05/05/23 - A Preston Pub Crawl

 Preston - My New Gateway to the Lakes

I'm quite unsure why I haven't thought of this before. As an alternative to setting the alarm at stupid O'Clock in the morning, I'll break up Lake District journeys by investigating post industrial Northern powerhouse cities.

A first visit to Preston. Armed with the Good Beer Guide and an Adventure Lab Cache, I'll charge around as many locations as I can. 

Another blog, where I have probably taken on too much and will undoubtedly complain about beer prices but if you want a summary - a lovely City, with many types of drinking venue in close proximity.

First stop, after starting the ALC in the railway station, is Old Vic. A pub so close to the station, the bar has a departures screen.

Solid Start.  I love tradition.

Decent range of real ales (Kirby Lonsdale Pennine Ambler selected) - at a reasonable price - although I am sure that my scampi fries add-on increased the round price by 50%.  

A touch unsure that the battleship grey painted beams added to the ambiance. Unless you like the experience of drinking in a 1970's, underground car park.

A lesson in how to make wood look like concrete.

On the subject of car parks - comments welcome on why the pubs car park is only only on a Sunday?

The ALC takes me on a diversion to the hidden inner city beauty of Winckley Square. A hangout for teenage girls and their jazz cigarettes.

Inner City Preston

And soon back on the beer, at the other end of the drinking spectrum. A high number of craft beer micro's in Preston. The first is the Winckley Street Ale House.  A functional name, doing what it says on the tin, but the romantic in me prefers its original name.  

The Otter's Pocket.

The range is impressive. The prices are eye watering. I'm always waiting for Kernel beers to blow my socks off but £9 a pint for a 7%er?  Even if it is from "That London".

Taking half a Kernel with half a Burnt Mills did not make any savings

In a blogging first, concurrent siblings micro pubs coming up. Guild Ale House is the pick of the pair - an impressive building, with high ceilings contributing to a less claustrophobic experience than your typical Micro. Kept it local, by going for keg Rivington.

Guild Ale House - A Happy Place

Not so sure about their sister pub, Orchard. Housed at the end of the covered market - its a tiny bar. The sort of place where you need to ask where the loo's are and the information comes with a four digit code. Always the potential to end in disaster.  

Deya Steady Rolling Man, that I failed to check into Untapped. If I told you I was distracted by having to listen to a street poet perform a rendition of his entire act to just me, would you believe it? 

I was never going to turn down Black Pudding Crisps.

Some street art as part of the ALC.

From the Contemporary 

To the Topical......

..... striking protesters, shot by the Man.  Four Dead

Lune Street is Preston's Peterloo...  lets hope the Met didn't come to Lancashire for Coronation event training.

Back to the pubs and another Micro - Plugs and Taps. A busy place, where I sat at the bar and contemplated.  

Why is my Rivington Good Times Emporium (5.2%) sold in Schooners only? 

Why do both barmen have unusual moustaches?  

Why is someone blowing up a 2ft inflatable cactus? 

The answer to two questions - Mexican Theme Night - Street food available 

The Old Black Bull was a mistake. Two reasons to come. Reason 1 - I'm always seduced by external tiling. Reason 2 - it was on my list of 6 from a Camra recommened pub crawl. Timothy Taylor Landlord in poor condition. Threat of violence from a group of Geordies, trying to get the students off the pool table. To be fair - the Geordies had etiquette on their side - its your turn next if you put down a pound. Even if it is winner stays on.

Obliged to show you a Grade II listed, externally tiled pub

And in true game show style, I save the best to last. 

The Black Horse needs little introduction to pub connoisseurs.  A reason to visit in it's own right.  

Robinson's Black Horse

Lets count the reasons;

1. Central Lancs Pub of the Year, 2023
2. Nationally Important historic pub interior
1. Tiled Bar
2. Tiled Walls
3. Mosiac Floor
4. Intricate ceiling
3. Hall of Mirrors seating area
4. Old Tom both on cask and dangerously sold in pints
1. And I missed out on Baby Faced Assassin - never previously seen and been on my "to drink" list for ages.

Pretty much a perfect pub - with alcoves to separate the regulars from the tourists charging around, trying to take surreptitious photos for their blogs.

Sit and drink in wonder

The famous pub cat

Time was on my side. I could have stayed for more. I could have explored more - with 7 more Good Beer Guide Ticks waiting.

With tomorrow planned for ticking Wainwrights (mountains, not Marstons), I make the sensible decision and retreat to Lenny's Purple Palace.

A good evenings work completed. 

23/04/22 - Shoulder of Mutton, Holcombe

Distance - 5 Miles

Geocaches - 5 and an Adventure Lab Cache

Walk Inspiration

A weekend in Manchester, where we find ourselves babysitting the closest we will probably get to grandchildren, our daughter's Guide Dog in Training Boarder, Bee.  

I am tasked with finding a walk that is dog friendly in the Greater Manchester Area. The dog wants somewhere off lead. I want a reasonable pub. Visit Manchester has a number of leaflets available for download. My introduction to the South Pennines are the villages of Ramsbottom and Holcombe.

We start near the Peel Tower and head down a cobbled trackway called the Holcombe Old Road.  This would not be out of place in an episode of Last of the Summer Wine. It's Brooksbottom before Bee can be allowed of lead and she has a fine frolic in the stream.  

Old Holcombe Road

Running under Peel Tower

Guide Dog in training Bee testing the water at Brooksbottom

A lovely section of woodland leads to the Irlam Valley way and into Ramsbottom. Lovely little village, with a very independent feel to the shops in the high street. An Adventure Lab Cache would have been easier if we had not got distracted by the Craft Beer Micro Pub.  The locations and information contained within did prove useful for our eventual refreshment choice.

Coming into Ramsbottom along the River Irwell

Its a stiff climb out of Ramsbottom to Holcombe - onto the edge of moorland. We had noticed the sturdy looking Shoulder of Mutton on the drive in.  

Handsome.  Sturdy.

As a tourist, I would be happy enough with the history contained on their website.  A pub since 1751, with a disorderly reputation. Cockfighting continued long after the the 1859 ban and into the 1930s.  Added irony, as the Peel Tower monument overlooking the pub is in memory of the founder of the modern Police Force.

Timothy Taylor Landlord is not often turned down but I went experimental for a fine, first pint of Moorhouse Brewery Blonde Witch.

The final location for the Adventure Lab Cache is here, so a quick read up details further pub information. It was damaged in a WW1 Zeppelin bomb attack, where the customers had to shelter in the pub cellars.

I can feel a new tick list coming on. So far, two entries - this and London's Dolphin Tavern.

26/12/2021 - Falling for Micros in Swinton, Greater Manchester

Distance - 5 Miles

Walk Inspiration - Jarrold Lancashire Walks - Walk 6

Geocaches - 1

Good Beer Guide Tick - #632

Christmas in Manchester - usual rules apply.  

Xmas Eve - pubs.  Would you be shocked if I told you that nearly all central Manchester ones were closed by 6pm?  Maybe its normal in a City Centre.  Maybe its just peak 2021.

The Big Day - eat your own body weight.  Drink double digit Belgians.  Promise yourself you will leave some of the port in the bottle.  Do Karaoke.

Boxing Day - attempt to walk it all off.

But nothing too strenuous.  This is a flat, simple walk that starts almost directly under J13 of the M62.  A small amount of road walking to reach the golf course attached to Worsley Old Hall.  The disused Eccles to Wigan railway line has been converted into an excellent walking track.  Mud free, via a metalled path and maybe not the best place to take (yet another) Guide Dog in Training on a walk.  The aptly named for the area Bee, is not allowed free runs but Mrs M has fixed this issue by buying a 20 foot lead from ebay.  A perfect opportunity to lasso the Manchester multitudes who are making use of the same facilities.

Easy Walking along the former Eccles-Wigan Railway Line

Arriving at Monton without getting into a fight, we spot that everyone else is coming towards us is armed with Costa Takeouts.  Google maps shows the position but provides no indication of the wait time.  I am sent off to get supplies, the queue making the fact that the Blind Pig pub over the road was open near unbearable.   Would I have been told off if I came back with takeout Cloudwater?

A final stretch back along the pretty Bridgewater canal.

Boat yard on the Bridgewater Canal

Plenty of post walk refreshement in Worsley but we have left a party member back at home in Swinton.

Where they have a new Good Beer Guide tick.  Unsurprisingly, it's a Micro.  Surprisingly, its not the only one in town.  And in a theme that is emerging strongly in the 2022 guide, the wrong one has been selected.

Not that there is anything wrong with the Wobbly Stool.  A strong welcome from the patrons, who had been on a regularly organised dog walk from the pub.  Thanks to a strong social media presence, I was aware of this jaunt but felt I had taken too much port on board to complete a 10 miler.

The Gang - with GDP Bee showing the way

The reason the Wobbly Stool has made the GBG is more than likely because it does cask.  Usually there are three on but today, just the one.  The Bank Top Pavilion Pale ale was recommended by one of the walking party and he knew his beer.  

With variety being the spice of life, I notice via Google that the House of Hops is just around the corner.  Its worth checking out - even if an external photo is not worth taking.  A converted shop that wasn't even on the main road.

Its packed to the rafters and I think that we won't get a seat but unbeknownst to us until exploration, there is an additional back room.  Our query on whether dogs are allowed is met with the most perfect of answers.  "We prefer dogs to people".

Both my regular blogfans will know that I haven't really got on with micros over the years.  I love classic pub architecture.  I love the anonymity of finding a quiet corner and watching the world go by that classic boozers provide.  But if one micro is going to make you change your mind, this could be it.

It's run by total beer enthusiasts that are doing it for the love of what they serve.  This can be the only reason why they have Ayinger Winterbock on draught.  Wow - Little Bavaria in Swinton.

The punters are also in appreciation.   Before long, there's not a seat left in the house and there is a hubbub of chat, as people compare their flights of thirds and what other gems exist in the help-yourself but remember to pay fridges.

Where I went full oaky smokey Dopplebock.

When travel is banned, travel virtually

The micro where I had my epiphany.  Who knows, maybe the local CAMRA branch will make a rare exception for a caskless venue and recommend it for next year's guide.   

They should.

11/03/18 - CAMRA Pub Ticking in Manchester's Northern Quarter

We spent 45 Minutes waiting for a bus that never turned up.   Not an ordinary bus, but a Manchester Music bus tour.   Still need to get to the bottom of what happened here, but we did make friends from Australia.

Never mind, with my hobbies, alternative entertainment can always be found.  We'll add to the two Manchester pub ticks we collected back on October last year.

Port Street Beerhouse, Port Street, Hawkshead Brewery Bitter

Mrs M is still coming to terms with musical let down.  She had prepared a playlist and everything for the journey up.   Her mood was not improved by having to wait for the door bolt to scrape, as we were there 15 minutes early for a midday opening.

Mrs M composing a strongly worded email to her MP

You can tell instantly what sort of a Hipster paradise this will be just from the outside.   Inside, its a nice cafe bar but only if you like Jazz.

Never sure what to have when first into a pub.   I think bottle but the menu quickly suggests, think something else.

Manchester has beer the strength of wine for £25 a bottle

The barman senses my apprehension and asks what I am after.  All I do is manage to insult him by saying I'm unsure of having the very 1st cask pint of the day.   He assures me he has spent 20 minutes pulling them all through.

And its a Thumbs Up from Mappiman

Pie and Ale, Northern Quarter Arcdade, Nothing

Not open on a Sunday, but I'm giving it a tick as we walked there and saw the sights.

Northern Quarter Sights

Think it does what it says on the Tin

The Castle Hotel, 66 Oldham Street, Cumbria Way

Oh yes, the day has peaked at pub 2.   What a delight.  200 years of Grade II listed beauty worn well.

Our sort of place

Beautiful

Mrs M cheers up when there is a jukebox.  We get into a battle of the tunes with oldies celebrating Mothers day and their 65th Wedding Anniversary.   We win, we selected "The Queen is Dead" to their Nina Simone.

Cracking pub, worthy of exploration.  Haunted hotel corridor leads to a back room stage where they have spoken word recitals and music.

Could have spent the day

Smithfield Market Tavern, Swan Street, Hawkshead Windermere Pale

The rest of the Team turn up, which means my rounds have doubled.   We head to another traditional boozer, done out nicely and they are very serious about their beer and meat based snacks.   Sausage Rolls come with tiny onions and gherkins.

Team Mappiman

I'll forever remember this as the place where my son shunned reassuringly expensive continental lager and took his first real ale.

Rating?  Floral.

The Marble Arch Inn, 73 Rochdale Road, Marble Arch Bitter

Next visit needs no introduction to real ale fans, although you do need to convince two Millennials that a 10 minute walk does not require an Uber.

Remainder of Team Mappiman attempting to recreate the artwork from the Queen is Dead

Gorgeous beers, gorgeous surrounding, every table is reserved for what must be gorgeous Sunday lunches.  But with the party arrival times indicated, its easy to squat for a while.

Who wouldn't love this as their local?

The City Arms, 46 Kennedy Street, Moorhouse Brewery Pride of Pendle

With some good ticking work completed in the Northern Quarter, we relent and allow an Uber to whisk us away to the City Centre.

A touch of culture with a visit to the John Rylands Library.  It was almost as ornate as the Marble Arch.

Three nearby pubs line up next to each other - A Wetherspoons, the handsome Vine and the one that needs a tick as its in the Bible.

Three is the magic number

It's a perfect City Centre pub, traditional to the point of having a dart board.  Great attention to drink options and the Millennials spot the Gin Blackboard.

Thank God for contactless.

30/05/15 - Moving Students

Distance - 5 Miles
Geocaches - 8
Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine June 1999 Walk 29

My daughter's placement year comes to its conclusion, so once again, we are heading up country to do the two car job that is moving her out of shared accommodation and back to the bosom of the family home.  For the next three months, until we take her back.

It provides an excellent opportunity to explore another part of the country.  A search through my extensive walking resources indicates that Skelmersdale may be prettier than it sounds and only 3 miles away from the house that needs evacuation.

Looks promising as we park at Beacon Country park, with some fine views stretching from Snowdonia to the left, to the Lakes to the right and Anglezarke Hill behind.

Views from the Beacon

The walk drops us down a muddy and overgrown path through where we meet a couple of other walkers with a Labradoodle.  Sonia asks whether its a boy whilst unnecessarily peering below at it's under-carriage.   A lone man asks me the way to the Beacon and I can tell him and he heads off.  We dive into the bushes for a geocache and he comes back, walking in the opposite direction to the beacon.

Path toward Anglezarke Hill

The path delivers us to Roby Mill... a hamlet that has a pub.  After a long journey, we are gasping for a drink but despite some furious door rattling, its apparent it's not open at 11:30am.  No choice but to press on, but not before Sonia makes a new friend.

Sonia, meet Anthony

Fields around the back of Roby Mill

Roby Mill is a two pub sort of place and we do find the Star Inn open for lemonades at 11:50. Refreshed, we head off for some road walking.  Every house is having an "Open Garden" day for charity, so someone sat on a deckchair attempts to lure us into their abode to look at the daffs.

We don't have time for this, not when there are caches to find on the great path to Ashurst Beacon.  Fine walking, to be rewarded with great views.

Ashurst Beacon - and a handy guide to the views

All that remains of the walk is to follow the golf course to the car.  Then its off to pick up Ellie, who's been texting us to find out when we are taking her to lunch.  1:45pm is the answer, but the real surprise for her is she's paying.

I've gone to Lancashire and forgot my wallet.

26/10/14 - The Road to Wigan Pier

Walk from - AA Walks through History
Distance - 9 Miles
Geocaches - 10

Two members of the family are having an adventure today.  Ellie's is the most important, starting a new job placement tomorrow and moving into her new home today.  I make the most of being a removal man and start the journey early to investigate the North.

I have not been to Wigan before.  After the journey up, I check into Facebook at McDonalds at 10am and get references to make sure I order a McPie.  Things meat and pastry related are taken seriously in this neck of the woods.

This was seen on more than one Vehicle

My walk takes me from Wigan Pier, themed around George Orwell's book on bleak conditions of the working man in the 1930s.  Having frequently seen the brown signs from the M6, I have often wondered what Wigan Pier is.

Curiosity satisfied, as once I work out Wigan's one way system, I park up there.

Looks like a nightclub.  Sure it is not.

Park up at Trencherfield Mill

I set off on the walk.  First cache in Wigan is found instantaneously under a seat, next to the canal.  And its the Leeds Liverpool Canal that will provide the route for the first 4 miles or so.

Keep the Canal on the Right and you cannot go wrong

Blogfans will know that I am not a massive fan of canal walking, although this one is rather nice, as they go.  It is devoid of rubbish, beer cans, dog muck and tramps - which is a vast improvement on the canals of the West Midlands and London.  In fact, the only thing to watch out for are the mad mountain bikers.  By the time the walk is finished, I have frequently wished they had stuck to the mountains.

Its all up hill, meet a T-Junction at Top Lock (cache number 2 found) and then cross over a green bridge into the grounds of Haigh Hall.

Take me into Haigh Hall

The Hall has a country park attached - complete with lots of walkers taking a stroll and a miniature railway.  It also has geocachers - as one of the many conversations I have today is with someone who spies my GPS and asks "Are you caching".

Ellie is going to find the locals very friendly.

Soon the Hall is revealed in all its architectural glory.

Haigh Hall

Offering Views over the home of Wigan FC - DW Stadium

A lovely path around the back of the Hall takes me back to the canal and into another part of the Country Park - Haigh Plantations.  A high cache volume is evident - only gaps in the muggle walkers presenting a problem with finding.

Autumn is time to walk Haigh Country Park

Eventually I am delivered back to the canal for a 2 mile repeat of the outward leg.  Arrive back at the car and make myself respectable enough to meet my daughter's new landlord.

Timing is impeccable as I get to the house at the same time as the ladies.  Two cars worth of Student's clothes and shoes are installed on site and we head off to the Robin Hood in Orrell for something to eat.

Good luck Ellie - we are sure you will be happy here.

6/1/13 - The Seat of Learning

Distance - 5 Miles
Geocaches - 11
Walk from - Country Walking Magazine - Spring 2011
Christmas is now officially over and Ellie needs to be returned to Manchester for her 2nd term at university.  The boot is fuller than on her journey down, so I can only assume that Santa was very kind to her.

It was nice of her to keep me company until we hit the straight bits on the motorway.  The last sound I heard before pulling into Hulme Asda at 10:50am was "How do you make these seats go down?".

The supermarket doesn't open till 11am.  It felt like queuing for the Boxing day sales.  She does the big shop and then I drop her off at her flat and get a glimpse of what the next generation "Captains of Industry" are learning whilst they rack up 9K per year in student debts.

If you can zoom in closely to the top right of the charts, there is some lovely animation.  And Chloe has a reputation.

 

The great thing about my hobby is that I can combine long haul taxi services with walking and geocaching.  But where to go in the big city?  From the amount of people I see on this walk, Mancs love nothing better than a nice walk around some water.

Country Walking magazine provides a perfect little five miler and a bonus is that there are a lot of Geocaches.  Park up at the visitor centre, and make friends with a terrier puppy with very sharp teeth.

 

The walking is very straightforward and water is never out of sight.  First off, its a circumvention of Sale Water Park.

  

 



Whats Mancs do for fun

 

There are so many people out today, it makes the caching hard.  The first one cannot be attempted as there are a family having a big old chat at GZ.  Cache 2 is found, but is guarded by a hoody with a rottweiler.  A bit of a mexican standoff ensued, as neither of us would move on.  I hope he wasn't taking his dog out cottaging.  Eventually, he's off and I get the cache and the TB.

 

The next stretch of water is the River Mersey - surprisingly fast flowing and with a choice of an upper of lower path.  There's even a bridge for me to get the cache on the opposite side.

 

 

Should have tucked my shirt in

 

Follow the river upstream.  Two more caches before I cross over at Jackson's Bridge.  There is a cache under here, but too many people around.  Continue on the other side a couple more micros, before hitting the next body of water - Chorton Water Park.

 

Again, loads of people - on bikes, horses or just walking.  Another four caches around here and then follow the mersey back up to Jackson Bridge and the pub.

 

 

Great facilities to end the walk - we must be close to Moss Side

 

And there are less people at the bridge, so I make like a troll and grab it.