11/11/17 - Bishop's Castle Pubs

Bishop's Castle offers plenty to the Rambler.  We came three years ago, expecting to find the Three Tuns brewery but being surprised by the wealth of beery entertainment options available.  A proper night out is required to sample the pubs and the two breweries.

Pub crawl inspiration was found in a nifty little CAMRA guide but for the definitive pub guide - you have to love the Internet.  This cracking site details the current 6 and the lost 40.  Good work.

49 other adventures await

Following a damp November walk over Oakeley Mynd, we had the afternoon, evening and night to explore.

The Six Bells, Church Street, Cloud Nine

Six Bells - Pub and Brewery

Returning into BC, we decide to knock a couple off and the Six Bells is a fine place to start any adventure.  Its a decent enough pub, but also a brewery.  Through the porch and closed doors left or right.  Decision time and we make the correct choice by going right, where the bar and other customers are located.

The punters are a lady waiting for her CAMRA loving husband and son to come back from a brewery tour and three dogs - including the adorable Milly the resident Labradoodle.  She refused to give up her bench seat, even when humans fill the bar later in the day.

Service - and fire starting - is provided by two enthusiastic Polish Ladies.  We will meet them, and Milly, later on.

Marie Celeste of bars.  10 mins later, the place was heaving

Beer wise, I was on new ground and consulted the various menus dotted around the place.  I went for a Cloud Nine - A Golden Beer that was functional.  When the CAMRA tour came back, they all had Hero - which looked much more lively than mine.

I could have stayed all day to sample more but there was much work to do.

The Boar's Head, Church Street. Ludlow Gold

Boars Head - Food

Well presented, welcoming family dining type pub with a wonderful log burner.  One or two real ales on and the Ludlow Gold was in fine condition.   Cask Marque Accredited.

Fast becoming a favourite

Castle Hotel, Market Square, Clun Pale Ale

BC by Night

Town full of surprises.  Night fell in BC and we headed out for our evening meal.  This tick was included, simply to complete the town, as you don't expect much beer wise from a hotel.

But this place was top notch.  Once you work out how to get in, there's a proper bar full of drinkers, taking advantage of Chesterfields, a log burner and a really top class selection of ales.   There were several from the three tuns (going there next), some Hobsons and a never before seen Clun Brewery Pale Ale.

Even has a record in UnTappd for check in

Great place.

The Three Tuns, Salop Street, Rantipole

After our last visit, I went to a pub quiz in my local where the question was "Name England's oldest Brewery".  My team mate looked to me.  I said The Three Tuns, Bishops Castle, with some confidence.  I had read their bar mats.   The answers came in.  Shepherd's Neame.  Much protestation ensued but I may have mis-read the info.  This is England's oldest licenced brewery.

It was, as I remember it.  Good food and organised tours of men who have come especially to this small town for beery day out.

England's Oldest?

Did I learn anything new on this visit?  It's in the 2018 Good Beer Guide.  There's a blue plaque on outside dedicated to the man who wrote the songs for Cliff Richard and the Shadows.  The Rantipole was even better than the Cleric's Cure.

The Kings Head, Church Street, Wye Valley Butty Bach

The night is moving on and we determine where the action in town is on these last two ticks.

External photos were not possible due to the many smokers gathered outside on both our entrance and exit.

We fight our way through and the place is heaving but we strike lucky, with a pub crawl party of 10 men just about to leave.  We can soak in the atmosphere of a popular market town pub at 9:30pm.  Things we observe.

• Oasis is the most popular band on the jukebox
• There are some spectacularly drunken people
• Many of them have come straight from work.  Unless its fancy dress and high viz jackets is the theme

A cracking atmosphere and a very good example of my local tipple.   This photo captures pub life.

Pub Life

The Crown and Anchor Vaults, High Street, Ludlow Gold


We had high hopes for this place as we could see the sign from our B&B over the road that proclaimed live music.   But how good will The Endings be?

Bathed in Orange.  With Live Music

They were perfect Saturday night entertainment - fiddle driven Irish based rock anthems.  Everyone in town knows they are on, as most of the Kings Head come in once they start up and our two blokely pub crawl teams are already here.

We manage to get a seat at the back and peer at the action through gaps in the bar.

The Endings at the Vaults

In come the two Polish ladies from the Six Bells, with Milly the Labradoodle and another dog on leads.  You would think this would stop them from hitting the dancefloor with such aplomb.  If you've never seen a Pole do an Irish jig with a dog on a lead, then get yourself down to Bishop's Castle on a Saturday.

With our room in such close proximity to the action, there's no point in going home.

Our extended stay is rewarded with a rendition of "A Fairy Tale of New York" and we know Xmas is on the horizon.