11/04/19 - Day 4 - Inn Way to Peak District - Castleton Pubs

Walk During the Day
Pubs - 5
Good Beer Guide Tick - 379

A whopping 12 pubs are available on day 4 of the Inn Way to the Peak District.   I blogged about the 7 that I passed during the walk in link detailed at the top of this report.

That still leaves the 5 in Castleton itself to detail, including for the first time on this journey, an entry in the Good Beer Guide 2019.

Which is interesting, as up to now, the pubs have been "middling".   Far more Greene Kings than I was expecting and so far, I have managed to keep the variety high, with different breweries and beers taken, where possible.

Castleton itself is an absolute joy.   Crammed with history, interesting buildings and 5 pubs in very close proximity.   An initial tour was required to find out if anything was on any menu that didn't involve meat and potatoes. 

But we start at the Peak Hotel for pint of the week.  A beautiful presented Theakstons Best Bitter.

A rambling pub, with plenty of room but nothing spicy on the menu.

Meat and Potato Food Served Every Day - Pint of the Week

I am starving by now, so in the interests of time, I complete a circuit of the remaining pubs.  Most have their menus proudly displayed outside.  I should have stuck with the 1st - Ye Olde Nags Head has Thai Red Curry.   My tastebuds tingle with joy.

C17th Pub - C21st Good Beer Guide Tick

I managed to blag pride of place in front of the Georgian hob grate fireplace, discovering yet another new brewery, Kelham, and their perfect wares.  Worthy of their place in the 2019 Good Beer Guide

Fed, and some would say, watered, I have to tick off the rest.   I don't know when I'll be back and so far, this has been easily the best kept beer.

The George is closer to the Castle than the Castle.  A very nice pub, where the only place to sit was at the bar.   Black Sheep, in front of the fire decorated with suit of arms and a couple of swords for if the pub quiz gets tasty.

Bad Dusk Photo but does show the Castle's proximity to Peveril Castle

More Black Sheep at the Castle, also C17th but with a more modern makeover.  Brightly lit and with a bit of furniture relocation, I could get a high stool next to the fire.   I've had blue skies in the day but very cold evenings of below zero temperatures.

Friendly locals, some of whom had never been to London, others who had never been to Hayfield - tomorrows destination and all of 12 miles away.

Evening Falls on Castleton

A Robinson Pub next.   No trip North is complete without one.   Huge pub, but I think the diners had gone home, as it was mainly empty.    The Unicorn was in perfect condition.

Bulls Head - Just add punters

Finally, a night cap of Acorn Brewery Barnsley Bitter at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.   The Good Beer Guide details a pub with this name in nearby Hope and until I checked Google Maps, I though I might be getting 2 Good Beer Ticks.

This is a fantastic pub - dating from 1660, with a list of previous landlords tenureship detailed across low beams.

It's also my room for the night - a single room, where I can leap from the shower onto my bed with minimal effort.

Once again, an honour to be staying somewhere with such history.

My room - above the first Arch over to the right

Best location of the week.   I will return.

11/04/19 - Day 4 - Inn Way to Peak District - Tideswell to Castleton

Start - Tideswell
Finish - Castleton
Distance - 15 Miles
Key Features - Cressbrook Dale, Eyam, Hope
Geocaches - 11
Pubs - 12 potential, 8 Visited.
Previous Days - Day 1, Day 2, Day 3


Tideswell Church, adjacent to my digs, proclaims itself the Cathedral of the Peak by ringing the bells at 6am to wake everyone up and then bonging every 15 mins to make sure they don't snooze.

Unfortunately, the front door at the George is alarmed until 8:30.

This provides plenty of time to get excited about today's walk.   I've been wanting to visit Eyam for years, having read about the Plague stories and it's unique history.

Turns out Castleton was the place to get most excited about.

The George did not include breakfast, so I thought on day 4, I would skip the usual Full English.  Tasty provisions bought from the bakers for lunch.   I've never been told to keep a pork pie upright before.   Apparently, the jelly hadn't quite set.

Off I set, with the promise of another gloriously sunny day.

Road Walking to Litton

There's a lot of early doors pubs here - so with much regret, I have to walk past some absolute belters today.   From each end of the scale.

The Red Lion in Litton and the Bulls Head in Foolow looked classic examples of the Village Inn.  Saved for another day as it wasn't even 10am when I passed the furthest.

Beaut 1, passed by before 9am

Beaut 2 in the lovely village of Foolow

Then there's the Three Stag Heads in Wardlow Mires.   A place that sounds ominous enough on its own.   There's a farm, a cafe and a the pub, which only opens on weekends.   There was a poll on Twitter whilst I was away asking the question "what is the best pub in the land?".   And this place was nominated by enough people that it was only beaten by the Great Western in Wolverhampton.

Was going to be the pub in the film Hostel, but deemed too terrifying

There's obviously been an accident out front, but lets take a closer look at the signage.

Entice People in or Warn them Off?

Looked utterly fascinating and I feel I am missing out by not seeing the inside.

Enough of too early pubs.   The walkings up to its expected phenomenal quality.   First, I have another dale - Cressbrook Dale to traverse, followed by field systems all the way into Eyam.

Cressbrook Dale

I'm into Eyam at 11am.   Too early for the midday opening Miners Arms, but I will hang around.  I sit on a bench opposite Eyam Hall and start on the pork pie, sharing the green with a party of primary school kids.

A look around the plague cottages and then first in the pub to sample the local breweries, aptly enough called quarantine.

Still inhabited - they must like people looking through their windows

Miners Arms - Eyam

There's always a roll call of winners on these trips and this Greene King is at the opposite end of the scale.  Pint probably hadn't been pulled through as I doubt it was meant to look as it did.

I'll admit to not being in the best of moods as I climbed out of Eyam but blues instantly banished when I get to the top of Eyam Moor, beating some pensioners to a bench and having the most amazing vista.

And after three days walking - I can see Stanage Edge - where I started.

Panoramic Setting on Camera

Back to the Beginning

A fine afternoon walking progresses.   Through the hamlet of Abney and ignoring all signs to Shatton, for obvious reasons.   I pick up a Geocache Trail and once again wonder if they tried to build the Cement Works now, would they get planning permission?

End of the Hope Valley

Before Castleton, I have Brough and Hope to work my way through, with three pubs that you'd expect to be open.

Inexplicably, the Traveler's Rest was closed.  I tried every door.

The Old Hall Hope - beautiful Theakstons Best Bitter

The not so great Woodroffe Arms for San Miguel

I really should have stayed in the Old Hall.   Everything I want in a pub.

2 more miles to do get to Castleton, a place previously unvisited but became my favourite place on the walk.   The five pubs that will be subject of another blog had nothing to do with this.

2 Miles on the Hope Valley Floor to get to Castleton - A Wonderful Place

10/04/19 - Day 3 - Inn Way to Peak District - Youlgrave to Tideswell

Start - Youlgrave
Finish - Tideswell
Distance - 16 Miles
Key Features - Lathkill Dale, Monsal Trail, Tideswell Dale
Geocaches - 6
Pubs - 6 available, 5 visited.
Previous Days - Day 1, Day 2


If I am ever doubt as to why I undertake these solo adventures, confirmation is provided on a walk like this.

Day 3 of the Inn Way is an absolute joy from beginning to end.

After breakfast, where we have the winner of skinniest sausage of the week, I leave Youlgrave behind, lane walking to Alport to pick up Lathkill Dale.

Didn't score highly on RateMyBreakfast - where are the beans?  Ugly Mushrooms

Never heard of Lathkill before, but what a location.   Starts off gently enough along the crystal clear stream, passing mine workings and then into a spectacular gorge with overhanging crags.

Thought it would be a gentle river walk

And then it spectacularly turned into this 

Tremendous stuff which takes me most of the morning but still too early for Monyash's Bulls Head.  There's a licenced cafe next door and I surprise myself by having a mug of tea.   I know that Sheldon is not too far away, even if the most direct route is not taken.   We have the well preserved ruins of Magpie Lead Mine to investigate first.

Isolated and free to wander around

There's usually a pub with a comedy name winner on these Inn Way's.   No contest on the Lake District, where my childish walking partner asked every local in Broughton "how far is the Black Cock Inn?".   He would have probably spontaneously combusted if he had been with me for the Cock and Pullet.

The Cock and Pullett

After yesterday's £4.85, it was a delight to be paying £3.30 for my Timothy Taylor Landlord.  Winner of cheapest pint of the Inn Way. 

Some field systems to navigate.   Not as easy as it sounds - they either have complex steps to get over high walls or gaps in the wall that are a stuggle for a man with a 70l Osprey Rucksack attached to squeeze through.

Who is this man and why does he struggle at the walls?

I thought this morning was superb but it just keeps on delivering.   A steep descent and terrifying crossing of the A6 (who puts the crossing at a bend?) and I am along the banks of the river Wye.  The river is left behind at the weir for a climb through the trees.

River Wye

The Reward for all this effort?   The best view of the whole week and the Stables Bar at the Monsal Head Hotel.

View from a Beer Garden

Stables Bar

Stables Bar provided another new Brewery - The Penine Brewing Co for a Monsal Gold.   More free range kids having a dancing competition.   Don't they know there is an ice cream van outside?

Easy to see where I am going next.   A drop to the valley floor to pick up the Monsal Trail - a former railway line.   The guide suggests that I avoid the tunnels but it shaves a bit of distance off and lets face it, it's quite exciting.   The only time a drop of water landed on my head all week.

Drip Drip Drip in the Tunnel

With a nice bit of symmetry, Tideswell Dale ends the ramble.  It never quite hits the height of Lathkill but provides pleasant walking for me to reach my bed for the night.

Another Derbyshire Dale

There's a big game on the BT Sports tonight, with Manchester Utd playing Barcelona - so I need to see if any of the pubs can provide entertainment.   I've already made my mind up about tea - a budget meal from one of the two chippers in town.

The Horse and Jockey is first discovered on the edge of town.  Inquiries show they are the only pub to have the football on but this is limited to Sky.   Looks like I'll be following the match on Twitter.

Huge Pub providing Stancill Brewery Stainless but no Lionel Messi

Tideswell is also famous for the church - the Cathedral of the Peak - and we'll talk about their bells tomorrow.   It's right next to the George.

My room is above the G

A standard Greene King where the most promising choice was Birra Moretti.

Fish and Chips and an investigation of the final boozer in town - the Star.   A very traditional locals pub with a strange triangular bar serving three rooms.   The barman always seemed to have his back turned to the next customer.

The Star - where Stella Artois was the best drink available

Fed, watered and tired after the second longest walk of the week - I retire early.

But not until I confirm that Utd have it all to do in the Nou Camp next Tuesday.

09/04/19 - Day 2 - Inn Way to Peak District - Baslow to Youlgrave

Start - Baslow
Finish - Youlgrave
Distance - 12 Miles
Key Features - Chatsworth House, Nine Ladies Standing Stones
Geocaches - 6
Pubs - 9 Available, 5 visited, 1 declined (!)
Previous Day - Day 1


After yesterday's full review of all the Edges, we have a chance to see what else the Peak District is famous for.  The English Country House.

The first three miles of this interesting walk are through the grounds of Chatsworth House.   The Palace of the Peak.

Plenty of history in the guidebook and I'll only relay its been in the same family for over 450 years and the gardens were modeled by Capability Brown.

Its free for ramblers to enter and seemed popular with joggers, dog walkers and a massive herd of deer that ran along side me.

I have 1000s of similar photos available

Company through the grounds

A splendid gentle start and after that beauty, a chance for another thing of beauty in the little village of Beeley.   A second Devonshire Arms with Timothy Taylor Landlord.   Good news, its open at 11:05am.   Bad News, £4.85 for the privilege of breakfast beer.

Breakfast Beer at the Devonshire Arms

Fortified for the climb to Rowsley, I walk through the abandoned Burntwood quarry, where they have seemingly dumped most of their output down the wooded banks.  Huge green boulders everywhere.

At a slightly more acceptable time of midday, I arrive in Rowsley.   Two pubs and something that has never happened before on any Inn Way happens.   I walk on past a fully functional open one.

Stay with me BlogFans.   This is a one off and doesn't happen again.

Unload the Toddlers at the Grouse and Claret

The Grouse and Claret and the Peacock are right next door to each other.   The G&C has a carpark full of mummies unloading massive prams from car boots, whilst their elder children are tear arsing around the car park.

I'll go for the glamour of the Peacock, where they offer real ales, good food and fly-fishing.   All this in a building from 1652.

Peacock - Since 1652

Rather posh for a rucksack carrying Rambler but I am spotlessly clean due to the great weather and they don't bat an eyelid.

Its the sort of place that is so posh that they don't have a till behind the bar.   You pay the receptionist.  £5.40 for a pint of Peak Ales Swift Nick.   Presumably, the receptionist puts the money straight into the vault with all the other gold bullion.    A surprisingly high quality beer from a place where everyone else is on G&Ts, pretending to be able to identify the products on the menu.   I had to give up after mushroom soup.

Vert nearly pint of the week - Swift Nick

Pleasant climbing through field systems and woodland to reach pretty Stanton in Peak.   It has a pub but pre-adventure investigation showed it wasn't open on a Tuesday.  No photos, as it was a diversion from my climb to Stanton Moor.   The 4000 year old Nine ladies Stone Circle an obvious highlight in the wild, high level moorland.

Dead Centre in Stanton in Peak

Nine Ladies.  I counted.

Stanton Moor

Into silent Birchover, where a sign at the start of the villages instructs you to be quiet.   There are two pubs that could do with communicating with each other.   Both closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.  They may be an opportunity for them to open alternate days but to be fair, I didn't see (or hear) a soul.

Today is Tuesday

Druid had the prettier sign

The Limestone Way is picked up for the first time and provides very pleasant walking up to Robins Hood Stride and over some very green hills all the way into Youlgrave.

The most misspelled village in England.  It has an extra "e" on my OS Map.

Three pubs.

My home for the night is the George, which makes me feel like Bill Bryson in describing its quirky English uniqueness.   I have three rooms - which you couldn't quite class as a suite.   Behind an unlockable sliding door, I have a main bedroom with a window that won't open, a closet with the WC and a bathroom with a huge stain on the ceiling.    I loved it.   It had biscuits and a bath.

Of course, the bar is where the action is and they served beautiful Theakstons Black Bull Bitter to be enjoyed on proper pub furniture.

Home for the Night

Proper Pub Furniture

Although the menu looked good, I needed to investigate the other pubs.

The Farmyard Inn turned into a mistake through bad timing.   7pm and I enter the door, only slightly disturbed that it is a Greene King.   Inside, its bedlam.   Kids that I can only describe as free range, charging all over the place.   The desperately middle class parents do nothing to control them and one particular goon encourages the horseplay by offering piggy back rides.

When they leave, much to the relief of the other patrons, the landlady apologies to everyone.   We feel her pain, as she had to stop the wildlings from playing with the very much alight fire.

Give me a pub with dogs any day - but by the end of the week, even this belief is challenged.   The Timothy Taylor Landlord would have normally been a pleasure.

Farmyard by name.

The night is saved by the 1674 Bulls Head Hotel.   Easily pub of the week, even if the beer was limited to a couple of Marstons.

Two rooms divided by a central serving area.   The front bar is the converging point for all the village - we have both the darts team readying themselves for an away game in Stanton in Peak.  We also have every young man in town with an interest in football but not having BT Sports.   An argument about whether it should be the Liverpool or Man City/Spurs European game was not going to be helped by me asking if we could watch the Baggies on Sky Sports.

I first dined and then sat at the bar from the lovely restaurant to enjoy the carry on and seeing a British Public house operating in exactly the fashion that makes them unique and loved the world over.

Entertainment since 1674

Pub of the Week - The Bulls Head Hotel, Youlgrave