12/10/20 - Good Beer Guide Ticking in York

Distance - Probably about 10 miles

Geocaches - 2 Trad and 3 Adventure Lab Caches that caused me to go around and around

Walk Inspiration 

Pub Ticking on a Monday. I must be mad. On the day of Boris's traffic light announcement, when I set off this morning, I wasn't sure how much longer such simple joys would be available. Turns out that as long as you drink in a Wetherspoons (or other Gastropubs) - you are OK even in the Red Zones.

There may be a trip to Knaresborough this week.

Before the pubs - I need to work up a thirst. A combination of a good City Centre route from www.urbanrambles.com and three Lab Caches to take in the Walls, the Snickets and the Roman Ruins and I've got a good feel for the City.  There would be a lot of photos - so I'll just publish the flickr photos for blogfans of a more architectural bent.

York in all its Glory

By midday, I find myself in the far East of the City and ready for a drink....  harder than you would think on a Monday, where many are closed all day (some on Tuesday too) and a few aren't open till 5pm.  Wagon and Horses, Rook and Gaskill, Brew York Tap House and the Gillygate remain waiting for a future tick. 

But fear not - there's plenty of other ticks available and the first is probably the best of the lot.

The Blue Bell - Timothy Taylor Landlord

You cannot help but make a dramatic entrance into this tiny looking, yet Tardis-esque classic. The door to the front bar badly sticks.

Starting Small

But it goes back a long way

Bursting in - I take stock of my surroundings - a long table in the window - free now but reserved by the Morris Men at 7pm.  Two other tables - one occupied by a man with information and one free near the fire, which the land lady offers me.  When I say "near", I am glad its not lit - as I my bottom would be aflame.

The landlady has problems with a lively yet lovely TT Landlord that requires phone calls and a card reader that doesn't work.  I get talking to the man with the info.  He works at one of three Tadcaster breweries.  Not the angry one but the smooth one.  Tadcaster gets added to the list of walking locations this week now that I know the bridge is re-opened.

Pint delivered, discussions with the landlady about the traffic light system.  She thinks they will be forced to close even if York is in the middle category.  

I hope the rules are simple enough that they will be able to make an informed decision.

I leave with the promise that I may be back later in the day, if I am passing.   More caching to complete.

Pivni, Bristol Beer Valley of Eden

If you going to drink in an ancient city, you may as well drink in a ancient building.   Pivni is hosted in a three story timber framed construction dating back to 1190.

Boozer - 1190 Style

I am met by the door and whisked away from the bar where I would have had a chance to see what World Beers are on offer.  Answering the question "do you know what you want?" with "What beers do you have?"  is met with "There are 17 on tap".  

Neither of us can be bothered to go through the full list - so I stick on the second one that is offered - a lovely foamy pint of pale from Bristol.

Cracking

Shame there was no menu - as I could only look on with envy as future customers - who know the lie of the land - ordered exotic European beers in glasses that even I couldn't identify.

Or they may have been pornstar martinis.

The Ackhorne Inn - Jorvik Flaxen Blonde

Next stage of the Adventure Lab Cache has me looking at stones in the base of a church down an alley and low and behold - another tick awaits.

I'm starting to tell the types of pub simply by how they are dealing with a crisis.

Always read the small print

As unpretentious a place that you could hope to find and much loved by the locals.  Its about 2pm on a Monday and busy - but there's nooks and crannies for self isolation. 

Keeping out the way, I make a friend.  As my pint is delivered, it is explained it is the pub dog, who is friendly but will lick my shoes.

My walking footwear with the remains of whatever I found in the Harrogate countryside keep him busy for the pint and provide me with company.

Tasty Scarpas

The Maltings, Black Sheep

Making my way back to the side of town with the railway station for my escape should York be instantly in Stage 3 and I need to flee the city like Tom Cruise at the start of War of Worlds. Except on a Northern Train.

I pass the Maltings on high and drop down to get the tick.

The Maltings

This is the first place that I asked if there was somewhere quieter to sit - having been offered a small table surrounded by three others that couldn't be 2m away. They obliged and I had prime position in front of the bar to entertain myself by reading the many tin advertising signs around the bar and trying to work out where they got their toilet signage from.

The Slip Inn, Timothy Taylor Boltmaker

Two more to do before the 18:11 whisks me back to Harrogate.  This is a tiny back street community pub.  I'm 4 pints into the day and maybe this is when paranoia starts to kick in. I don my full face black mask, enter, do the scan and hand sanitise at the station by the front door.

Every single person in there is staring at me.

It's not even my skull face mask - which would have deserved the stares. Although they cannot see my lips move, I offer an hello - hoping to break the ice and they all say hello back.  

When I get my quiet seat and take stock of my surroundings, I see that the station is under a silent TV, with subtitles trying to explain whatever the hell Boris is mumbling on about.   That's a job you don't want - deciphering Boris.  You'd wear the UHM keys out.

Everyone in the pub was desperately watching the TV to see if they could come back tomorrow.

Slip Inside and agree that Boltmaker is better than Landlord

The Swan, Timothy Taylor Landlord

Just up the road and aimed by the same people as the Slip Inn is a Tetley Heritage Pub, complete with a blue plaque that made me think someone famous had drank and/or died there.

More Back Street Lovliness

A long corridor, providing access to an empty snug that I commandeer for myself and I have chance to reflect on my days work with a TT landlord.

I may have been hasty with my Boltmaker assessment.

Proper Pub Interior

A short walk for the train and I am 30 minutes early for the 18:11.  Then I hear the tannoy announce I have 4 minutes to find platform 8 for an unexpected 17:44 to Leeds via Harrogate.

I make a run for it, burst on board and then get that sinking feeling only felt by users of British Public transport that I probably have the wrong ticket for this type of train.

I know.  I'll wear a disguise - in case I am caught.