November 2023. New Mills. A BIG day out in Manchester must always start with The Breaking Of The Journey on the way. The fast train from Sheff takes 54 minutes and stops in Stockport; the slow one through the Peak takes 83 minutes and allows you to finish Derbyshire in New Mills. Perhaps only Chorley… Continue reading NEW MILLS – SWEET AS SWIZZELS
Tag: Derbyshire
SURVEYING SPONDON
November 2023. Spondon. Derby. The night was still young, but at 4.30pm I’d already ticked the two Derby Guide pubs I needed, which is like getting the two Iranian full backs in your Panini World Cup 1978 sticker pack. Just a Snooker Club in New Mills to finish the county, and I refuse to believe… Continue reading SURVEYING SPONDON
HOPTIMISM IN SPLENDID SPONDON
November 2023. Spondon. Derby. Spondon ? Me neither, before a trip to the lovably Old Skool Malt Shovel in 2021. There’s an A52 bus, but I managed to catch a train with only slightly better hours than the one to Brigg. The sun shines on the righteous, but not today as I enjoyed a soggy… Continue reading HOPTIMISM IN SPLENDID SPONDON
WAITING FOR THE BASS BARREL TO BE CHANGED IN WILLINGTON
November 2023. Willington. Derby. I like the fact the newbie Guide entries are so unpredictable; just like the Spanish Inquisition no-one (except Life After Football) would have predicted the Dragon in Willington. LAF even suggested a week’s holiday in your first stop south of Derby, but a night in a campervan in the station car… Continue reading WAITING FOR THE BASS BARREL TO BE CHANGED IN WILLINGTON
“See ya, me duck”. You “B” winning in Hilcote.
October 2023. Hilcote. Derbyshire. If you didn’t use the Good Beer Guide you’d never end up in weird places like Holbeach, and Rainham, and Paisley. And your life would be immeasurably less fulfilling with a life spent attending beer festivals and drinking cans of murk in your underpants. The GBG introduced me to the joys… Continue reading “See ya, me duck”. You “B” winning in Hilcote.
What’s that on the bench outside Sawley’s Bell ?
October 2023. Long Eaton. The train from Matlock arrived at 17:04, and I caught the 18:04 back to Sheffield. So I make that an hour in total to walk the 2.7 miles to Rowells and back (52 minutes say lazy Google), 15 minutes for the pint, 10 minutes wait for the crispy beef and Singapore… Continue reading What’s that on the bench outside Sawley’s Bell ?
STAY ON THE TRAIN TO LONG EATON
October 2023. Long Eaton. Derbyshire. One of the joys of rail travel, and there aren’t many when you’re standing on a backed Trans Pennine rattler, is the hurried planning for a quick connection to your next pub. Imagine the sheer joy on the way back from Matlock last Monday, with only an empty Carling can… Continue reading STAY ON THE TRAIN TO LONG EATON
YES, THE BASS IS STILL GOOD IN THE THORN TREE
October 2023. Matlock. Ian “The Wickingman” Thurman has a lot to answer for. Before his intervention a few years back Bass was happily dying off, seemingly with CAMRA folk’s blessing as a boring brown beer living off misguided past glories, set for the same fate as Boddington and Websters (RIP). But then Ian and a… Continue reading YES, THE BASS IS STILL GOOD IN THE THORN TREE
PLUM PORTER IN MATLOCK
October 2023. Matlock. I’m ticking the new GBG in singles, except I’m not “ticking” it as there’s no way I’ll manage a second Guide completion under current parental circumstances. But the GBG is full of gems, including a Plum Porter in Matlock, just over the hour on the train from Sheff. I was surprised the… Continue reading PLUM PORTER IN MATLOCK
CONFIDENCE IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT AT THE LITTLE JOHN
October 2023. Hathersage. Peak District. An hour in Hathersage before the return to Sheffield. I was wearing inappropriate footwear so I couldn’t tackle Dale’s Bottom or Robin Hood’s Stoop. But after continuing to tick the GBG24 in singles at the Scotsmans Pack I did head up the lane to tick Little John’s grave. A cobbled… Continue reading CONFIDENCE IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT AT THE LITTLE JOHN
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