Lancashire pub life, eh ? Ain’t it grand.
Irish Sea Dave is the expert on the basic pubs of Morecambe Bay, and has almost certainly beat me to the Crossing at the, er, crossing at Hest Bank, one of three (3) pubs in a row on my Morecambe meander.
A pleasant stroll along the coast from Morecambe’s Bare Lane, which will feature again later, reminds me I made Mrs RM and family walk the entire way from the Eric Morecambe statue beyond Hest Bank to a pub at Bolton-le-Sands, back in the days (2017) when they took any notice of me.
Hest Bank is lumped in with Slyne on Wiki; you can still feel the simmering resentment as you enter the village.
There is a canal but I’m fairly sure Peter Allen hasn’t got quite this far north.
“Notable former residents include Thora Hird and Tyson Fury“ says Wiki, which is silent on the possibility of a lovechild.
From the bridge over the actual crossing you can probably see all sorts of celebrities’ houses on Barrow.
I’m getting used to micropubs that dare not call themselves micropubs. No qualms here.
Outside the pub I see something I haven’t seen for a decade.
Yes, Copper Dragon are back. Rather made up my mind for me at the bar, too.
But first I dumped my coat at the seat nearest the fire. It was worth the walk from Bare, or possibly even Barnstaple for the smell from that fire.
This being a Proper micropub, one of the locals had to nip behind the bar to pour my decent half of Moon Drifter as the gaffer was out milking oysters or whatever, and a splendid job he did.
A charmingly homey place with half a dozen regulars entertaining a chatty greyhound, but not the one that Duncan has just reported as being banned.
A chap wandered in with a kebab, which seemed a bit cruel on those of us suddenly famished, let along our canine friend.
In fact most of the banter surrounded trencherman’s feasts at local restaurants.
“I don’t think I’ve had three courses in thirty years, but I had the sticky toffee pudding”
“Aye”
You’ll have to imagine how much joy the smell of that smoke gave me, and how wonderful the pronunciation of “sticky toffee pudding“.
retiredmartin 
I did chuckle at this one: “back in the days (2017) when they took any notice of me” –I look back on the days when I could simply tell my kids to get in the car (so that we could go out and do something fun together as a family) and I have shake my head in disbelief that such a thing was actually possible.
I like the looks of this pub: lots of character but nothing that smacks of “trying too hard.”
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I thought that walk was more than 2 years ago, glad i searched my own site for Hest Bankv!
Good pub, and nice to have half a dozen other blokes in a pub at lunchtime!
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That “Dangerous looking footpath” isn’t as direct as the one I took across Morecambe Bay many years ago.
A proper dog and proper fire might not be expected in a micropub, but this one’s a long way from their Kentish origins.
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Martyn Hillier would be turning in his grave if he wasn’t still alive.
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You’ve been in good company, Martin 😉
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/29/on-road-with-jeremy-corbyn-a-photo-essay#img-8
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Yes, but that’s not beers or pubs he’s making a note of in photo 14.
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You’re right in that I’ve never boated along that stretch of cut, but I have strolled along the towpath as a warm up for lunch in the Hest Bank pub. Next time I’m up that way I’ll have to seek out The Crossing.
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The Hest Bank still looks good.
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Give it 6 months and copper Dragon will have gone into admin yet again and renamed themselves before rebranding back to Copper Dragon in another 6 months.
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Are they brewed in Wolves yet?
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Just realised you missed the obvious musical option here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWa3ouFWwJs
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Obscure award, Scott.
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Ginger Tinge! Soooo close to a place and infamy on Pumpclip Parade…
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Mark,
I’ve seen that ginger minge beer from Stockport recently but I can’t remember in which one.
Many years ago there was a Ginger Minge beer though I can’t remember from which brewery but, to avoid offence, I don’t think the pumpclip was illustrated..
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So do we think that Ginger Tinge is playing with our sensitivities, or am I making a spurious association?
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Are you one of those people that LOOKS at pump clips before saying “pint o Bass” Mark?
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I have a look yes! It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I do it very quickly with a sideways glance whilst pretending to find the right change for a pint (then pay by card obviously, like what everyone does now). In common with all serious pubgoers, I’m looking for something I recognise, not something new…
I’m certainly not looking for something to get offended by. It’s just that you thrust that Ginger Mi.. err, Tinge in my face.
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I did not 😱
I bet you look at jam jars and ask for tasters as well.
Remember, Mark. The middle one. Hopefully of one.
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Great pub pictures!
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