27/06/19 - The Fighting Cocks, Stottesdon

Distance - 4.5 Miles
Pubs - 2
Geocaches - 0
Walk Inspiration

Occasionally, we stumble on a pub, take one sip of a drink and think "This must be in the Good Beer Guide".

We're in Stottesdon, Shropshire, to make the most of the first signs of the English summer.   Despite being within 12 miles of home, I'd never heard of the place.   Wikipedia research informs of a 450 A.D. Church and a bus service.

The walk maybe would have been OK in the winter.   Mrs M is not happy with bramble and stinger overgrown footpaths that eventually disappear and the massive holes that I assume are badger setts but might be man traps.   When we find the collapsed bridge at SO684832 she exclaims that "we're walking along canals next week".

Starts Gentle enough.  Next field, Frisians

Emerging at Chorley Manor, after the battle of the undergrowth

Maybe mid ramble refreshment will improve her mood.

The Duck Inn at Chorley is one of those places that you wonder how it manages to survive.  Closed on Mon/Tue and 7pm evening opening hours for the rest of the week until the weekend.   It's 7:10pm when we gently open the squeking door to find an empty boozer filled with Nan's furniture.  Eventually Nan appears.

She's a lovely lady and we order our halves.   As the first patrons in today, she diligently has to pour off around 3pints of Wye Valley HPA froth.   We use the time to get to know each other.   Almost to the point when I say "I'll have a John Smiths Smooth Pour" if its easier.

Things we learn in this time - she normally has a ladies dart team in on a Thursday but they've canceled.   A fat lady broke her favourite armchair last week.   Three diners come in and TripAdvisor confirms the food is wonderful.

A C17th Coaching House in a village not really on a road

With heavy hearts, we leave to tackle the route back.  Its much improved on good farm tracks and quiet lanes through the farmsteads of Upper and Lower Harcourt.   The views are also available in this direction and we are rewarded with the sun gently dropping over the Clee Hills.

Think this is Titterstone Clee Hill

And this Brown Clee Hill

Arriving back at Stottesdon, we make an easy decision to camp in the beer garden, walking past the attached cafe/shop and  heading inside to check out the wares.   Wye Valley Butty Bach and HPA and Hobsons.

Two Pub Kind of Walk

The HPA was that good it made me wonder.

Confirmation received when we had access to the bible.

I knew it - Tick #393