Simon has been practising his alliteration in the Wolds this week as he attempts to beat me to finish North Yorkshire (Spoiler : He fails).
Just down the road below Malton from the “posh old gastro” of Burythorpe lies the Cross Keys in Thixendale GBG entry that has eluded me for decades.
It’s a few miles east of Stamford Bridge, home of overperforming Chelski Village, who famously took City to penalties in the Cup last season.
It was also, on this evening, the most beautiful place on earth*.
I felt privileged to be in such an undiscovered corner of England on the most beautiful night of the year, admiring the undulations on my OS map.
But you lot don’t care about that, you philistines.
You want to see adverts for shower rings in 1974 copies of The Dalesman.
If any of our readers would care to send a 4.5p stamp to Wickhambreaux, I will be pleased to hear how you get on.
The Cross Keys seems little changed from ’74, though I arrived on one of the 3 days when electricity is available.
The Old Boys were having a fag outside, leaving the Young Lads to plot their 2nd XI trip to Wetwang on Saturday.
A typical Yorkshire all-rounder, with pub meals kept to the right, leaving this a busy drinkers pub after 9pm.
Goodness knows what Richard would have made of this. Bradfield, Tets and Marston’s works for me, but feels a million miles from the Brass Castle Tap Room up the road.
Of course, it’s not called Burton Bitter (a competent NBSS 2.5) in 2019, is it ?
Just as well it’s 1974 in Thixendale.
*Apart from any place that Mrs RM happens to be in at the time, of course
retiredmartin 
God’s own county. Lovely.
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She tells me she prefers Lancashire.
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And so the Good Burton Bitter Guide includes the Brushmakers, the Cross Keys and the Quiet Woman. I wonder how many other little gems still fight the good fight against Marston’s marketing department.
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The fight goes on.
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“Can be taken standing in bath or bowl …… boon to elderly and handicapped who prefer not to sit in bath” – so in 1974 were there really “elderly and handicapped” who could stand in a bowl but not sit in bath ?”
“it’s not called Burton Bitter in 2019, is it ?” – but that’s what the pumpclip in the Brushmakers Arms at Oulton said last month.
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You hipsters prefer Saddle Tank or whatever trad name it’s got this week.
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Posh old gastro in Burythorpe? No way!
Failed alliteration? No way!
Typical Yorkshire all rounder with electricity just 3 days a week. Totally.
I’m just filling in for Russ.
I hypnotised the landlord into serving me when I went cos he was closing up and turning diners away but I gave him BRAPA eyes and he gave in.
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I felt really awkward when you raved about Burythorpe as I thought it was a good characterful dining pub but not really a place for the drinker, unlike those two other nearby Wold pubs.
I can fully understand your opinion being swayed by preferential treatment 😉
The Stackpole in West Wales didn’t much want to serve Duncan as the diners had left when we got there at 10pm and there’s only £2 margin on a pint of beer.
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Does Humphrey manage a “£2 margin on a pint of beer”?
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Taxation plays a funny part in those calculations 😉
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Great pub view 👍 any pub with cricket team attached usually = good fun
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