In the wake of our exploits at this year's Robin Hood Beer & Cider Festival, Amy & I embarked on another trip a few days later, in what is fast becoming one of our annual traditions. For the third year in a row, we ventured north to the fine city of York, to celebrate Amy's birthday and spend more time in a place that we have both fallen in love with across our previous trips. We had a fairly loose itinerary for our trip. We did have a number of activities booked across our three day stay but these would be interspersed with visits to many of the city's excellent drinking establishments. Whilst we would be revisiting some of our favourites, the majority of the pubs we visited would be new to us, from a list I put together of pubs that feature (although not exclusively) in the 2023 edition of the Good Beer Guide. These were pubs that, for one reason or another, we had been unable to visit on previous trips, or happened to be in close proximity to other activities that we had planned, enabling us to visit them with relative ease. For the purposes of this entry, largely to avoid too much repetition from prior entries, the bulk of the details will focus upon the pubs that have yet to feature here. And so it begins.
We arrived in York around mid morning, having very kindly being afforded early check-in by our B&B hosts. We had decided to stay at the same bed and breakfast for the third consecutive year. Not only do we really like the place but it's very reasonably priced and only a short walk into the city centre proper. We had no concrete plan for our first day, a Monday, other than two specific things that would bookend our activities. After checking in, quickly unpacking and freshening up, we headed straight out and over to the historic Shambles, where we joined the queue for the York Ghost Merchants, a real favourite of ours. We knew that we wanted to visit this shop again as soon as possible so decided that it would be our first task. Upon completion of our visit, we would have a few hours to kill, during which we would explore some pubs before finishing our evening at the Viking themed rock and metal pub Valhalla for some food and potentially their weekly pub quiz. Two and a half hours later, with ornamental wraiths successfully purchased and the other shops on the Shambles cleared of a few of their wares, we were both in need of some liquid refreshment. After a quick stop off at the nearby Golden Fleece another favourite spot, it was time to begin our investigation into some venues that were new to us. Leaving the Golden Fleece, we turned left and continued down Pavement, crossing over at the junction with Piccadilly and continuing towards Coppergate Shopping Centre. Passing the entrance to the shopping area, our destination was a pub very nearby, which we had actually been past on numerous occasions during our previous visits but never deigned to enter. Our first new pub of the day would be The Three Tuns.
This Grade II listed, timber framed building with its jettied first floor was constructed in the 16th century and altered in the 19th. Since these alterations, the pub has consisted of two stories with an attic. The windows date from the later alterations. At one end of the building is a lean-to bay and a large 20th century extension can be found to the rear. Part of this extension includes an eight foot segment of stone wall, believed to date from the Medieval period. Believed to be one of the oldest pubs in the city, The Three Tuns was first recorded as such in 1782 but is likely to have been retailing for longer. Maltby & Wiberforce owned the building in 1861 with more recent owners being Courage Brewery and Mansfield Brewery, who acquired the lease in 1991. Caches of both silver and gold coins have been found during prior renovation work. There's no doubting the pub's age when you approach from the road and see its higgledy-piggledy exterior and uneven floors. Inside is more of the same, with original architectural quirks still present. The floors and steps are both awkward and uneven and there are several low beams primed to catch out those blessed with above average height. It's a very atmospheric place, as Amy and I discovered when we entered. The pub is a lot bigger on the inside than it looks from the street. One long room stretches to the rear, with the bar to one side, and several seating areas positioned throughout. The toilets are located to the back of the room and the kitchen is raised above the ground floor, as can be seen from a set of steps leading up to it. The pub is owned and operated by Marston's which, pleasingly, means that handpulls are present on the bar, 4 of them in number. Amongst some beers from the Marston's portfolio, there are also guest beers, which is always a pleasant surprise. As well as both Hobgoblin Ruby and Wainwright, two options from Rudgate were available, namely Tropical Plunder and Vanilla Mild. I went for the Tropical Plunder, as it was a new one on me, whilst Amy went for a craft beer. The Tropical Plunder had just reached the end of the barrel and I was offered the option of a swap. However, upon tasting it and noticing that it was still clearing as expected, I was happy to stick with my first choice. Amy and I managed to get a table in a small snug located at the end of the bar from where we could have a bit of privacy but also take in our surroundings. How and why we'd never come in here before is baffling. It's a genuinely friendly and cosy place, that clearly has a lot of history, parts of it a bit more ephemeral than others. A table near the door is the preferred seat of a ghostly old man smoking a pipe, who seems to enjoy staring at customers. Above this table, is a hatch in the ceiling. Whilst no longer accessible, this previously led into the roof space. Loud banging sounds have been heard coming from the ceiling above with no known cause. Elsewhere in the pub, glasses are known to move of their own accord, a phenomenon that has been captured on CCTV and has been attributed to 'Sarah' who, it would appear does not like being left out of conversation. The door that leads to the gents toilets also has a life of its own, as it has a tendency to open and close by itself, which is fairly baffling as the door itself is rather sturdy and hard enough to open as it is! It seems that, even with its more ethereal goings-on, The Three Tuns is a very atmospheric place. And it serves cracking beer! Tropical Plunder (4.4%) is an October seasonal beer from York's own Rudgate Brewery. It's a crisp and refreshing pale ale with the overwhelming flavour being one of fruit salad. It's very nice and goes down very smoothly.
Our first foray into an unknown pub in York had been a success. Where to now? Luckily, I had a plan! Heading out of the Three Tuns, we continued down Coppergate and turned right at the end of the road. This took us down towards the River Ouse and along Bridge Street, which soon becomes Micklegate. Having crossed the river, we took a left onto St. Martin's Lane, where we soon located The Ackhorne.
This Good Beer Guide listed pub is well and truly off the beaten track, down a narrow, cobbled lane. Dating from the 18th century, it occupies a long plot amongst what are now residential apartments and is wider than it is deep. The pub name is pronounced 'acorn' and takes it's name from the traditional spelling of the word. Inside, it is partially open plan with separate areas up steps to the rear or through an archway to one side. The majority of the seating is arranged around the bar, which takes up a space towards the right hand end of the main room. An elevated beer garden, with picnic style benches, can be accessed through a door to the rear. This pub already earned significant brownie points when we walked in, as we were greeted, with a mixture of both curiosity and indifference, by the two resident bulldogs, whose names we soon discovered were Buddy and Lenny. We were particularly enamoured with Lenny who wanted to come and say hello properly but seemed to be unsure due to us being strangers. Still, it was even more of a reason to stay for a beer. Which was just as well, as the bar here boasts 6 handpulls. Our options here were very much of a local bent and we were faced with a choice of Ainsty Ales Cool Citra, Rudgate Jorvik, Brew York Calmer Chameleon, Rudgate Ruby Mild, Half Moon Ackhorne Bitter (brewed specially for the pub) and Ainsty Ales Ainsty Assassin. Amy decided instantly on the Calmer Chameleon whilst I was drawn to the Ainsty Assassin, an intriguing sounding oatmeal stout. We took our beers up to a raised level where we could better try and get Lenny's attention, mostly unsuccessfully. However, it did allow us to enjoy our beers in comfort. The Ainsty Assassin was delicious. At 4.9%, its packed with flavour. The overriding aromas are coffee, blackcurrant and chocolate with a rich smoothness and delicate sweetness on the palate. It definitely doesn't drink like it's almost 5%! Despite it's GBG status, this pub had still been a pleasant surprise and I would happily have stayed for longer. However, with the bulldogs having been whisked upstairs by their dad, and more pubs still to come, we made our way out.
Continuing down St. Martin's Lane and further on down Cromwell Street, we soon reached Bishopgate, a continuation of Skeldergate Bridge that again crosses the Ouse. Following Bishopgate, we rounded a bend and climbed a small rise alongside a row of houses that stand above the roadside. This road soon becomes Bishopgate Street and there, on the junction with Clementhorpe, you will find The Swan.
Somewhat confusingly, York has a Black Swan, an Olde White Swan and a pub just called The Swan. This is the latter. Another Good Beer Guide listed venue, The Swan is a Grade II listed building, with an interesting historic layout. Inside, there are rooms to the front and rear, formerly the public and lounge bars respectively. A partially covered beer garden can be found to the rear whereas a truly unique feature can also be found inside the pub, in the shape of a traditional West Riding style drinking lobby. This is basically a corridor opposite the bar, featuring shelves and a small number of tables which allows drinkers to stand or sit. Very few pubs still retain this feature and this may well be the only one of its kind still present in York. On the bar here are 8 handpulls, again featuring primarily local beers. Upon our arrival, we were greeted with a choice of Half Moon Dark Masquerade, Kirkstall Best Yorkshire Bitter, Half Moon Decade, Saltaire Zephyr, Timothy Taylor Landlord, Docks Wind Power and Half Moon Swan Session Blonde, a house beer brewed exclusively for the premises. Amy and I both selected the Saltaire Zephyr (5.5%), an American style pale ale, and headed into the back room/lounge bar, where we took a seat at a round table in one corner. I quite enjoyed the traditional feel of this pub, especially after noticing that the original bell pushes for service were still in place (though now disconnected) although Amy did realise that we'd been significantly overcharged by double the actual amount of our round. Having paid on card and not receiving a receipt, we had no way to prove it however so were forced to grin and bear it. Karma did give us a little bit of a hand when the member of staff on shift dropped and broke some glasses, but no harm done in either case. The Zephyr was a very good beer! The US hops produce a strong, citrusy flavour and big, hoppy aromas but the finish is fairly clean and refreshing. Yet another beer that is considerably easier to drink than its ABV would suggest.
Despite our annoyance at being overcharged at The Swan, we weren't about to let it put a dampener on things. Our afternoon was going very well so far and it would continue a few yards down the road at The Slip Inn.
The Slip Inn was first recorded in 1840, when it was probably a beerhouse. Mrs Annie White was the licensee in 1893, with Christopher Horseman (1897) and Arthur W. Mells (1937) both subsequently in charge. The pub was rebuilt around 1902 and is located very close to the site of the former church where ale would likely have been sold in Medieval times. An old shipyard was located next door and this pub is the last reminder of that time, retaining its name in tribute. A former landlord in 1883 was fined ten shillings when his daughter served a police constable whilst he was on duty. In more recent times, The Slip was bought and rescued by Jon Farrow and Paul Crossman, who also took over the aforementioned Swan, as well as the Volunteer in Holgate. The pub is now a freehouse and won York Pub of the Year in 2020, though Jon Farrow never got to see this accolade as he sadly passed away in 2017. The importance of boat building to the area is reflected in the pub's moniker although, as may not necessarily be clear from the photo above, the sign painter got slightly carried away and depicted an enormous battleship rather than a more modest barge. The Slip Inn's transformation and rejuvenation has no doubt been responsible for its place in the Good Beer Guide and we would now put that reputation to the test. The front entrance of the pub leads through into the main bar area and there is a larger, longer room to the rear. To one side of this is a slightly elevated section, featuring a dartboard. The beer garden can be found to the rear, along with the toilets, although the gents are actually outside in an attached outbuilding. 8 handpulls take up space on the bar and, during our visit, 7 of these were operational, with an interesting mix of beers brewed locally and from further fields. Here we were faced with the options of Turning Point Wavelength, Rudgate Ruby Mild, Leeds Pale Ale, Ossett Silver King, Thornbridge Brother Rabbit, Brewsters Hop a Doodle Doo and Charnwood Hubble Bubble. We both felt inclined to return to the East Midlands, at least in terms of our beer choices. Amy went for Charnwood's Halloween themed beer whilst I swung for the Brewsters and we retreated into the back room, finding a table in the raised area where we could better observe the place. The decor here is a mix of old photographs and newspaper clippings of the local area, along with more beer and brewery themed items and it all comes together to create a very comfortable location for a beverage. The beer helps too of course. Hop a Doodle Doo (4.3%) is a copper coloured beer, brewed in the style of an American pale ale, meaning the use of US hops alongside crystal and caramalt. The taste is rich and full-bodied before it all comes together into a delicious, fruity hop character. Truly, the pub is deserving of its reputation for excellent beer. We very glad that we'd 'slipped in'.
Our final new pub of our first evening back in York would require retracing our steps. Making our way back past The Swan and back down Bishopgate Street, we eventually found ourselves back on Cromwell Street and approaching a pub that we had passed earlier in the day and which had just opened its doors for the evening's trade: The Golden Ball.
This fine example of a Victorian street-corner local has an impressive glazed brick exterior and was extensively refurbished by John Smith's in 1929. Grade II listed and now community owned, the pub features in the Good Beer Guide and also features on CAMRA's National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors for its nationally important historic interior. The four very different rooms each have their own distinctive style and feel. A single entrance leads through to the drinking areas and an unusual, intimate bar-side 'hall', of which no similar example exists. To the rear left is an original Victorian smoke room, which has been barely altered and still features fixed seating all around, bell pushes and an original fireplace. The main bar has a rare tiled counter-front and the original 1929 glazed bar back, beyond which are the cellar steps. The fixed seating and glazed windows are also original to the 1929 improvements. A south-facing beer garden occupies the rear. Whereas the majority of the interior boasts original Victorian features bolstered by the 1929 refurbishments, a significant post-war change was the creation of an extra room from former private quarters. Created in the 1990s, this features a tiled and marble surround fireplace and a bar billiards table. The original outside toilets have been retained although they are now, thankfully, covered! I was not expecting The Golden Ball to be such an historical gem but I was very glad we'd made the effort to track it down and experience it for ourselves. The 6 handpulls on the bar provided us with another interesting array of beverages: Ainsty Ales Golden Ball Pale (the house beer), Yorkshire Heart Blackheart, Lord's Brewing Silver Spur, Acorn Barnsley Bitter, Half Moon Autumn Dayz and Great Newsome Pricky Back Otchan. I had yet to partake of a Half Moon beer on this trip so went for the Autumn Dayz and we headed into the Victorian smoke room to enjoy our drinks. I really liked the feel of The Golden Ball. Before I knew that the pub was Victorian and largely untouched since the 1920s, Amy and I even said that the smoke room reminded us of a seance room. I love these kinds of historic pubs. The fact that it's community owned is an added bonus. The beer was great too. Autumn Dayz (4.2%), is a pale ale, hopped with Crystal. The end result is crisp and floral with a fruity aroma and notes of herb and spice. Fantastic!
From The Golden Ball, it was time to make our way back into the throng of the city centre for our final plan of the evening. We ventured over to Valhalla, arriving in plenty of time to bag a table for the quiz. Food was eaten, beer was drunk, excellent music was listened to and a quiz was attempted, unlike any other I've ever played. It's a smartphone speed quiz. Everything is done electronically and you only get a few seconds for each question. Plus each team gets to pick a theme song that gets played if you answer each question the quickest. We chose the Game of Thrones theme obviously. I quite like the concept. It eradicates cheating whilst also adding the peril of not having much time to think. We were the only team that knew that Britain had three Prime Ministers during World War II though. So, er, there's that.
Our first full day back in York, a Tuesday, dawned bright but chilly but we had an activity planned first thing that would clear out any lingering cobwebs from the previous day. We decided to walk the entire length of York's ancient city walls, a distance of just under 2 miles. Fortifying ourselves with a hearty breakfast we set out to see the city from a different angle, negotiating steep stairs, stone gatehouses and an alarming lack of safety railings along the way. We completed the full route in around 2 hours, by which point we were in much need of a sit down. The day in question was Amy's birthday and we had a meal booked for the evening, followed by a ghost tour later on, which left us with a chunk of time to play with in the middle of the day. To recover from our walk, I had identified the perfect place. We made our way over to Stonegate and the House of Trembling Madness.
The original of the two venues of this name, this is the older and smaller sister of the larger site on Lendal. Occupying a three storey Medieval building, Amy and I were very familiar with the ground floor, which houses a bottle shop and which we have henceforth named 'the shop of dreams'. As well as the bottle shop, there is a spirits shop in the basement, along with toilets. However, we weren't here just for the shop on this occasion. The building also features a bar upstairs, in what is a small but amazing beamed room. It was to here that we would convey our tired selves in search of rejuvenation after our exertions. The name of both venues come from delerium tremens, literally 'the trembling madness', that afflicted people in the middle ages when beer was safer to drink than water. The bar space here is lovely. A smallish square room has been decorated as a Medieval drinking hall, with taxidermied animal heads mounted on one wall, animal hides as seat coverings, exposed beams, whitewashed walls, carved wooden furniture and a tiny, low-ceilinged snug to one side. There's even a stuffed lion head adorned with an Anthrax baseball cap! The tiny bar sits in one corner and also inexplicably manages to encompass the kitchen, but also features 3 handpulls and 8 keg taps. At the time of our visit, 2 of the handpulls were in use, both offering porters, specifically Piccadilly Porter by Cloudwater and Two by Two's aptly named Porter. It certainly seemed too early in the day for a dark beer so we turned our attentions to the keg selection, which provided us with the following offerings: Beak Dest, DEYA Magazine Cover, DEYA Steady Rolling Man, Verdant Lightbulb, Gravity Well Star Prism, Nothing Bound True North, Vault City Peach Iced Tea and Kernel Export India Porter. I selected the Magazine Cover, Amy went for the Lightbulb and we went and sat in the window. We had timed our arrival well. Shortly after we'd sat down, the place started to fill up. How's that for timing?! Just a note to mention that payment here is by card only, which I personally have no problem with. It's only really an issue if the Internet goes down, which ironically is what happened whilst we were here. By the time it came back up, Amy had had to pay as I was in the loo at the time. It wasn't by design, I assure you! Having experienced both House of Trembling Madness venues, this one is my favourite. It feels cosier and more intimate. I thoroughly enjoyed the beer as well. Magazine Cover (4.2%) is a soft and crispy session pale ale that's hopped with Mosaic, Simcoe and Idaho 7. Plus it's made by the veritable geniuses at DEYA down in Cheltenham so you know it's going to be good! We took our time savouring our pints here as we regained both our breath and the feeling in our respective limbs. I also told Amy about a sinister secret I'd not long before discovered about this particular venue. To the rear of the building, accessed through an alleyway from Stonegate, are two apartments, owned by the same people, that are rented out as accommodation. These are located in a building that is at least 600 years old. One of these is supposedly so haunted that it is referred to as the 'Haunted Chamber' and carries a disclaimer on their website. No specific details exist as to the nature of the activity but it has allegedly been reported a lot. If you're feeling brave, why not stay the night and let me know what you find!
Suitably recovered after our break, we now decided that it would be almost blasphemous not to peruse the shop downstairs. Having parted with our hard earned money in exchange for tasty, tasty beer, we opted to head back to the B&B to drop these off and then make our way back out. Beer safely deposited in the safety of our room, and still with lots of time to kill, I wanted to investigate a pub that is located literally just down the road from where we were staying. Heading down Bootham, away from our guest house, we crossed the road and, a few minutes later, arrived at Marygate, where we turned right. Another new pub for us is a short distance away. We had arrived at The Minster Inn.
The Minster Inn is a Good Beer Guide listed, traditional Edwardian pub, that lies within close walking distance of the Yorkshire Museum, its accompanying gardens and the river Ouse. Inside, there is a front bar room, two side rooms and a heated, covered outdoor area to the rear. The decoration is a mix of old brewery memorabilia and adverts as well as bric-a-brac. The aforementioned bar features 5 handpulls, primarily always local, as was the case at the time of our visit. We were given the choice of Ossett Butterley, Brew York Fennec Blonde, Ainsty Ales Rattlesnake Ruby, Ossett Hallertau Blanc and Roosters Highway Fifty One. Amy opted for the Brew York, whilst I eventually decided on the Hallertau Blanc from anongst the two Ossett beers. We headed into the first of the two side rooms, which features comfy furniture around the room, original bell pushes, again disconnected, and a real fire which would ultimately be lit a few minutes later by the manager. We were both very surprised by how nicely appointed this place was. Another pleasant surprise would be arriving shortly. As we wouldn't be eating again for a few hours, we decided we'd order a snack to tide us over. The Minster's menu is primarily pizza but we didn't want anything quite as substantial so ordered the beef nachos to share. This turned out to be fantastic idea. The nachos were easily the best that I've ever had anywhere. The portion size was more than enough to keep us going and they were absolutely delicious. Amy agreed too and we still mention how good these nachos are at least once a week. I can only imagine how good the rest of the food must be! It pairs nicely with the beers, which are equally as well executed. The Hallertau Blanc from Ossett was great. From their single hop series, this 4% pale ale was originally released in 2012 to showcase the eponymous German hop. This hop, bred from Cascade, provides flavours of gooseberry and lemongrass, creating a finish that is almost like Sauvignon Blanc. I can certainly recommend it. Have it with the nachos! You won't regret it!
The rest of our Tuesday would see us revisiting a few places from previous trips. After the amount of walking we'd already done that day, we decided to while away a couple of hours just sitting down, using Valhalla as our chosen base for this, to use up more time before dinner. Following a swift half at The Hole in the Wall, we enjoyed a great meal at the Fat Badger (more amazing food), before making our way in the direction of the Minster, adjacent to which our ghost walk would start. Another pint, this time at Ye Olde Shambles Tavern, would suffice before Mad Alice conveyed us along with her on The Bloody Tour of York, equal parts ghost tour and gruesome history lesson, which was grotesque, terrifying, unique and hilarious in equal measure. Yet another experience that I can wholeheartedly recommend.
Tuesday had been tiring but Wednesday would be a tad more leisurely. Leaving our room slightly later than the previous day, we made our way over to Treasurer's House, in the shadow of York Minster, where we would be taking part in a guided tour. Treasurer's House is an interesting property and the tour was great, as we learned about the building's history, dereliction and then eventual rejuvenation under Francis 'Frank' Green, local entrepreneur and philanthropist who made the building what it is today with his own unique and anachronistic take on interior decorating. A particular highlight was our guide enlightening us a bit more about the building's ghostly history. Treasurer's House is most well known in paranormal circles for Harry Martindale's spectacular sighting of a ghostly Roman legion in the basement, but also allegedly boasts the spirits of Frank Green himself, who makes himself known when anything is changed at the property, and a lady in grey who often appears to children and also has the rather disconcerting habit of appearing behind people in a mirror in the Tapestry Room. Treasurer's House is certainly an interesting and odd place. The atmosphere changes in a lot of the rooms. Amy and I definitely noticed the smell of cigar smoke in one of the downstairs rooms (apparently a common occurrence when Frank Green is about) but nobody else seemed to notice anything and later, in the Tapestry Room, I had to move from where I was standing because the back of my neck suddenly went icy cold. Still, it was an interesting hour or so to start our day.
Our next activity was scheduled for 2.30pm, when we would be visiting York Castle Museum. This meant that, once again, we had a couple of spare hours to play with. Fortunately, I had planned for just such an eventuality and identified a couple of pubs that we could visit in the meantime and which would put us right next to the museum in time for our slot. Leaving York Minster, we headed down Goodramgate, turned left and continued through King's Square. Emerging on Pavement, we crossed the road and headed down Fossgate. Shortly after crossing the river, we turned right onto Merchantgate and immediately spotted our next destination: The Red Lion.
This building, built in the 15th century, originated as a house, with a first floor hall and other rooms below. The south-eastern end of the building was rebuilt in the 1600s, when an attic was also added. In the 17th century, a lower wing, with a ground floor of brick, was added to the south-west part in two stages. Further extensions were carried out in the 17th century, a new front was added in the 19th century and the current windows date from the 20th century. The original building is timber -framed and this has been reconstructed over the years. An access between two bedrooms on the first floor, which is linked to the chimney, is believed to be a priest hole and there is an alleged 13th century bread oven in the front bar, which the pub uses as evidence for its claim that it is York's oldest, though records of it as a pub go back no farther than the 19th century. Local legend dictates that Dick Turpin once escaped through one of the pub's windows. The Red Lion was officially Grade II listed in 1954. The attractive black and white facade is continued inside with lots of exposed beams, whitewashed walls and small drinking areas divided up by internal walls, all served by one central bar. A longer room towards the back of the building extends down towards the kitchen. We were pleased to see 5 handpulls on the bar here, divided up into two banks, one set on either side. Of this quintet, 4 of them were in use, offering Ainsty Ales Flummoxed Farmer, Copper Dragon Golden Pippin, Rudgate Ruby Mild and Rudgate Jorvik. This being a Rudgate Brewery pub, it would have been rude not to sample their own beers. I opted for the Ruby Mild, Amy went for the Jorvik and we took a seat near a window in the longer room. I, for one, hadn't been entirely sure what to expect but it had turned out to be an excellent decision to stop by. This is exactly the sort of old pub that we are both big fans of and it just so happened that the beer was decent too. The Ruby Mild (4.4%) is one of the Rudgate's flagship beers and a previous gold medal winner at the Great British Beer Festival (2017). This is a deep ruby ale, with hints of nuttiness and a richly rewarding finish. I'd go so far as to say that it's the best mild I've ever had and has made me question everything I thought I knew and disliked about that particular style of beer. Amy's Jorvik was very well kept as well. So far, The Red Lion was ticking all the boxes and we also decided that we'd grab some food here as we would, once again, be eating later in the evening. We shared a portion of pulled pork topped fries and they were awesome. Our visit to The Red Lion proves the old adage that you can't judge a book, or a pub, by its cover.
Food consumed and glasses emptied, the task now was to head over to another pub, just around the corner from the museum we would be visiting a bit later. Leaving The Red Lion, we continued down Merchantgate and turned left onto Walmgate. We followed Walmgate for a few yards and then turned right onto Barbican Road which brought us to the confluence with Fishergate. Over the road was our next destination: The Masons Arms.
Beers once again supped, it was time to head to the museum. We were just around the corner. The museum, as it is now, is opposite Clifford's Tower and occupies the site of the former castle prison. Upon arriving though, we were immediately hit with disappointment. Half of the museum was closed for safety reasons after the discovery of RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) in part of the structure. This was annoying for two reasons. Firstly, the Victorian street exhibition, which is supposed to be very good, was in the closed off section. Secondly, we had paid full price for our tickets and hadn't been notified of any issues before our arrival. We were at least promised a partial refund and were even more amazed a couple of days later when we got all of our money back. Still, we were able to explore the open exhibits, specifically the World War I section, the 60s gallery and the old debtors prison which still exists within the structure. Exploring this last section was not a pleasant experience. The original cells are still extant along with associated exhibits and information plaques, as well as holographic displays pertaining to the history of the place and the conditions during its operation. We found the atmosphere in this area very unpleasant. We both felt very on edge, despite not being the only ones in there and it being a relatively pleasant day outside. We rushed through this final area and were glad to be out and to shake off the uncomfortable sensations.
With all our booked activities now under our belts, there was only one thing that we really wanted to do. We had plans to return to Brew York's taproom to see out our final evening as we had such a good time there when we first visited last year. Before that, we had a couple more pubs to squeeze in along the way, organised in such a way that we could go to them all directly and then head straight to Brew York afterwards. Heading back along Piccadilly, back towards the Masons Arms, we turned right and continued our walk down Fishergate, intending to head straight to the Waggon & Horses on Lawrence Street. However, as luck would have it, as we passed the hulking archway of Fishergate Bar, I happened to look left and noticed that another pub on the itinerary, that I expected to miss out, had opened earlier than advertised. We had plenty of time for a brief detour so it was through the archway onto George Street and The Phoenix.
Now independently run and Good Beer Guide listed, The Phoenix is the last remaining pub in this area from the time of Fishergate Market, which used to take place outside the city walls. The pub would serve the market traders who entered the city through the adjacent Fishergate Bar. This is a CAMRA recognised heritage pub that has changed very little in the intervening years. The interior consists of two rooms, with a parlour to the front that features banquette seating and scrubbed wooden tables, and a larger room to the rear with bar games and regular live music. The small, central bar serves both areas. The enclosed rear garden has views of the city walls, and we had passed by the pub ourselves during our wall walk the previous day. A real log fire warms the front bar in the colder months. There are no TVs, games machines, jukebox or recorded music, making the pub very quiet and comfortable. Decoration includes Toby jugs and old brewery posters. The bar here features 5 handpulls, which also feature primarily local beers. Throughout our visit, it was really good to see so many pubs representing local breweries on the bar. Once again, we had an interesting mix to choose from: Timothy Taylor Landlord, Vocation Milk Race, Phoenix Arizona, Saltaire South Island and Wold Top Wold Gold. As tempted as I was by Wold Top on cask, it seemed only fair to give the house beer a go. Amy agreed and we pulled up a pew on a settle adjacent to the bar. The pub was certainly very quiet, a virtue of the lack of electronic noise and the early time of day, although there was at least one other customer present as we could hear him talking to the landlord from the other room. What else is present here though? There have been isolated rumours of ghostly activity here although details are sparse. Is it all rumour? Who knows? Dick Turpin's grave is a stone's throw from here so maybe he likes pop in for the odd ale every so often. I wouldn't blame him if he did. The beer here is cracking! Billed as being as 'dry as a desert', Arizona (4.1%) brewed in Heywood, Merseyside, is a smooth, session pale ale with aromas of light spice, alongside honey and floral notes. Amber in colour, the strong malt and fruit combination showcases a perfect balance between sweetness and dryness. It certainly went down a treat in this delightful, hidden gem of a pub.
With our brief side quest complete, we were back on track now. Heading back out onto Fishergate, we followed the next left onto Barbican Road and continued onwards until reaching Walmgate Bar. Crossing the road, in the company of a few students in this heavily student-populated area, we were now on Lawrence Street where, a few yards further on, we finally reached the Waggon & Horses.
This would be the final Good Beer Guide featured pub that we would visit on our travels, at least as far as in-depth details in this entry goes. Owned by Batemans and family run, the Waggon & Horses has developed a strong reputation for real ale and sits over the road from another cracking ale pub, namely the Rook & Gaskill, which featured in these pages on our last visit. The interior is multi-roomed. The bar area features booth seating with the adjacent front room offering tables and chairs. Two further rooms behind the bar are quieter and used for meetings by local clubs and societies. The garden outside to the rear won York CAMRA's Best Beer Garden award in 2021 and the pub itself was 2017 York CAMRA Pub of the Year. Bar billiards and board games are available and an eclectic choice of music plays over the sound system. Beer-wise, the bar is graced by 8 handpulls. 6 of these were in use during our visit, providing the options of Oakham Citra, Titanic Plum Porter, Thornbridge Brother Rabbit, Batemans Victory Ale, Riverhead Wessenden Mist and Batemans XB. Two bag in box ciders were also available, namely Broadoak Rhubarb and Westons Old Rosie. I was instantly drawn to the Riverhead Wessenden Mist, even more than I was drawn to the Iron Maiden calendar behind the bar (I have the same one at home) whereas Amy opted for the Brother Rabbit. We made the most of the nearby booth, just in time for Iron Maiden's 'Wasted Years' to come on over the speakers. It's like they knew! We'd definitely picked a good pub and, again, we'd picked good beers! Wessenden Mist (4.5%) is a New England style IPA from Riverhead Brewery based in Marsden, near Huddersfield. It's hazy, juicy and citrusy and very very tasty! Mine barely touched the sides and, having tasted mine, Amy wanted the same for her next beer. Our penultimate location didn't open until 5pm so we had time for another swift half. Plum Porter for the road please!
The Waggon & Horses had been a superb choice and it was very difficult to drag ourselves out into the encroaching Yorkshire twilight. But drag ourselves out we did and immediately headed back the way we had come, this time heading straight down Walmgate. By this point, we had effectively almost completed a loop that had begun at the Red Lion and would ultimately finish, after one more pub, at Brew York, which would be our final destination. But first, we would be visiting the building opposite, containing a restaurant called The Chopping Block but also containing, handily for our purposes, the Walmgate Ale House.
Located in a 17th century building that was once occupied by saddle makers and rope makers who provided ropes for the gallows at York Castle, this is effectively a ground floor bar, with a restaurant above, operating as one business but under separate names. The inside of the building is themed to its previous occupants. The ground floor bar is slightly curved and features 8 handpulls. The furniture consists of high stools and tables with candles on each one for a bit of added ambience. To the rear is a room themed after saddle makers as well as an external corridor that leads to the toilets. The 50 seater restaurant is upstairs and there is also a notoriously haunted loft room that can be hired out for functions, should you be so inclined. This room is the abode of an often heard but rarely seen phantom, renowned for throwing things all over the place and generally making a bit of a mess. Whether the lingering spirit is a former occupant of the building or a poor soul who met their demise at the end of one of the building's former products remains to be seen. The ale house itself has a good beer reputation, having been named Spring Pub of the Season by CAMRA in both 2016 and 2020. It also has a rather unfortunate reputation for flooding (as with many river approximate properties in York) as evidenced by a rather alarming flood marker in the downstairs bar. Beer is why we are here though and there were 5 of the cask variety available. For our delectation were Ainsty Ales Cool Citra, Ainsty Ales Flummoxed Farmer, Copper Dragon Best, Brew York Make it Strata and Brew York Calmer Chameleon. As a taster of what was soon to come, we both chose the offerings of Brew York, with me going for the Make it Strata (4.6%). This is a pale ale, unsurprisingly focusing on Strata hops, which lend a sharp, rhubarb fruitiness to the beer. On this occasion though, it's a bit of a let down. The beer tastes like it's close to going as there's the faintest touch of an off-flavour developing. The beer is drinkable but nowhere as outstanding as it could be. Given that the pub is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, I suspect this cask may have been on a touch too long.
With that, we had completed our itinerary of York pubs that we had never visited. The only thing left for us to do was cross the road and enter the beery wonderland of Brew York's taproom, imbibe fantastic craft beer and fill our bellies with delicious Thai street food before the exertions of the past few days caught up with us, and we wandered back to the B&B, via a nocturnal Shambles stroll. The following morning we would drive home, in much more unsettled weather. It turned out that our departure was perfectly timed as we were safely back home before Storm Babet rampaged in the following day and made driving conditions, and quite a lot else, rather less than favourable. How had our third trip to York compared to our previous two? It was a triumph. Every trip to this fantastic city leads to a discovery of new things, be that pubs, or beer, or food, or shops, or stories. Every time I think we've done all there is to do, I find new things to add to the list. The beer scene in York is thriving and as vibrant as it's ever been. It never ceases to surprise me how the city embraces its beer, alongside its history and its heritage. Yes, we've done a lot of pubs in the past three years of visiting but I know there's so many more that we've yet to explore. We will definitely be coming back, that much is, by now, a given. At the moment, it seems unlikely to be next year as we've got other plans lined up but I'm not worried. York isn't going anywhere and, like every good story, it will keep developing and keep unfolding, and keep dragging us in, over and over again.
Pub of the trip: House of the Trembling Madness. What a place to have a beer! A bar, a beer shop and spirit shop?! Utter genius! The food looked and smelled incredible too.
Beer of the trip: Riverhead: Wessenden Mist. A perfectly done cask NEIPA.
Biggest surprise: This was close but The Minster Inn surprised us the most, especially for a 'back street' pub. Great beer and great food.
