The move to Sheffield has put me within reach of a vast swathe of That Yorkshire which I’ve given short shrift to over the decades. Like Kirklees, the filling in the midddle (?) of the Manc/Leeds/Sheff triangle;
While some places drag you back every year with new craft bars (Halifax) or rumours of top Bass (anywhere Beer Mat goes), Dewsbury stays below the radar, waving you on towards the bright lights of Bradford and Brighouse.
In fact, I can only name one GBG entry round here off t’ top o’ my head, that long-running station bar.
But look at those curves below the Flatt Top on Thornhill Edge !
There’s a posh sculpture park down the road at Bretton (never been) and a a not-posh mining museum in Middletown, but it’s the views from the ridge running south of Thornhill you should divert from the M1 for.
There’s an eerie looking church as well, built to provide for the spiritual needs of drinkers at the Saville Arms, which I DO now recall from a flying visit c.2002 (Black Sheep, NBSS 3.5).
Why did no-one tell me about Thornhill ? Or DID they tell me, just in a funny Horbury accent like Big Brother 8’s Chanelle.
Anyway, I’m rambling. Here’s the Flatt Top from the more difficult western approach;
That patio overlooking the valley is both the highlight and the only place I’ll be drinking today.
But is it open ? Well, it’s well gone the 2pm date Facebook suggests, but then it IS bucketing down so I’m not surprised.
Who on earth would stand in the rain with a pint, just to save pubs ?
Pick me ! Pick me !
After a few minutes the landlord wanders out and stares into the clouds.
“Are y’open ?”
“Aye” I may have got the accent wrong.
It takes me a minute to work out where to go. Do you i) enter via the side (below) to go straight to the garden, ii) go in the open door marked “Lounge”, or follow the landlord through the loos to the bar ?
Always pick iii). At least I get to SEE the bar, even if it’s not long enough to identify the film.
The landlord is great, bemoaning the rain without moaning, if you know what I mean.
“What y’aving ?“
“What y’got ?”
Abbeydale Moonshine or Tetley. It seems to be expected I’ll have the Moonshine, and the Tets clip is garbage, isn’t it ?
Apologetically, he motions me outside to the terrace. It’s covered, and a solitary gap in the canvas allows a drip into the Foster’s jug carrying out a noble purpose.
The Moonshine is ccol, crisp and wonderful (NBSS 3.5+) and I rejoice in my role is saving pubs.
“See ya pal” says the landlord.
retiredmartin 
“drinkers at the Saville Arms” – says ‘Savile’ on the building. Adding an extra ‘l’ could be wise distancing from a deceased local(ish) celebrity the pub might consider.
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I added that “l” to compensate for the extra “t” in Flatt Top that Bing Maps took away. Fair’s fair.
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A top Yorkshire beer with a background of top Yorkshire countryside – that last photo really is EPIC.
Another pub well saved RM 🙂
I’m still behind the sofa (which is a euphemism for my nuclear shelter behind the matress under the stairs – luckily I didn’t decommisiion it after the cold war)
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“The move to Sheffield has put me within reach of a vast swathe of That Yorkshire”
So, that would be South and West Yorks with a bit of Manc thrown in?
“or rumours of top Bass (anywhere Beer Mat goes)”
I think he does that to tease you. 😉
“But look at those curves below the Flatt Top on Thornhill Edge !”
Curves?
(goes for a quick lie down)
And, in the bottom left of the OS Map, not sure what Burton did but first they say High and right afterwards they Kick him!
“but it’s the views from the ridge running south of Thornhill you should divert from the M1 for.”
Typical England that. 😉
“built to provide for the spiritual needs of drinkers at the Saville Arms”
One ‘l’ dear boy. Just like the Savile Arms in Cleckheaton and Elland. 🙂
“Why did no-one tell me about Thornhill ?”
Surely you’ve had their Jaipur? Oh, wait; that’s Thornbridge. My mistake.
“Anyway, I’m rambling. Here’s the Flatt Top from the more difficult western approach;”
Do you know, that looks a bit like where I stayed when I worked (illegally) in Turkey back in ’08.
(oh and a – slow golf clap – for having ‘rambling’ preceding your ‘difficult western approach’) 🙂
“Who on earth would stand in the rain with a pint, just to save pubs ?”
That’s a given.
“Always pick iii)”
What if they’res only ii choices?
“even if it’s not long enough to identify the film.”
Looks like Alan Ladd with some bottle blond.
“and the Tets clip is garbage, isn’t it ?”
The offensive wasn’t all that great I agree. Oh, wait; you’re not talking Vietnam are you.
“and a solitary gap in the canvas allows a drip into the Foster’s jug carrying out a noble purpose.”
The same as that bottle in your campervan?
“The Moonshine is ccol, crisp and wonderful”
And obviously very potent with that spelling of ‘cool’! 😉
Cheers
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Your title’s as good a reason as any, Martin
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Looks like a marvelous combination of a good walk and a nice local pub with a lovely view, though I’m sure you’d have preferred nicer weather. I loved the “Pick me! Pick me!” bit.
These days folks like you really are the ones saving pubs. I reckon they’re very grateful indeed for every customer that they get, especially when the weather isn’t ideal for outdoor drinking.
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The weather cleared as soon as I started the walk, Mark, but you’d have guessed that !
It’s a good point you make about grateful pubs. It’s not just the few pounds, it’s also the feeling of purpose and the presence of another human. Same applies to barbers and shops that also opened up last minth.
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#pubsaviour
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