retiredmartin

July 2026. Keighley.

With Day 7 of the Cask Camino on hold due to a sporting injury, I spend an unnecessary day in Keighley making trips to the town’s three (3) supermarkets (Sainsbury’s, Morrison’s, Asda) to keep Mrs RM topped up with deli items and sparkling water, while I completed my 22k steps walking to pubs.

I suspect the Boltmakers has the biggest call to be a Proper Pub, a small Tim Taylor house in and out of the Beer Guide over the years since my last visit,

even with the temptation of a Brass Castle to attract the tickers. I suspect that, along with Goole, Keighley is the Yorkshire market town with the least pub tourists.

Landlord, Landlord Dark, Boltmaker, Golden Best, the new Blonde…

It’s an “ale pub”, but I still feared the worst, but the Boltmaker (obvious choice) was rich and tasty.

though I’ve had crisper pints. GOOD, occasionally VERY GOOD, as they say on the Shipping Forecast.

A cosy, friendly, pub with a great soundtrack,

and I never felt isolated from the pub, even though (as someone noted recently) the view from the bench seats isn’t the best when everyone else is perched at the bar.

An essential bit of Keighley, Beer Guided or not.

A few steps brings you to the understated little Victorian Arcade with it memories of happier times,

while the street art remembers worse ones, and the town’s most famous son.