Category: Travel

After an early morning shopping trip to Crystal Peaks Shopping Centre, the plan was to catch the 09:36 non-stop Stagecoach service 72 from there back to Sheffield Interchange ready for 10:24 train service to Derby. However, the bus made such good time that I was able to get the earlier 10:00 departure to Derby, allowing time for a quick, unplanned visit to the Babington Arms (GBG 2019), an excellent Wetherspoon establishment, and a half of Heritage Doctor Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (4.4%) was enjoyed before the bus to Heanor.

The first pub visited here at opening time was the Crooked Cask micro pub in the town centre, which had four tables on entering, a couple of steps leading up to the bar area which contained some stools and a small room beyond the bar with more seating. Of the four beers available on hand pump I chose Grasshopper Cricket (4.8%). Almost across the road is the Redemption Ale House. A one-roomed micro pub with eight or nine tables, a wood burning stove and seven hand pumps. My choice was a half of Little Star Brewery Shipstones Nut Brown Ale (4.0%).

Back through the marketplace and past the bus stop was the Crown Inn, a traditional pub with seating around a horseshoe-shaped bar. Six hand pumps dispense three cask ales and one cider and I had Dancing Duck Duck Berry (4.1%). Two Falstaff beers were also available. I was greeted in this pub by the barking of an oversized poodle which not only yapped at me but also at passers-by on the pavement. Not the best of welcomes, although the beer was fine!

It was then time for the hourly number 21 bus service to Ilkeston.  The first call here was to the Burnt Pig Ale ‘Ouse (GBG 2019), a bustling and friendly micro pub with the bar located in the cosy front room. Two further rooms stretched beyond this making it larger than it looked from the outside. Large cheeses and pies were being sold from the well-stocked fridge. The five pumps dispense a range of beers and styles and I selected Coastal Relentless Sea (4.2%) and Castle Rock SIPA V1 (4.2%). Not too far away is the Spanish Bar. A spacious open bar area greets you leading through to another seated area and beyond that there is a covered conservatory and then a garden. Five of the seven hand pumps were in operation and I had a half of Oakham Bishop’s Farewell (4.6%).

Onward by bus now to the Horse & Jockey in Stapleford (GBG 2019 entry). Although located just over the border in Nottinghamshire, it is accessible on a Derbyshire Wayfarer on the My15 Trent Barton service. This is a well-established split level pub and is easily identifiable as it is painted white.  From the 13 hand pumps I had two from Three Castles Brewery, Tiddly Dyke (4.8%) and Barbury Castle (3.9%) plus Turning Point Wavelength (4.5%). A chance encounter here with Malcolm from Long Eaton offered the opportunity to visit the York Chambers (GBG 2019) in that town, which is only a short bus ride from Stapleford using the My15. Situated in the Market Place in an old bank it had about five tables with six beers served straight from the cask in a room behind the bar and no lager. I selected Amber Chocolate Orange Stout (4.0%).

It was then back on to the My15 to Stapleford for the Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren. By now this was a very busy Wetherspoon’s and I tried two beers from Newby Wyke: WisKy rye ale (5.2%) and Distant Grounds Extra IPA (5.5%). Just round the corner from here is a micropub called the Millipede. Its eight tables were also very busy, partly due to the imminent Nottingham CAMRA Branch Meeting in the Horse & Jockey. Here I sampled Old Sawley Two Rivers IPA (4.8%).

Using the My15 bus again I went back through Long Eaton to Long Eaton station and the nearby Sawley Junction micro bar. This was nicely busy with all six tables occupied and people standing at the bar. I sampled Brewster Goatee (4.2%) and Scribblers Rubecca (4.8%).  A train from Long Eaton to Derby allowed a few minutes to visit the nearby Brunswick Inn (GBG 2019). My selection was Irving Intrepid (4.9%), a red rye ale, before catching the next train back to Sheffield and the bus home. I had never drunk in Heanor, Ilkeston, Stapleford nor Long Eaton before and there are more pubs to visit in these places with all being accessible by virtue of the excellent value Derbyshire Wayfarer ticket. Cheers, Andy Morton

Having spent Christmas at different ends of the country, myself and Dom decided a few nights away before New Year would be the perfect opportunity to visit a city we had both heard great things about, but never properly visited. Although admittedly a little far for a day trip, our pre-booked returns from Crewe to Glasgow were £30, and the hotel not much more so it was a perfectly affordable couple of days away.

Less than a five minute walk from the station, Shilling Brewing Company provided a warm welcome to a rather nippy Glasgow. The brewpub sits in an imposing building on the corner of West George Street. Alongside an excellent range of guest beers, four of the brewery’s beers were on the pumps, all brewed a couple of meters away. The full series could be purchased in a stylish flight deck and included Brew Tang Clan (5% coffee porter), Unicorn IPA (5.2% IPA) and Glasgow Red (4.4% red ale).

Throughout the evening we also visited a number of pubs and bars down Argyle Street on our walk into the city centre, sampling Magic Rock Dairyfreak (5.2% ice cream porter) in the Taphouse, Drygate Chimera (5.9% India pale lager) and ending in the CAMRA award-winning Bon Accord drinking Black Iris Snake Eyes (3.8% pale) and a couple of single malts. A highlight of the evening was being served Leffe on ice in a champagne bucket at a local Indian restaurant.

The following morning spent at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum listening to the free Organ Concert and learning a little more about Scottish History, before setting off for the West End. The first stop was at BrewDog directly opposite the Museum, where my drink of choice was admittedly something mulled in an attempt to combat the chill.

Lunch was enjoyed at the Kimchi Cult, a tripadvisor recommendation that certainly didn’t disappoint, and after that a five minute walk up Byres Road led us to the Curlers Rest where we enjoyed a pint of 2018’s Champion Beer of Britain, Siren Broken Dream.

Following this we headed to an unassuming little lane which all the locals kept telling us was a must visit on our trip. Ashton Lane had whisky bars, Belgian beer bars an Irish pub and everything in-between. Our first stop was the Innis & Gunn Beer Kitchen where we settled in for a couple of hours, with Dom trying most of their tap beers and a couple of bottles (Blood Red Sky, a 6.8% rum-barrel aged red ale, and Don’s Choice, a 6.2% coconut and rhubarb black IPA, stand out as highlights), and me repeatedly ordering Magic Rock Stiggy Pop (7.3%), a brilliant example of the NEIPA style.

Popping over the road our next stop was Brel, famed for its impressive beer menu incorporating everything from Belgian to Scottish beers, and its beautiful beer garden. Favourites sampled here were the classics including Leffe, St Bernardus, Boon, and a wee Drambuie too! A notice in the beer garden did make me smile noting no hill climbing or head dives – a subtle nod to the 45% angle that the tables were perched upon. By this time we decided to have a break from beer and try some more whiskies in the wonderfully-named Ubiquitous Chip – we were in Scotland after all.

A full Scottish breakfast and surprisingly clear heads rounded off a much-enjoyed weekend in Glasgow, a trip we will definitely be making again.

Poppy

I arrived in Leeds with the intention of having breakfast in the Wetherspoons at Leeds Station before getting an onward train. However, as the pub was heaving I decided to forego breakfast and take the train to Todmorden and have a pizza at the Wetherspoons adjacent to the station. This was much quieter even though it was now gone midday. Unfortunately pizzas were off the menu today and as the beer selection was somewhat mundane I opted for a sandwich and pasty from a nearby bakers. My first drink in Todmorden was at The Pub (Good Beer Guide 2019) near the indoor market.  Quite a small affair with four tables and six hand pumps, and I selected a half of Northern Whisper Soft Mick.

Not far away was the wonderfully named Polished Knob.  On entering you are greeted with an abundance of colour from the walls, furniture and stage – in fact, everywhere you looked. Many rugby league shirts adorned the walls. There were six hand pumps but only three were in action and I chose Three Valleys EPA. Next up was the Alehouse.  More modern in appearance, this micro pub has four tables of varying shapes and sizes and there was some patio seating outside at the front. There were six beers on hand pump and one cider. I chose beers from Doghouse and Rossendale breweries

A short train ride on the line back towards Leeds is Hebden Bridge. It was a few minutes’ walk from the station into the town centre and the first pub that I visited was Nightjar, which is the tap for Nightjar Brewery. Three of their beers were available on hand pump and I chose Picture House at 3.9%. From here it is a short walk to the Old Gate Bar & Restaurant (GBG 2019). This is a larger establishment combining gastro dining with nine hand-pulled ales and one cider. I chose Oakham ABV and Kirkstall Brewery De Abdij & The Mill which was a very rich oatmeal stout at 6%. I could have stayed for another in here but there was still a lot to do. Next, a walk up the hill to the Fox & Goose (GBG 2019 entry), a community-run pub with an old-world feel and several different seating areas including a garden perched above the road. I chose halves of Bingley Korito and Serious Russet.  Back down the hill now to Drink? (GBG 2019) where Northern Whisper Yammerhouse was sampled.  Two beers were available on the small bar to the rear but this is also a bottle shop with an extensive range of both cans and bottles.

Heading back towards the station I called in Vocation & Co, another brewery tap offering four cask beers and 16 keg. All the beers were served from taps behind the bar. From the cask list I chose Vocation Vermont Table IPA at 2.5%.  This was quite a modern looking bar and was getting quite busy now. The train beckoned but there was just time for a quick half of Nightjar Klondike back in the Nightjar tap. Another short train ride to Sowerby Bridge and the Turks Head. More of a local feel to this pub which had six hand pumps with four in operation and I chose Newby Wyke Orsino. A short walk away is the Hogs Head Brew House (GBG 2019) which offered six of their own beers and two guests. From their own range I had 6 to 8 Weeks bitter, White Hog pale ale and Smash Mosaic, all at 4%.  This seemed to be a very popular destination for people and was a hive of activity.

Back to Leeds now and the Scarbrough Hotel (GBG 2019), just down the steps from the station. There were nine hand pumps and I had Black Sheep Choc & Orange Stout and Siren Suspended In Mosaic.  On arrival back in Sheffield there was just time for a swift half of Roosters Parts & Labour American Pale Ale in the Sheffield Tap (GBG 2019).  There were other pubs I could have visited but those chosen certainly made for a Grand Day Out! Cheers, Andy Morton

A visit to Munich’s annual Oktoberfest is on the bucket list of many beer lovers around the world and this year we were lucky enough to be able to make the pilgrimage. This is the world’s largest beer festival, with more than six million people attending every year and around 13.5 million pints of beer being consumed over the 16 days it is open. Munich’s biggest breweries each create their own special festival beer called Märzen, which at around 6% ABV is somewhat stronger than the usual lager-style beers Bavaria is known for. We set off early on Saturday morning to Manchester Airport for our first flight of the day to Düsseldorf (direct flights to Munich are extortionately expensive during Oktoberfest), where we enjoyed a couple of hours with a nice wheat beer before heading on to Munich. Once in the city, we quickly dropped our belongings off at our hotel and caught one of Munich’s very efficient local trains for the 20-minute ride to the festival grounds. Alighting at Hackerbrüсke station, the short walk to the Theresienwiese gave us a good idea of what was to come, as we passed revellers in various stages of horizontalness having presumably been drinking since early morning. It was quite a spectacle with locals and visitors alike sporting lederhosen, dirndls and other local garb. Once we arrived once we arrived the sheer scale of the festival struck us – even though we had heard and read how big it was, it’s impossible to comprehend without seeing it for yourself. At Oktoberfest there are no bars and no drinking outdoors, so in order to get some beer you have to make your way into one of the 14 large (some of them seating up to 9,000 people at a time) and 21 small tents in order to get a seat and be attended to. With so many tents to choose from, we’d naively assumed that we would have little problem finding five seats. How wrong we were though, as every tent we passed had queues trailing out of the doors, a one-in-one-out system firmly in place. After a short confabulation, we resolved to abandon the festival grounds for the evening. The new plan was to head into the city centre and come back first thing on Sunday morning. We headed to the Hofbräu beer house, but on finding that to also be full we settled for some of the smaller bars nearby and sampled local beers from breweries such as Ayinger and Tegernsee, traditional Bavarian wheat beers and dark lagers the order of the day. The local food too is exactly what you would expect, with sausages, pretzels and schnitzels abounding. There’s a reason these are so popular though – they’re delicious! Sunday morning came around and we arose bright and early to make sure we arrived at Oktoberfest in time for the opening at 9 am. We were by no means the first people there, but our plan to get in line early enough to secure seats was successful and within 20 minutes we had taken root in the Löwenbrau tent. The tent was wonderfully decorated in traditional Bavarian style, with long wooden benches and a bandstand in the middle. Less traditional was the 15-foot high animatronic lion statue which sporadically raised a stein to its roaring mouth. Soon enough, our waitress for the day took our first order and within minutes she returned, impressively carrying nine one-litre steins filled to the brim without spilling a drop. It makes you wonder how much training it must take before the festival, and it really is a sight to behold! The beer itself was very good too – not cask beer of course, but like all proper German beer it was clean and crisp and extremely refreshing, with a nice malty sweetness. The festival organisers have done a great job of keeping the atmosphere of the festival intact; during the day only brass bands are allowed to play (some tents do have electronic music later in the evening) and the doormen are very quick to spot and deal with any unruly behaviour. Standing and dancing on the benches is allowed and even encouraged, but taking that second step up onto the table will see you out the door before you can say auf wiedersehen. After spending a few hours in the Löwenbrau tent, we decided to head just next door to Hacker-Pschorr. There were none of the brewery’s distinctive swing-top bottles to be seen today; the beer came instead from a huge hose hanging from the ceiling. Again, this was a really enjoyable, slightly hoppier beer than the last – the perfect tonic for an increasingly warm day. We found a friendly German couple with some spare seats on their table and tried our best to converse in the local language – a couple of beers always helps in that regard! Eventually though it was time to head back to our hotel and get some rest before the journey home began on Monday morning. The famous purity of German beer meant there were no sore heads and we all agreed that we would definitely return in the future. Our one tip for anyone visiting would definitely be to get there early, especially on the busier days. Dominic Nelson

Coords not found for https://whatpub.com/pubs/AMV/1539/prospect-street-micropub-alfreton The first available train to Alfreton on a weekday using a Derbyshire Wayfarer is the 9:06 from Sheffield. Alighting 25 minutes later at Alfreton Station it is a short bus ride into the town centre and then on to Ripley. There are 4 pubs in the Market Square including the Red Lion (CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2018), where a Wetherspoon’s breakfast was partaken together with half a Lymestone Whimsical Waterstone (4.5%). The next stop was the Old Cock Inn for a Brampton Pentrich Revolution Best Bitter (3.8%) from the choice of four ales and three hand-pulled ciders. Nearby is the Thorn Tree with six hand pumps and traditional cider on gravity. I had Falstaff Judson (4.2%). Also not far away is the Pear Tree, which looked like a former Greene King pub in the process of changing hands. Only two of the five hand pumps were in use and I had Greene King St. Edmunds Ale (4.2%).

A short bus ride on the 147 took me to the Holly Bush at Marehay. This used to be the home of Little Bush Brewery but from the choice of five ales I chose a half of Draught Bass. Back into Ripley now and Ripley’s Little Ale House which opened at 1pm. This is a fairly small micro pub on a pedestrianised street with six tables, five hand pumps and a fair few gins. I had halves of Langton Sovereign (4.2%) and Heritage Oatmeal Stout (4%). A little walk down Butterley Hill brought me to the Talbot (GBG 2018) with nine hand pumps and seven real ciders available. I chose Pentrich Downfall Architect Mosaic IPA (6%) and one from the Brew York X-Panda Session IPA series. From near here I caught the Rainbow 1 service to Codnor for the Poet & Castle. This is one of the Project William partnership pubs between Everards and Lincoln Green. There are 10 hand pumps containing five Lincoln Green beers and five guests. My selections were Mad Dog Third Eye Blind (3.8%) and Plain Ales Innspiration (4%).

Another short Rainbow 1 bus ride further away from Ripley is the Tip Inn micro pub in Loscoe. There are two indoor seating areas here and a garden and from the six hand pumps I had Grasshopper Knee High (3.8%) and Abstract Jungle Pale (4.9%). The Rapid One service took me back to Ripley in order to catch the 9.1 service to Swanwick and The Steampacket Inn (GBG 2018 entry) for some Blue Monkey Raspbeerry (4.6%). Another 9.1 service took me back to Alfreton Bus Station. It is only a short walk to the Handlebar (Landlocked Brewery tap) and some of their own Experimental Lambic Sour (3.9%) and Island of the Singular C (4.7%). Midway back towards the rail station is the Prospect micropub tucked away in a residential street. From the selection I had Scribblers Rubecca (4.8%) and Amber Ales Session Pale (3.6%).

The train back to Sheffield was on time so there was just time for a last half in the Sheffield Tap. Roosters Finkle & Einhorn (4.9%) was a fitting way to end an enjoyable day, even though it was by far the most expensive of the trip at £2.25 a half. Andy Morton

A South Yorkshire Day Connect ticket costs £6.60 from the driver for one day’s bus and tram travel throughout the area. Getting to Rotherham mid-morning allowed plenty of time for the short journey to Broom, arriving there just after 11am. The Stag (CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide 2018) adjacent to the roundabout of the same name, opens at 10am and has four hand pumps.  A roomy pub with several drinking areas served by the central bar and plenty of outdoor seating made for a pleasant start to the day.  Halves of Black Sheep/My Generation Beer Co.’s My Generation Session Pale Ale and Bath Ales Summer’s Hare were enjoyed.

Just a few yards away is the Dragon’s Tap, with six tables inside and a few outside at the front. A bright and airy micropub with a selection of 6 hand pulled ales (and 3 traditional ciders), from which I chose Chantry Citra Pale. Chantry ales appeared fairly regularly in the pubs I visited today. Back into Rotherham and another short bus ride past the Parkgate shopping complex to the Little Haven, another micropub serving 3 hand-pulled beers, one cider and containing five tables indoors. I selected Drone Valley No. 43. It was such a balanced and refreshing drink on this hot summer’s day that I had a second half. I then decided to walk up Rawmarsh Hill to the Something Brew Inn, which had seating inside and out. A bus ride of a couple of stops would have been more sensible. Anyway, a pleasant half of Chantry Two Magpies Porter was consumed from the range of six real ales available. Continuing away from Rawmarsh a bus took me to Wath-upon-Dearne and the Wath Tap (GBG 2018 entry and Rotherham CAMRA Pub of the Year 2018), which was slightly larger and also had pavement seating at the front. North Riding Pecan Pie Porter and Rat Splinter Black IPA were sampled from the six available beers. Traditional cider was also served.

A further bus ride in to Barnsley this time and the Arcade Alehouse (GBG 2018 entry and Barnsley CAMRA Pub of the Year 2018) in the town centre.  Nightjar Haka Pale was enjoyed before then catching the number 66 to Hoyland for the Knave and Kestrel, probably the smallest micropub visited today.  Elland Nettle Thrasher and Stancill Blonde were sampled before catching another 66 back towards Hoyland Common and the Tap & Brew for some Small World Secret and Raw Jester Pale and some complimentary peas in the pod to accompany the beer. From here it was but a short walk to catch the number 2 service back to Sheffield, which gave plenty of time for a half of one of the Brew York X Panda Session IPA series in the Head of Steam and a final Adnams Anti-Hipstermin in the Bankers Draft before the bus home. I had hoped to visit some of the newly opened pubs around the Barnsley, Mapplewell and Darton areas, but these will have to wait for another day. Andy Morton

A mid-morning arrival at Huddersfield station (via Wakefield) allowed plenty of time for a cooked breakfast and a half of Clarks (now brewed at Castle Eden) English Pale Ale in The Vulcan before boarding the hourly train for the short ride to the attractive village of Marsden.

Sitting outside the Riverhead Brewery Tap (CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2018) in the sunshine waiting for their festival to open at noon was very pleasant indeed.  The festival was a small affair with all available ales being served through ten hand pumps on the bar. From the 8 Riverhead beers and two guest that were available I sampled halves of Riverhead Montage (5%), Tour De Marsden (4.2%) and Pomegranate Pale (4%), plus a Mad Squirrel De La Crème Milk Stout (4.5%). Six traditional ciders were also available although I didn’t partake of any of these. There was then a short walk back up the hill to the station for a train back through Huddersfield to Mirfield and the festival at the Navigation Tavern (GBG 2018) which was already in full swing by the time I arrived. A separate festival bar with 24 hand pumps had been set up inside, from which I sampled beers from Bridge Brewery, 3D (Pitchfork), Ascot and Lords.

With basically an hourly service back to Wakefield Kirkgate, I allowed myself time for the short walk back past Mirfield station to the festival which had been advertised as taking place at the nearby Flowerpot (GBG 2018), which is an Ossett brewery pub.  Arriving at just after 3pm I was disappointed to find that the outside festival bar did not open until 4pm.  On a glorious sunny and warm Friday, with plenty of potential customers about, I thought it a little short-sighted not to capitalise by opening at lunchtime. I did not partake of a drink but instead returned to the Navigation for a very enjoyable Abbeydale Voyager IPA (number ten in the series), before getting a train to Wakefield Kirkgate.

First stop in Wakefield was Fernandes brewery tap (GBG 2018) and half of their Blue Lady (3.8%) together with complimentary sausage rolls and pork pies. A walk through town brought me to the Beer Exchange for some Aire Heads Grain Disorder (4.6%) and a limited edition Revolutions gin-infused Clash Porter (4.5%). Across the road to the Black Rock (GBG 2018) and from the five beers available I chose Blue Bee Enigma 500 (5.5%). The final pub of the day was The Hop in Wakefield (GBG 2018), which by now was very busy, but a very pleasant half of Wilde Child The Expatriate (4.5%) was consumed before catching a quick train from Westgate to Sheffield, followed by a bus home. Andy Morton

It had been quite a few years since my last visit to Ilkley, a picturesque little town very popular with walkers, situated at the southern end of the Dales Way route from West Yorkshire to the Lake District. I was treated to a day in Ilkley for my birthday, with real ale rather than rambling on the menu on this occasion.

After some delay due to a leaky boiler at home, we eventually got the train from Sheffield just after noon on a sunny Saturday. Usually you would only have to change once, at Leeds, but a landslip on the Wharfedale line meant an extra stop in Shipley. Once we finally arrived, we headed straight across the road from Ilkley station to the Friends of Ham, a delightful little place with a good range of cask and keg beers, plus a huge selection of pork-based bar snacks. Brass Castle’s Death By Toffee (4.8%) was the pick of the bunch.

We had hoped to visit Bar T’At after reading good things about it, but were disappointed to find it closed when we arrived, so we headed down the hill to the Flying Duck, home of Wharfedale Brewery. Here, we sampled the Best (4.0%) and Black (3.7%), and were pleasantly surprised to see Coffee and Hazelnut Baby Stout (3.6%), Abbeydale’s recent collaboration brew with North Riding, making an appearance on the handpumps.

Walking back towards the town centre, we stopped off at the Dalesway Hotel. Having stayed there before, I can vouch for the comfort of the rooms above the pub. It was slightly disappointing that only one handpump was in use at the time of our visit, but the fact it was Timothy Taylor’s Landlord (4.3%) was some consolation. We had more luck across the road at the Crescent Inn, a cosy pub offering six real ales; Kirkstall Brewery’s Dissolution IPA (5.0%) was the highlight for me.

Just down the road we stumbled across Fuggle & Golding, a well-stocked bottle shop with a good selection of KeyKeg ales featuring a couple from Ilkley Brewery. Unfortunately, the brewery doesn’t yet allow access to the public, although there were rumours of a taproom opening in the future. Heading back to the station, we decided to go back into the Friends of Ham for a half having been so impressed earlier, before catching the train back home. Dominic Nelson

It had been ten years since my last visit to this small town near Telford in Shropshire so another visit was planned to coincide with the 44^th Beer Festival in the Crown.  No cheap advance bookings were available on morning departures from Sheffield to Birmingham, so I opted to travel via Stockport instead. The hourly Arriva Trains Wales service between Stockport and Shrewsbury takes about an hour. The short walk to Shrewsbury bus station allowed me to catch the X4 limited stop Arriva service from Shrewsbury to Telford via Wellington and took 45 minutes, followed by another shorter bus ride to Oakengates.

I was the first customer to walk into the Crown Inn (CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2018 entry) when it opened at noon. It is a bright yellow painted building on Market Street and the layout was as I remembered it. Both front and back bars were adorned with hand pumps, as was the temporary bar in the back room, making 34 in total. My visit was on the first day of their 5 day festival and 26 pumps were in use.  I sampled halves from Castle Rock, Lancaster, Glastonbury, Coastal, Pitchfork and Green Duck breweries, the pick of which being Castle Rock Songbird (4.2%) which was very light and refreshing. Directly across the road from the Crown is the Station Hotel (GBG 2018). Like the Crown, plenty of hand pumps were in evidence on both front and back bars.  I sampled a 5% beer from Mallinsons to commemorate their 10 years of brewing, together with beers from Fernandes, Fixed Wheel and to make me feel at home, Abbeydale Carousel.

Two doors up from the Station Hotel is the Old Fighting Cocks (GBG 2018). This is a regular outlet for Hop & Stagger Brewery beers and I sampled their Golden Wander and Shropshire Pale Ale.   The landlord of the Crown also runs another pub in the village of Dawley so using the West Midlands Day Saver ticket again which I had purchased in Shrewsbury I took the short bus ride back into Telford and then another short ride to Dawley to visit the Elephant & Castle, a grade 2 listed building at the head of the High Street. I only had time for a couple of halves here from the 12 hand pumps as time was pushing on and the last bus back to Shrewsbury was at 18.10.  My choices were from Rudgate and Joule’s. Then it was back to Telford bus station and the X5 back to Shrewsbury. I was not due to leave Stockport until the 21.28 train so I could spend an hour in either Shrewsbury or Stockport and I chose the latter so boarded the next train from Shrewsbury to Stockport.  I decided on a quick visit to the Stockport Slope and called in the Magnet (GBG 2018) where I had a beer from the in-house Magnet Brewery with the catchy name of Brian/Alan/Steve/Sarah Bitter at 5%, named after the people for whom it was brewed, together with one from Ossett Brewery.  The nearby Railway (GBG 2018) provided a very drinkable Brightside Amarillo at 4.4%.  Back to Sheffield now and the last drink of the day was Bad Seed Become The Legend in the Sheffield Tap (GBG 2018) followed by a brisk walk for the bus. Andy Morton