03/04/17 - The Robin Hood, Drayton

Distance - 4 Miles
Geocaches - 0
Walk Inspiration - Pub Walks around Birmingham and Coventry, Walk 16


The light Spring evening are going to provide the perfect conditions to knock off the reamaining CAMRA Good Beer Guide Pubs in the local Worcestershire Countryside.

And you know you are in the Countryside when the pub has this type of signage.

No Horses

The Walk

The inspiration from the this walk came from a book called "Pub Walks around Birmingham and Coventry".  We are on the book's boundary threshold in Drayton, a small village with an industrial past. The locals have to go to Belbroughton for the "Big Shop".

And despite 14 years of hard walking in the area, this is my first visit.  Thank you Good Beer Guide.

The walk is simple - head along lanes and fields to Hillpool - following the nascent River Stour - which empties into the Severn at my home town.  Things you learn from maps.

Walking away from Hillpool

Cross over the rat-run that is Hackman's Gate Lane and into a most wonderful rape seed field.  It's most wonderful now, as a) its not wet and b) hay-fever season is yet to be declared and c) the farmer has left a clear path.

Handy Path

Skirt the edges of Belbroughton and follow the River Stour back to Drayton - reading the signs of its industrial past in scythe and sword making.

Drayton Pool

The Pub - The Robin Hood, Drayton, Enville Ale

The Author of the walking guide waxes lyrical about his "chicken Balinese Mexican spicy bake".  I am finding it hard to tell if he ordered one dish or two.  Beer wise, I know he had an Ind Coope Burton Ale.  I'm fairly sure this is a brew consigned to the past, although pub archaeologists have been checking into untappd.com as recently as last year.

They are now serving a couple from Wye Valley and my dad's favourite - Enville Ale, brewed on the outskirts of Kinver.

A possible inspiration for my next evening Real Ale adventure.

Old School - A pubby welcome to all the drivers

Liquid Gold