THE CASK CAMINO DAY 2 – THE ABBEY INN TO APPERLEY BRIDGE

June 2026. Leeds to Bradford.

Comfort break at Newlay’s Abbey Inn over, we resumed Day 2 of the Cask Camino with a route from posh Leeds to almost posh Bradford.

Today’s “Identify the bird” is a tough one.

Lots of interesting canal traffic, including the Absolute Madness tour boat on its way to a nostalgia festival somewhere. More refined than a bus.

Not all the boats are in as good condition though.

It’s a pleasant, undramatic, two hour stretch to Apperley Bridge. Pleasant waterside houses,

bird song and the thwack of leather on willow (or vice versa),

as you remember what Yorkshire folk do on Saturdays.

The joggers thin out, replaced by canoes as we reach Rodley,

whose solid looking pubs once reached the GBG in simpler times.

They’re across the canal, though, and I’m not swimming that with a pint of Boltmaker.

Actually, pubs thin out considerably on the next stretch,

as do seats, and Mrs RM is relieved to make it to Apperley’s eponymous bridge and the car park.

Two very gastro pubs in the George and Dragon and Stansfield Arms, which makes Amity Brewery’s weekend cheese boards and craft beer close by near Idle sound an attractive end to the day.

Except it’s not every weekend, is it ? Just the one we missed.

Unknown's avatar

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.

13 thoughts on “THE CASK CAMINO DAY 2 – THE ABBEY INN TO APPERLEY BRIDGE”

  1. Lovely write up of what must have been a grand day out.
    Love that stretch of the canal. It was near where I lived until I was 18.
    Don’t want to be a pedant, but I think the pub is the Stansfield Arms

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    2. It’s a very peaceful stretch.

      I stayed at the Calverley Inn a couple of times when Innkeeper’s Lodges started and the walk down to the water was lovely, so it was good to see it from the other side.

      Not many Beer Guide pubs in that stretch recently.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  2. Incidentally, I walked the 6 miles from Littleborough to Todmorden on the Rochdale canal this week. The route crosses the Pennines at a height of 600′. Impressive engineering and lovely scenery. Todmorden turned out to be a good beer destination with three (3) GBG entries. All accessible via the Leeds to Wigan Wallgate train service.

    Like

    Reply

  3. I knew if I waited long enough the George and Dragon in Apperley Bridge might arrive on your pages.
    As a boarder at the nearby Woodhouse Grove School this pub held huge significance for me.
    Not only was it where I got served my first pint in a pub ( Tetley’s natch ) as an oldish-looking 15-year-old – fortunately they weren’t as hot on age as they are now – but also the gorgeus young barmaid who served it introduced me to another important rite of passage for a nervous young chap several weeks later.
    It’s now a gastropub you say.
    It was very much wet-led in my time.
    Wahaay !

    Prof

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  4. My first pub pint, also at the age of 15, was served by an aged and possibly mad crone. Ugandan discussions were definitely not on the menu.

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment