16/10/20 - Harrogate to Knaresborough along the Nidd Gorge

Distance - 5.5 Miles

Geocaches - 5 and a Lab Cache

Walk Inspiration - CAMRA Pub Walks in Yorkshire 

This is a walk in honour of Bob Steel, author of many of the CAMRA Pub Walks Books.  I've completed many of his walks in London and Edinburgh and found him most engaging on Twitter, as I shared routes of his I had completed.  It was on Twitter, I found out that he passed about 2 weeks ago, when I was planning this walk. 

RIP Bob.

I've saved this one for the last day of our Yorkshire jaunt.  It has all the attributes that I love in a walk.  Linear, with a return on public transport.  Arriving at a historically interesting new town with plenty to discover.  Good Beer Guide recommended pubs.

And we can start from our (AirBnB) front door.

It only takes a short bimble through a housing estate before we pick up the Nidd Gorge.  Guide dog in training Abi is delighted.  She has 5 miles of free running/swimming on the fast flowing, yet mainly shallow River Nidd.  We won't hear a peep out of her for the rest of the evening.

Nidd Gorge Info and more or less our route

Harrogate Disused Viaduct

You mean I get to swim as often as I want in the River Nidd?

A midday arrival into Knaresborough and we mix things up seeing the sights by finding the 5 stage Adventure Lab Cache and visiting any of the Good Beer Guide Pubs that happen to be open on Friday Lunchtime.

Knaresborough's most famous attraction

Knaresborough Castle

The View from a Lab Cache Location

Onto the Pubs.

Six Poor Folk - Jaipur

Former C15th Almhouse, this is now a little bit micro, along with some outside seating - where you can overhear why people really need to buy a flat cap from the milliners opposite.  Rest assured, no one can carry off it as well as Idris Elba.  Otherwise I would have bought one.

I started the week off with what I thought was a dodgy pint of Jaipur.  Glad to say that I was proved correct, as the pint served here was so good, Mrs M suggested we stay for another.

One poor folk, one poor dog, a cider and an exceptional Jaipur

Blind Jacks, Black Sheep

Just around the corner - and with the windows open, you can be serenaded by the busker.  No "Wonderwall" here - its operatic arias.  Mrs M recognised "One Cornetto".

Small but perfectly formed pub that in these strange times, had the advantage of a printed menu for all things cask and keg.  Alas, bottles were too numerous to be added and as the beer mats were branded St Feuillien, I cannot help but think I missed out on a Friday lunchtime knee trembler.

Black Sheep's new Glassware

Good Beer, Good Times

The Mitre, Timothy Taylor Boltmaker

The trains back to Harrogate are every 30 minutes, but it doesn't matter what time you time your departure, there will be the chance for just one more.

This could not be any more convenient for the station.  With the Harrogate Tap at the other end, there's no reason to stop the party then either.

A little bit soulless inside - with identikit pub furniture - the visit was saved by good service, food and beer.   

Boltmaker IS my pint of the week in Yorkshire.  Sorry Theakstons - it was close.

Knaresborough's Waiting Room - The Mitre

W/B 10/10/20 - Harrogate Good Beer Guide Ticking

Strange times for the pub ticker.  Reality brought home as the walk from my AirBnB passes Yorkshire's Nightingale hospital.  I started a careful investigation of Harrogate's pubs scene on the Saturday - getting my first non booking refusals - and continued at more quiet times over the next few days.  Always taking the advice delivered succinctly by Major Tom's.

Hands - Space - Face

The Old Bell, Timothy Taylor Landlord

This was my first port of call on a Saturday night and the first time there has been no room at the inn for me anywhere in the land.  No room available at any time this weekend.  Instead, a Tuesday night visit gained access without issue - but sitting there blogging my Masham experience - I could hear others being refused entry.

Old Bell

It's the closest I found to a traditional pub experience in Harrogate but even is this is deceptively young.  Rebuilt on the site of the Blue Bell in 1999.

Well looked after - both me and the TT landlord - as I finished up blogging and gazed through the window at a rainy Tuesday in town.

Pub Views

Coach and Horses - Dead

Saturday was turning into a farce - I had been also been turned away from Major Tom's Social and Adventure Lab Caching took me to the furthest outlier pub - the Coach and Horses.

Hello Darkness, My Old Friend

The nearby Tap at Tower Street told me that it had been a forced closure as they had recently broken the rules of six.  Plastered on the doors was a notice for re-application of a liquor licence.

Starling Independent Cafe Bar - Norther Monk Faith

Cafe Culture

Not sure exactly what this is.  Too big to be a micro.  Too beery to be a Cafe.  Importantly, it was open and had space for me to sit in the steamed window on the first floor.  A long way from the pizza loving and sweary students.

I embraced the craft experience with a murky Northern Monk Keg.  It was like there was a party in my mouth.

The C Bomb Droppers offering nothing to the ambiance

The Little Ale House - Vocation Bread and Butter

Saturday night started with a wimper but ended with success..... not that I was 100% convinced I should be entering any premises with "Little" in the title.

Not easy to find.  I went around streets with Cheltenham in the name several times before realising its underneath the Indian restaurant, where I was forced to ask a smoking diner if he knew where it was.  Pointing directly in front of him, I was reminded of the time I caught a 20 yard Taxi to Edinburgh's Oxford Bar, when I had lost my bearings there.

It has white frontage on Google Maps

It transpired that I had nothing to fear from somewhere so little.  Not only did this have a garden - it also had patio heaters.  The beer was excellent and the service was exceptional.  

Mrs M is joining me mid week.  I hope to persuade her to revisit.

Harrogate Tap - Timothy Taylor Landlord

One for the rail travellers - as they have converted some former railway buildings outside the main station.  I popped in on my way back from York.   Not too much to say really - long bar, plenty of space and those table/seat combinations that somehow reminded me of a less sticky Wetherspoons.

Would I go back?

Well, I am thinking of getting the Train back from Knaresborough.

All in lights

Major Tom's Social - Chimmay Blue

Yorkshire Youth Club

In true pub ticking reportage style, I'll leave the best to last.  I didn't know quite what to expect from a "Youth Club for Grown Ups" but that description more or less nails it.

High ceilings and loads of space - they even had the added protection of perspex-ing off the tables.  Drinks are ordered from a QR Scanned Web Site that lists their full compliment of casks (2), kegs (several), bottles (many) and whiskies (unusual).  Payment on line too - so you just login, read the descriptions, place your order and sit back and hope that it has all gone through.  

Of course it had...  with friendly delivery service that made the whole experience a joy.  I wonder if we will ever go back to jostling for space at busy bars and getting into fights by answering "Who's Next" with misplaced assertiveness?

Food Pairing - Belgian Style

Nice vibe, with other youths playing board games and some decent music at a good volume.  

Time to sit back and relax and ponder whether Yorkshire ever forgives or ever forgets.

I mean, to go to all that trouble....

Footnote:  Eagle eyed boozehounds will notice that I didn't blog on the Blues Cafe Bar.   The queue was 10 deep on Saturday and even I have levels of risk I am prepared to entertain.

Plus it was raining.

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.

27/09/20 - Good Beer Guide Ticking in Gloucester

Ok, I get that now is not the best time to be attempting a Pub Crawl, but I had booked my Premier Inn before the 2nd Lock Down.  There is no danger of me missing Match of the Day 2.  Boris says I need to be in bed by 9:30.

My afternoon starts in Gloucester Quays - all very sympathetically restored and full of shops and brew kitchens.  Much better to what they did to Gloucester Centre - where you can walk through 800 year old cloisters to be faced with soulless 1970's new builds.  Still, I'm no Iain Nairn, so on with the pubs.

All rather splendid in Gloucester Quays

Brewhouse and Kitchen

The lucky ones managed to get outside seats in the sunshine.  I was met at the door by a masked greeter, scanned in for track and trace on the NHS app and was shown to a high table a good distance from others in a very airy room.

Ordering is through a web browser - and it seemed to show all the options for the plentiful kegs, cask and bottles on offer.  As its near the end of September, I went for a Marzen Octoberfest but as I couldn't get close to the pumps, I've no idea what brewery it was from.... maybe their own?

Service was swift.  Payment annoyingly required One Time Passcodes delivered via email.  This is HSBCs doing, rather than the venue.  They obviously don't trust drinks orders on line.

Brewhouse and Kitchen

Tank

Over the road and although architecturally similar, this had more of a cellar bar feel.

 

Time to get Tanked Up

A venue for them to serve their own Gloucester Brewery Ales - and the Golden was a lovely colour, although rather headless.

Getting it was a monster faff.   Registration via the NHS App and then the only way to get a drink was to download their own Tank App.  Which wasn't particularly user friendly.  I got it installed, placed my order and looked at the bored bar man - expecting some sort of action.  Eventually he asked if I was OK and I said "I've got a receipt!".  He checked his PoS and my beer duly arrived.

Plenty of space but people are just idiots.  Walking to the bar, holding a menu over your face does not represent being masked up.

There's not a lot of pleasure in pub crawls at the moment.   And who would want to deal with customers?

Airy enough and distanced people

An Interlude from the Good Beer Guide Ticking.  Had the Turks Head Inn been open, I probably would have passed on by.  It looked far too small.

And no outside seating

A criticism that cannot be levied at the magnificent Robert Raike's House.  Who would not want to investigate a Tudor Merchant House?  Just a shame that you can't really have a mooch around.  Even if there's only you and a barman - who is counting his steps (7 miles today, with 3 hours of his shift left).

It's a Sam Smiths pub.  No one chucked me out for being on my phone.  Not that there was anyone to talk to.

Beautiful.  

An hours break to look at Gloucester's architecture by completing a Geocaching Adventure Lab Cache and a couple more ticks to aim for.

The Pelican has not reopened since the first lock down.  The Fountain, in a stuff you Boris move,  closed at 18:00.  Tucked away down an alley and barred by a gate, I cannot even bring you a photo.

One for another day - The Pelican

This left Angies.

The Bible details that it is Gloucesters Smallest bar - not what you necessarily want to hear - but with my big coat on and one free table outside, I was able to avoid going in.

Possibly the friendliest bar owner in the world took my details on pen and paper... and in a nice touch, referred to me by first name for all other transactions.  And get this - transactions in cash only.

Almost felt normal.  Bloody cold, but normal.

My favourite of the night. 

Angies - Friendliest Bar Visit for a long while

27/09/20 - Leighterton Geocaching and the Royal Oak

Distance - 5 Miles

Geocaches - 26

First Cache 

In an optimistic moment before the announcement of the 2nd great pub lock down, I booked myself into Gloucester's Premier Inn with the aim of getting a few new Good Beer Guide ticks.  

Its still going ahead, even if I will be comfortably in bed for Match of the Day 2.

To make a day of it, I planned a bonus tick at Leighterton's Royal Oak.  It makes a handy start for a 5 mile round of 26 Geocaches and I will pay for my parking by having a post walk lunch.

The caching couldn't be any more straightforward.  Out of the village, along lanes, some 7ft crops to negotiate and a free entry into Westonbirt Arboretum.

Other than the pub, Leighterton's other building of Interest

Geocaching, Cotswold Style

The Battle of the Crops

McMillan Way, taking me through the Arboretum

It was also the day after the great Geocaching fight back against the lock-down happened.  We want to be free, to do what we've got to do, and we want to Geocache.

Only 6 people are allowed to Geocache

Thanks to dasie19 & Artorius70 for a nice walk and a well maintained series of caches.

Back to the Royal Oak - in all its Cotswold stoned loveliness.   There's a reason the car park was still empty on my 1:40pm return.

A covid casualty - albeit on a temporary basis.

26/09/20 - Arrow Country Park and the Black Tap Brewhouse, Redditch

Distance - 7 Miles

Walk Inspiration - Adventurous Pub Walks in Worcestershire

Geocaches - 4 and a Lab Cache

The Arrow Country Park - 900 Acres of nothingness for the locals of the least loved of Birmingham overspills to enjoy.

Positives:  Free parking, a huge lake, decent paths.  Urban fun stuff like skate parks and basketball courts under the fly-overs.  

Negatives: Nothing to see.  The map shows some likely things of interest in the North - the remains of Bordesley Abbey and some fish ponds in the old medieval font.  I found the pounds but Henry VIII must have done rather a good job on the Abbey.

7 Miles of Walking and 1 photo of a Lake

Still, it was 7 miles of fresh air and the chance to work up a thirst for the only 2020 Good Beer Guide Tick.

Redditch's Sole Good Beer Guide Entry

The Black Tap Brew House looks like a building that may have been a solicitors. 

Today marks the first Saturday of the 2nd lock down.  Patience required by all as we see how the new rules are implemented.

A couple of tables outside, which maybe I should have taken advantage off.  Instead I don face mask, sanitise hands and enter.  I am met by the masked proprietor who provides me with a series of boards.  Board 1 is the QR code to scan for track and trace.  The first time I have been able to use my facebook details to save on input.  Board 2 is the real ale board - detailing four previously unheard off ales.  On hearing that the Bank Top Brewery Pavillion Ale was fresh on, my mind was made.

Decent Pale Ale.

Take stock of my surroundings.   The bar looked well stocked but was velvet roped off.  A large TV screen was showing Wycombe Wanderers rather than Man United.  The little tables were each sectioned off by black and orange hazard tape.  Were they the requisite distance apart?  It seemed rather tight as the place start filling up.

The new world order has led to paranoia.

But I'm not giving up on pubs.

24/09/20 - The Lamb and Flag, Worcester

Everything is screwed... NS&I slash interest rates and premium bond prizes. The UK stock market tanked, showed signs of recovery and then following one ill judged Tuesday announcement started to tank again.

How can you make money in the "New, New Normal"?  And then it came to me as I get the final 2020 Good Beer Guide Tick in Worcester.

Invest in sign-writing companies.

Going to be busier than ever

Why I am Here

More Adventure Lab Geocaching... a perfect way to remind oneself as to how lovely our county capital is.

Worcester Cathedral - The Water Gate is Stage 1 on the Lab Cache

Glover's Spire - Stage 1 on the other Lab Cache

My History

In my youth, where the only thing to concern me was who was the best out of Blur or Oasis - I used to work opposite the Lamb and Flag. It was a proper old man's Irish bar and I only discovered its charms in my final year.  We had 45 minutes for lunch at 12pm - and expecting the lunch time rush - they would have many pints of Guinness 3/4's full. You weren't allowed to touch them - they needed to build properly.

The last time I would have been here would have been 1995.

Former IT Office of Kays Catalogue - where I failed to get excited by Windows 3.0

The Lamb and Flag Now

What a time to visit - the first day of the start of the second lock down. I could moan but I am saving logic reasoning and despair for my family.

Photos taken outside, before I arrange my jet black snood/face mask in a fashion that means I have to explain to those exiting the premises that I am not going to rob the place.

How has it changed in 25 years?

I do the new pub dance. Hand sanitising, manual log-in of details. Wait at the entrance to be greeted by another bandit.  Surprisingly full, I have to negotiate how long I need a table for. Well done, people of Worcester.

Sit down, evaluate.  It used to be two rooms divided by a central bar, where the Guinness rested. It's now more or less knocked into one room, with a bar running along the length. It's been modernised in a sort of cafe style by the Two Crafty Brewers. As I pass the bar, I try and take in the beers on offer - 1 Crafty Brewer and 2 x Wye Valley.

Wye Valley HPA wins

As a solo pub ticker, there's entertainment to be had watching how the rules are interpreted.  A gang of workers offer space for anyone who comes in to join their bubble.  Card payments are met with "keep the change".  An old boy ignores the soap, the meet and greet and waits at the bar for service.  He's not happy with the way things are, when the new world order is explained.  Even the workers' sympathy of "he can come here, but he cannot see his grandchildren" is met with "I come here to get away from my grand-children".

Its grim humour but its all we have.  

We just need to remember to make the staffs' lives easy.