August 2023. Middleham.
One last pub to leave North Yorkshire tantalisingly two ticks short of completion (both on the rail line to Scarborough). Perhaps I’ll finish the chapter, perhaps I won’t. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
The road takes you through the Dales; we try to guess which ones but fail.
We’d been to Middleham in 2021 and liked the place a lot, but you always hope you’ve done all the pubs in the village so it’s with a sigh and a “get a move on Mrs RM” that I hurtle headlong with a purposeful stride towards the Black Bull.
Now that I can access Mrs RM’s photos for my blog you not only get two perspectives but if there’s a really un-woke photo like in Clitheroe you’ll never be sure which of us took it.
It would be unfair to call the Black Bull “plain”; anyone living in Minneapolis or Motherwell would love a pub like this with flagstones, little fire, dog bowl and pan fried haddock.
Oh look, there’s those dales explained.
Open all day, which is nice, except when you’re the only custom.
When in the Dales a man should always drink Theakston or Black Sheep, I think, but since the Best was off the local beer with unpromising name (“Semer water”, anyone ?”) was cool and rich and since Mrs RM was on tasting duties it didn’t matter. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mrs RM was a dark horse to finish the GBG, you know. More chance of that than her posting on her blog, anyway.
Your soundtrack is “September”, appropriately as we head towards GBG publication day.
It’s a nice, friendly, pub, and as we leave a family group and two Old Boys come in at just gone 3pm, which cheers me immensely.
Last visit we walked to the woods, now we walked the cobbled streets to the castle.
Middleham, apart from the market square used as a car park (ugh) is rather gorgeous.
And much loved by a motley collection of cats in Grover Terrace.
The owner is adamant that yes, I really do these new cats.
As ever, beware the Man United supporter.
retiredmartin 
Minneapolis gives it a thumbs up. Nice to see you starring in the photos.
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Not too happy about it but she takes a good photo so I’ll just have to suffer.
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How about some action photos of you queuing, getting a sample or returning a pint?
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Semer Water sounds vaguely disgusting but it’s actually not bad.
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That was me by the way
Bill
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No mention of the racehorses. Need to be there first thing for the full experience.
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Racecats would be better. I used the horsey racing pub in 2021 so couldn’t used it again within 3 years.
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Aye, remote Yorkshire pubs: the laconic wit of the fire and the smell of the locals.
Can’t beat ’em.
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Funnily enough, I have also spent the night in Middleham which I really enjoyed. The only thing is that because of all the horse racing stables and the nearby gallops, the Black Bull was full of jockeys and stable lads on a Friday night. They might be only tiny, but they can get really wound up with a few beers in them.
Next day walked up Coverdale to the Thwaite Arms for lunch in Horsehouse (surely one of the remotest pubs in Yorkshire), Then up and over the pass between Buckden Pike and Great Wherneside and in Wharfedale for tea and beer at the Bluebell in Kettlewell.
A superb day’s walking.
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