retiredmartin

May 2025. Riddlesden. West Yorkshire.

Cup Final day, the showpiece of the football calendar. At least it was, when it was the only game on telly, and the last game of the season. Nowadays it’s an irritant, the actual timing fought over by broadcasters to maximise overseas rights and make sure it’s over before Eurovision.

As a City season ticket holder I could have had a ticket for Wembley, but not at £125, mate.

Instead I spent £16 taking a train to Keighley to tick a pub club.

A tick that would complete West Yorkshire’s chapter of the GBG. Here’s one BRAPA completed earlier;

Green ? Ugh !

Riddlesden, a mile’s walk from Keighley, was actually the village I drove Simon to straight after his first COVID vaccination, because as you’ll remember the Astra Zeneca needed 6 pints to wear in.

Driving Mr Everitt saved him the trauma of a trip on Northern Trains, where the hens were out in force.

I asked my editing tool to remove the humans from the photo; this is what I get;

So that hen isn’t a person then ?

I had a vague idea of complementing my tick with some Tim Taylor in Keighley, but instead opted for a National Trust entry.

Lower Riddlesden isn’t an unalloyed joy, the highlight a pub converted to a chippy,

but it is a joy to stumble into the grounds of East Riddlesden Hall.

One of their cheaper houses (for the non-member), but charming nonetheless,

and a reminder of simpler times when even rich Yorkshire folk ate mice for tea.

This was another scorchio day in England’s unrelenting heatwave (I believe it’s just stopped), and I’d have been miffed if the Applegarth hadn’t rewarded my steep uphill walk by opening as promised at 3.

“It was cool when I left Sheffield at lunchtime” I tell the lady opening up. She looks doubtful.

This is a stunner of a club, reminiscent of Sam Smiths Yorkshire estate except that it won’t be closed down if you check your train times in an empty room.

How’s it got in the GBG this year, then ?

I know most CAMRA members think their own process for picking pubs for the Guide is flawed, but 9 times out of 10 the new entries have great beer, and the Harrogate Pale is a cool, crispy, chewy NBSS 4.

It’s a bit quiet, mind, and I’m glad when “Absolute Beginners” comes on, and you’ll know how I loathe the hero worship of Bowie.

I check the Keighley departures. Cancellations, delays, steam trains to Haworth accompanied by “We’ll Meet Again”. That’ll be a no.