A PICNIC AT DAMFLASK

We pressed on to the Bradfields, Sheffield’s equivalent of the Hamptons I guess.

One of the largest parishes in Britain, stretching from the housing estates of Stannington to the weekend walker wonderlands of Strines, Bradfield dominates North-West Sheffield and the entrance to the Peak.

High Bradfield has the huge Thwaites dining pub and the eponymous brewery, Low Bradfield has the car park and the cake and the picnic seats. Oh, and the bowling green.

“Are they allowed to do that ?” asked Mrs RM. I didn’t know, and wasn’t phoning Derbyshire Police to find out.

You’re at the north-west tip of Damflask Reservoir here, so expect to see folk dressed as if they’re exploring Nepal.

Far better to take it easy and spread out the white tablecloth and put up the flowers.

How romantic. As a similarly affectionate gesture I made Mrs RM race behind me up the hill to the Plough, which despite the Whitbread livery below is definitely the Bradfield tap.

They’ve set up a little hut outside selling coffee, crumbly chocolate cake and some misleading dispense (autovac not shown); I bet they’ll be open on the Glorious 12th.

I shared one of those “joyous pub moments” with a lady coming out of the exit I attempted to enter, while Mrs RM read out the list of things you couldn’t do, like sit at the tables and go to the loo.

So we sat at the table by the river and scowled at folk in tracksuits feeding Warburton sliced bread to ducks,

walked Damflask for half an hour,
and then dashed for the loos.

I don’t know if anyone DID actually sponsor Bradfield loos in 2014, possibly Newark Northgate Railway Station Outreach Service, but they were open and clean and cute. And thank goodness for that.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

17 thoughts on “A PICNIC AT DAMFLASK”

  1. My husband is a bowler -it’s not allowed -maybe next week ? As I have zero interest in bowling (apart from when there is a bar ) I don’t care . Nice to see some scenic areas from your new location.I am not jealous at all (sigh )

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  2. The inadequate toileting situation is probably the greatest COVID side-effect of them all. Clearly the horrific death toll and grim Long COVID legacy are bad enough, but the wholesale withdrawal of unfettered access to Wetherspoon toilets is a shocking scandal that nobody seems willing to talk about or address, and which scholars will debate for many years to come I’d imagine. Probably.

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    1. Ha yes, really been confined to large supermarkets for loo stops just lately. The other alternative, McDonald’s, reliable for coffee, free WiFi and toilets but nought else, also not available.

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      1. Reminds me of days out by tube in Lon-don. Couple of pints, jump on the tube, need a pee so pop into another pub, pint, tube, pee, pub, pint, pee, tube, pub, pee, pint, tube, pub, pee, pint, pee, pee, pee……..

        There’s a lot to be said for staying put in the same pub all afternoon, particularly at the moment.

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      3. I believe someone else may have cocked a leg and marked that territory! I’m more of an Ilkeston Up Line man myself…

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      5. Love the Dewdrop, though surprisingly limited weekday opening means it’s usually just a last pint and pee stop before home.

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      7. Not sure it opens at all in the new traditional Mon-Wed dry zone. I hoped the opening of the station might encourage better opening hours, but tbh I don’t think it’s the kind of place likely to attract travellers, no cake and coffee. It’s very much a locals pub, and clearly the locals don’t go to the pub much outside of the weekend and evenings. I usually peg it to the Erewash Hotel for an early doors Shipstones, and the Acorn is a nice pub if you fancy a walk down the canal from the station.

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      8. When did you post this comment, Mark ? 2007 ? I looked those 2 up; Erewash Hotel closed (sounded brilliant and Little Acorn keg (hurrah). Loads of pubs survive in Ilkeston.

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  3. “Bradfield dominates North-West Sheffield and the entrance to the Peak.”

    I like how the two Bradfields greet each other. One says ‘hi’, while the other is more hip and says ‘lo’. 😉

    “I didn’t know, and wasn’t phoning Derbyshire Police to find out.”

    I think they just make the rules up as they go.

    “Far better to take it easy and spread out the white tablecloth and put up the flowers.”

    Swanky!

    “As a similarly affectionate gesture I made Mrs RM race behind me up the hill to the Plough,”

    More adventurous than romantic. 😉

    “I bet they’ll be open on the Glorious 12th.”

    Fingers crossed!

    “while Mrs RM read out the list of things you couldn’t do, like sit at the tables and go to the loo.”

    Sigh.

    “and then dashed for the loos.”

    I can commiserate.

    “I don’t if anyone DID actually sponsor Bradfield loos in 2014”

    I “don’t” “doubt” that. 😉

    “And thank goodness for that.”

    Too bloody right!

    Cheers

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      1. I thought that was already decided. The Spoons on Cambridge Street. Three minutes to down a pint of Doom Bar then off to the other Spoons at 9:03. 😉

        Cheers

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