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
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 18th 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 20th 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”.
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Nick enroute to the Lonsdale Brewery Tap - don’t let the
empty streets fool you |
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.
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| The very welcoming bar of the Orange Tree and an array of gleaming hand pumps |
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| The beer was on good from – a very nice KL Ruskins |
A beer linked to John Ruskin
19th 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
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| Red Dragon - A Robinson's House |
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| Snooty Fox Inn - Multi roomed Stonegate boozer |
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| Number Nine - Tapas Bar serving Cask |
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| Kings Arms Hotel - Town's Oldest Inn, largest inglenook in Cumbria |
Royal Hotel - Bowland Brewery owned
Sun Inn - Four Cask offer
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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
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.
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| Marston Arms- Thornton in Lonsdale |
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 2nd 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
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| 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
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| Leaving the Devonshire |
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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.
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| 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 2nd or 3rd year running)
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.”
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| 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.
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
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