24/04/21 - Centenary Way - Stage 2 - Shustoke

Distance - 7 Miles

Geocaches - 2

Pub - The Griffin, Furnace End

Previous Stages - Stage 1

Just when I was thinking the Good Beer Guide 2021 was one of my more pointless of purchases.

For this walk - which will not stay in the memory for long - will be famous for the first tick of 2021.  In April.  A lightening fast response to my opening hours Facebook query meant that I knew I would be rewarded with a decent pint and that they didn't mind pre-walk use of their car park.  

Which even contains a stile to access the Warwickshire Countryside.

The walk was pretty hopeless to be honest.  We pass two sides of Shustoke Reservoir but never really get close enough to see it.  A railway - that isn't HS2 - causes route disruption - with the path on my elderly OS Map showing a crossing that doesn't exist on the ground.  My subscription to OS Maps would have paid for itself - if only I had looked at it in enough detail.  The rest is a dull circuit of Whitacre Heath, Nether Whitacre and Botts Green.

Comparing OS Maps - Right Hand Side shows the CW diverting to the right to cross the railway

The only thing of interest - Shustoke Reservoir.  TBF, it ain't that interesting

So - onto the good news.

Good Beer Guide Tick #541 - The Griffin Inn, Furnace End

Of course, the stone bar and inglenook fireplaces were off limits but they have made a good job of taking a pubby experience outside.

A large marquee hosts a proper bar, holding 6 hand pulls - no less.  The waitress reeled off the 6 names - with only Salopian Hop Twister ringing any bells.  With no time to check on Untappd for a description of these unknown beers, I simply chose what the previous guest had ordered - as I could see it settling on the bar top.

My first Abbeydale Absolution was a fine choice to declare myself back in the pub beer garden ticking game.

Tasted as good as it looks