Coming to the close of Northumberland GBG now, and an overdue return to Rothbury, home of the great National Trust property (Cragside) and down the road from one of our Basic, Unspoilt gems.
A shame the Star is open 5.5 hours a week these days, and my visit was on one of the 162.5 hours it isn’t.
I also missed the Railway Hotel/Tandoori, recommended once I got home by someone who had high praise for the pygmy goats.
Being 20 minutes off the A1 and not having any known Harry Potter links has saved Rothbury from the fate suffered by Alnwick and Watford.
It’s a gorgeous small town, though I actually saw more people on the riverside walk than in the High Street.
Solid stone pubs untroubled by tickers,
arts and crafts, antiques, war games,
“The Machynlleth of the North” would be a great slogan.
My first ever tick in Rothbury was to be a micropub that I’d forgotten the name of.
This place looked to have the most micro-friendly hours.
but it’ll be a few years before the Library is a craft bar.
Instead we have the Narrow Nick, using what looks like old Pubmaster signage.
You may be astonished to hear the Nick has expanded its hours, possibly in breach of the Herne Rules.
I’m not surprised it was increasing its hours; the place was packed.
Mind, 16 people fills it, I was lucky to get a corner seat out of the way of trouble.
Note how they’ve got small tables for solo drinkers here, a nice touch.
The Cheviot Stout was fantastic, rich and foamy with a sudden bite (NBSS 3.5+). Plenty of cask, but plenty of wine being sold via Key Keg too.
A Proper Pub, in fact. A proper library too, with Beer Guides and Harry Potter.
There really is no escaping Harry Potter, is there ?
retiredmartin 
Are the pygmy goats being trained to eat BRAPA when he arrives (2037)?
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We can but hope.
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That sign for ‘The Railway Hotel’ and ‘Village Tandoori’ reminds me that “Goat Curry” is on the specials board of my nearest pub, the one that does lovely Nepalese food, more often than anything else.
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You’ve certainly done good promotion for that one Paul.
If Stafford gives me a reason to visit I’ll add to my schedule.
NB I dreamt about Bod on Stoke station last night. Perhaps I can do Stafford from there.
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Yes, just twenty minutes from Stoke railway station to Stafford, probably Slaters Bar needing a tick and then Mrs TSM might give us a lift up to the Morris Man for Banks’s and a curry
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Best pub food this year was a Goat Curry at Watts Russell near Alstonefield and it also had the beer in best condition, Lord Marples. Strange pub though.
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Can’t believe you’ve written a blogpost about Rothbury without mentioning Raoul Moat or Gazza.
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Mine is a classy blog, Matthew.
You may find the content you seek when BRAPA eventually gets there.
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We’re in safe hands here, Matthew,
Relatively speaking, that is.
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