all 12 beers for £18 which gives a very competitive £3 a pint. – it being early doors we went for the plank of 6 – perhaps a shame they don’t do thirds though. Be prepared to share a table and with it being the hols the place was full of families and dogs which for a while did slightly cause a slight distraction – with a version of who can bark the loudest – cue brother to go into a rant about dogs in tap houses and tales of a similar doggy chorus in nearby Hawkshead Tap, a couple of weeks ago. 

Another recurring tap experience, was sharing a table with a very nice couple who had been in a couple of times already this week – but in all their visits had not strayed any further than their usual  pints of Madri despite there being 12 home brewed beers (including a lager) right in front of them and considerably cheaper – still every one to their own.

There is apparently some brew kit here at the Royal Barn, though the main focus in terms of brewing takes place at the Station Yard site, there is also a coffee presence at the Royal Barn with a very impressive grinding machine at the far end of the tap.

 

As mentioned above there are a number of cracking pubs in Lonsdale – some tied to brewery e.g. Robinson’s Red Dragon and Bowland Brewery’s Royal Hotel (with a stunning position on te Market pace, but most independent and the majority competing to be Lonsdale’s oldest pub – What pub suggest that Kings Arms Hotel takes this title having been recorded as far back as the 1500’s and also houses the largest working inglenook fire place in Cumbria

 

Just off the market square, on Main Street, is the Grade 2 listed Snooty fox (indeed Main Street hosts the majority of the town’s pubs. There are also a couple of smaller bistro style bars Avanti tucked away down a alleyway off main street (offers beers from Marstons), Number Nine, a tapas style bar that serves local beers, we didn’t get a chance to hunt down Platos – its What Pub description is enticing; Modern village centre bar, which is popular for its quality local ales and food. Always trying to serve the ales in top form, with only 4 pumps there is a good turn around of ales.

This pub serves 3 regular beers; Kirkby Lonsdale Tiffin Gold, Old School Hopscotch and Tirril Old Faithful

Our main focus though was a cracking pub – The Orange Tree – the birth pace of the KL  brewery – this is a cracking pub on an ancient street overlooking the impressive Parish Church (which gives the town its name (from the Old Norse Kirkjubyr - ‘Village with a Church’)

This is pub with very much a rugby heart – much of the walls contains photos. Shirts and rugby memorabilia, indeed the pubs name has a rugby link. George Richard Taylor aka Plug (apparently he was a plumber in a former life) bought The hotel in 1996 and changed its name from The Fleece Inn to The Orange Tree after his favourite watering hole in Twickenham, that he visits before going to watch a game.

A saloon door opens into a bar dominating the from of the pub with seating either side and a dining room at the rear. The link to the town’s brewery remains and you should find at least 4or 5 of the brewery’s cask beers as well as guests, the pub also specialises in stout.

 

The very welcoming bar of the Orange Tree and an array of gleaming hand pumps

The beer was on good from – a very nice KL Ruskins

                     

A beer linked to John Ruskin 19^th Century poet who claimed the view from the Churchyard over the River Lune was the loveliest on England and therefore the World – handily the Orange Tree is virtually next door to said church yard

 

The many pubs of Kirkby Lonsdale – A beery Nirvana

 

Red Dragon - A Robinson's House 

Snooty Fox Inn - Multi roomed Stonegate boozer

Number Nine - Tapas Bar serving Cask

Kings Arms Hotel - Town's Oldest Inn, largest inglenook in Cumbria 

 

Royal Hotel - Bowland Brewery owned 

 

Sun Inn - Four Cask offer 

 

         Oh and a very fine purveyor of award winning sausages – AND VERY GOOD THEY WERE

Back on Yorkshire soil 

Masons Free House - Ingleton
Pic MickMcG Tripadvisor

Back firmly in Yorkshire Ingleton has its own mini viaduct now sadly detrained and is famous for its waterfalls again has a number of pubby options – as often the case, unfortunately our targeted venue the newish micro bar in the Old Post Office was not open for most of our stay (Closed Mon-Wed) so a visit to the OPO is still on the wish list. The rest are mainly solid village type pubs Thwaites run the Craven Heifer and the Three Horseshoes. The oldest and most interesting pub is the Wheatsheaf near to the viaduct and waterfalls – though What Pub regular beer list is a little uninspiring Doombar and Theakston’s best.

 

The Masons Free House which is on the main road has an interesting back story What Pub reports pened apparently in the 1840s as a beerhouse, run by a family of monumental masons. Owned successively by Ingleboro' Brewery, Yates & Jackson and Thwaites. Up to 5 cask beers on offer

 Slightly out of the village and our choice is the Marston Arms in very quaint hamlet, Thornton in Lonsdale – a pub, a church and a set of stocks quaint. 

Marston Arms- Thornton in Lonsdale 

Behind the 1679 datestone and old oak door, a flagged passage leads to a light and airy bar (refurbished 2017) with a cosy dining area. Tables on a patio and a small but attractive beer garden. We had booked a table s there was eight of us, and a old job as we entered a very busy pub in a very small hamlet that continued to be rammed throughout our three hours there, a good range of cask on offer; Settle Old Smithy Porter, Black Sheep Bitter and their Christmas special SnowFlake and Bowland Bumble

I majored on the Bumble, a new beer for me and not on bad form, a SIBA regional gold winner, this blonde ale is lightly hopped with the addition of the brewery’s own honey. Then still feeling a little festive thought I’d better sample some Snowflake, a Black Sheep offer we don’t tend to get in the North Midlands – and it wasn’t bad for a festive brew not a glove or cinnamon in sight (well taste) brewery tasting notes suggests it’s a pale, fruity and easy-drinking  ale with a citrus punch and a light, fruity aftertaste.

A trip to Skipton - Gateway to the dales 

Seeking people we ventured towards the gateway to the Dales and a very wet 2^nd of January a proper busy market town with castle, street market, load of welcoming pubs and some very fine pie shops. A good starting point just off the main shopping area is Skipton’s rather posh Spoons

The Devonshire - Skipton's stately Spoons 

The Devonshire, a rather impressive old building, serving a good range of beers beyond the usual Doom Bar/Abbott offer . Built as an inn in the 18th century, this was originally known as The New Inn. Designed by local big wig,  the Earl of Burlington (who was a bit a dab hand at architecture also designing a range of building across the land including Westminster school, Burlington and York’s Assembly Rooms) it was renamed The Devonshire Inn when the Earl’s daughter married the Duke of Devonshire and moved to a rather nicer castle at Chatsworth.

It was, for a time a Tetley’s house and there is Tetley huntsman sign still hanging on the newish pub next door the Devonshire Vaults, there is also another micro pub Early Doors, one down as well though always appears to be closed when we have been in town.

A good range of beers and a fist full of CAMRA 50p off vouchers meant a couple were tasted Goose eye chinook followed by a Ilkley Mary Jane

Leaving the Devonshire 

Arriving at the Ref and Whistle 30 seconds later 

A short hop over the road and in what was now a proper Yorkshire rain storm we headed for another long over due visit to one of Skipton‘s oldest micro bars the Ref and whistle(previously Styles Bar). Not quite sure about the new name but as we were the only customers in had a good chat with the owners son who was looking after the bar for the day whilst still recovering from what he told us was a  Christmas overdose of Jamiesons and baileys, he said it was a big Leeds Utd pub and was busiest on match days when they screen the games.

There were four cask beers ale on offer so we opted for a half of each;  

Moorhouse’s White Witch, a Golden ale the barmen said that they always have one Moorhouse as their regular, which is a bold move supporting a Lancashire brewery in deepest Yorkshire

Settle Brewery Blood Orange IPA – which was an interesting drop

Bingley Yippee Ki-Yay -billed as an English Stout

Bristol Beer Factory 12 Apostles – a Australian Pale which was our pick of the four

Not sure I’ve come across an Australian Pale before though I did drink a hell of a lot of VB before finding Carlton Gold when I was in Oz. Apparently Australian pales have a malty profile and just enough woody and floral hops to making them less bitter and aromatic than American pales – this Bristol version has three Aussie hops  Galaxy, Ella and Enigma.

Ref & Whistle - What a New Year's Eve on Jamos and Baileys does for you

 

 

 

 

Popping in The Yorkshire pub of the year 2023

A new venue for us both and tucked away in a bit a beer triangle near the canal, perhaps not the best looking bar from the outside though the number of empty casks hint at its popularity.

Recently crowned Yorkshire pub of the year and shortlisted for the National tile - The other three finalists were the Nelson Arms, Tonbridge; Tamworth Tap, Tamworth; and the Trafalgar Hotel, Ramsey, Isle of Man. ( The Tamworth Tapwon it for the 2^nd or 3^rd year running)

Opened in May 2014 you can see the very good Narrow Boat inn through the rear windows extended
in 2022 a very nice snug area. A recent visit and review from the Burnley express paints an intriguing picture It was a most unique bar area, with the casks placed behind the bar. It looked most impressive. Joint owner Janet Langton explained: “We use a pulley system to hoist the casks into the cabinet. It gets lots of nice comments from our customers.”

Warming up in the Beer Engine 

A sneak of nearby Narrow Boat Inn another Skipton gem

Back to a Pub with a view

The last pub visited was our closet hostelry, a 15 minute tramp, on a good path, over the moor and under the viaduct, a bit of a Landmark in these parts and its write up in various guides promised much – being honest it was not quite as billed but I did visit after New Year when the beer choice was a limited – the photos of their Rock a billy News Years Eve bash probably give them a very good excuse!

The Station inn this pub doubled as a farm until the 1960’s reviews report that where the bar counter now stands was the barn. While the pub is independent there appears to be a strong link to Black Sheep, much of the external signage contains Black Sheep logos, and while we were around 2of the 5 beers were black sheep.

The pub website gives a comprehensive overview of the inn’s history

The Station Inn, licensed in 1879, was built around the same time as the viaduct and doubled as both farm and hostelry both a pub and a farm. John Kilburn, who was the local school master for over 30 years, was its first landlord. With John already in his late 70s much of the work fell to his wife Sarah and their son Tom, who later took over from his father. By the 1960’s much of the accompanying farm land had been sold off with the last landlords to still operate both Inn and (by then) a small holding being Dorothy and John Menheneott.

In the late 1970’s landlord John Giles refurbished much of the downstairs public areas including both opening up the area where the bar now stands which used to be a hay barn and replacing the river fed water system with the pubs own bore hole through which fresh dales water is extracted from deep beneath the limestone the Inn stands on. 2018 saw the first major refurbishment for almost forty years with the former stone bar moved from the middle of the building to its current resting position creating a much more open feel to the Inn and the impressive traditional Victorian range being installed in the snug to create another comfortable and warm space for visitors to rest after a day out in the Dales.

The Station Inn benefits from being located next to the famous Ribblehead Viaduct that crosses the wide expanse of ground, known as Batty Moss, in the run up to the foot of Whernside. Looking across Batty Moss from the back window of The Station Inn, it is hard to believe that up to 2000 workers were housed from Batty Moss to the mouth of the Blea Moor tunnel in settlements with outlandish names such as Sebastopol, Belgravia, Jericho, Jerusalem and Tunnel Huts. Built in 1872, the Viaduct comprises of 24 arches, each standing 155 feet high, and is the most impressive of all the many viaducts supporting the 72 mile long Settle to Carlisle Railway. This railway represented Victorian endeavour on a grand scale and was without doubt a major feat of engineering. 

Most of the pub's interior walls are covered with information, cutting and stories about the viaduct - there is a table to the left of the bar that has a cracking view of said viaduct - but be prepared for hovering masses waiting to pounce as she finish the last slurps of your beer.

So a very enjoyable few days and a great new discovery in Kirkby Lonsdsale – which is well worth a visit in a little bit forgotten corner of the Dales/Lakes. Skipton never fails to please even on a very wet day in January and both the Beer Engine and Ref and Whistle are well worth a visit. Here’s wishing  that 2024 is filled with similar beery gems and highlights