To the bridge !
First stop here for a decade, and it was good to see the Friday evening daytrippers out in decent numbers, drawn by free parking and Holdens Bitter.
Not quite the honeypot of Bewdley or Bilston, but there’s little better than a stroll over the Iron Bridge.
And back again.
Takes, ooh, five minutes, and then you can go for tea.
Some absolute sods had booked for the Thai place (we NEVER book, except for beer), so we had to try and find a pub that would feed us.
The Brummies in the Coracle had recommended the Swan, but we never take advice, so we ended up there with me edging out two groups of ditherers to snatch the last table.
It might source its beers from Marston’s rather than be a Marston’s house, but it has that Midlands casual pub grub feel down to a tee.
And a complex one way system that defeated Mrs RM more than once.
So much for a move to lighter dining (this was just before “beer gut gate“).
I can’t particularly recommend the stodge, though when you’re hungry you’ll forgive a lack of finesse.
But I CAN recommend the Black Sheep (for BBB fans) and the Backyard Shedhead, for crafties like Mrs RM.
It’s not the same outside a pub, is it ?
Pleasingly, the group outside were even more drunk than we were, which was quite an impressive achievement.
The last thing Mrs RM wanted after that was a long walk up a steep hill, so that’s what we did next.
retiredmartin 
A really lovely place there Martin. Beer and food alike look appetizing to the eyes, despite your review of the latter
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I’ve always preferred the All Nation at Madeley.
Last time we were there Mrs TSM bought half a dozen of the pub’s free range eggs and half of them were double yolkers.
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T’other Paul, being too lazy to look such things up at this time of the morning, I was wondering if the All Nations still brews its own beer?
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T’other Paul,
Yes it does, but it hasn’t done continuously and it’s different ownership now.
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Thanks very much, Eddie. I feel obliged to mention the plainer pubs as much as the ones in the Beer Guide, particularly when the owner and staff are working so hard.
The food was plentiful, I’ll say that,
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Beautiful photos.
That tetley glass looks like a museum piece too – perhaps fitting though for a modern iconic Yorkshire beer.
Glad it was a good one…and as Plusnet would say – you’re more Yorkshire than you think…;)
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I’ve seen that Tetley branding before but I’m not sure what age it is.
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Almost exactly two years old and dreamt up by the same bloke as did the Arriva logo.
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2 years old. You can’t beat history, eh ?
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2 years old…eh? That glass has had a hard life then or perhaps the missing bits of the graphics were part of the original ‘historic’ design…:)
Should’ve asked a pub man…
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I blame glassmaking machines.
Bring back washing up bowls and tea towels.
The “Pint” certification on t’other side will probably be missing making the glass illegal.
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Lacings galore and some stunning views. You’re right though Bilston High Street is better
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No question, it just needs to trumpet (sorry) its virtues more.
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