retiredmartin

That’s Portugal complete, back to the navel-gazing “Best Of” posts you love so much.

Before you get alarmed, I’ve split South Yorkshire in two (2), as the second half of County 51 gets Sheffield all to itself.

I’ve nicked BRAPA’s greened in South Yorks GBG page.

What does that leave you with ? Well, the western bit of Barnsley is on of the most rugged bits of the Peak, Rotherham has a great steel museum, and our eldest son was conceived in a cemetery in Doncaster, so something for everyone I’d say.

Five mixed pubs to start you off;

We start in one of the UK’s many underrated post-industrial towns;

Barnsley – Heaven & Ale

I was tempted by the claims of the Conservative Club or the Old Town boozers, but really a visitor would want to see a Top 16 pub I guess;

and Heaven & Ale breaks free of the “micro/small pub” shackle to pack in students, Hi-Vis folk and beer tickers onto its bench seating.

Quality beer (North Riding), quality soundtrack, lovely staff.

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Almost cheating to head to Deepcar (Stockbridge if we’re honest) as I’m sure Sheffield claim it, but it takes 3 days to get there on horse and trap, though celebrity MP Miriam Cates is hopeful to upgrade the route to make it accessible to horse trams by 2049 as part of levelling up.

Deepcar – King & Miller

Sorry, got distracted.

One of this year’s GBG newbies, the King & Miller is a clean but unfussy drinkers pub, and a great advert for their clean, unfussy beers produced on the edge of the Peak. £3 a pint, Sam Smiths prices.

“Ya’ll right” says the bloke opposite.

“Never better” I say. I cannot lie. “How you ?”

“Same day, different s**t” he says. I think that may be the wrong way round.

“Drinking beer with the sun shining through, living the dream !” I tell him, to no response.

Fantastic window.

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More great windows in one of two great Chantry pubs in Rotherham,

Rotherham – Cutlers Arms

a town where the pubs (living and dead) really are the highlight.

I talk on this blog about “WOW” moments and sitting in the Cutlers watching folk come and go and come again while drinking Chantry’s Special Reserve in a gorgeous room that afternoon was one of them.

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More of the same sense of timeless boozer in Donny’s top pub, again gorgeous but no museum piece.

Doncaster -Little Plough (top)

A rambling pub, a bit like the Old Boys who dominate the Plough’s custom at 4pm. Feels a classic, like a Sam Smiths pub with mobile phones. Though in honesty, most folk were talking about horse racing to the next table, rather than on their device. Sir Humphrey would approve.

Great outdoor smoking area, too (DON’T smoke folks).

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I specifically wanted a pub in the mining villages to the north of South Yorkshire (IYSWIM), and then this classic station pub popped up last year, not even in the GBG yet.

Moorthorpe – Mallard

A glorious refurbishment job, and high quality bargain beer. I think the average price of a pint across these five pubs is about £3.20.

I also wanted to get Jolly Boys on this list; their first pub in the Victorian arcade in Barnsley is wonderful, but I suspect the Mallard will prove more of a boon to commuters from South Kirkby as well the town’s vast number of tourists.

Right, Sheffield next up, but what have I missed so far ?