Mapperley Tops!

This week it was finally time to visit a few pubs in the immediate vicinity of my humble abode, in and around the Mapperley area of Nottingham. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the 2 premises in closest proximity, The Westminster and The Beacon, are closed and have been for a while, with no obvious sign of any pending reopening. With this in mind, my attention shifted to pubs in the area of what is known as Mapperley Top and, accompanied by my trusty drinking companion Matt, I made my way to this location full of optimism and hope. It helped considerably that, with the closeness to my home, I'd already visited the day's proposed locations on more than one occasion so I was in the unusual position of knowing what to expect.

 
Bounded by Sherwood, Thorneywood and Gedling, the area known as Mapperley and Mapperley Plains is located on lands that have been in use since at least the 14th century when a hamlet stood on the site. The area refers to land on both sides of Woodborough Road, from a point at the junction of Mapperley Road and northeast for approximately 3.75 miles to the point where that road forks towards Woodborough Village. The stretch of Woodborough Road between Mapperley Road and Porchester Road has been known as Mapperley Plains since at least 1851. At just over 400 feet above sea level, the main part of Mapperley is the highest area of Nottingham and affords excellent views across the city and towards the countryside. It is on a long, narrow spur, the remnant of a plateau eroded by glacial meltwater, that runs SW-NE on a narrow ridge that is now topped by Woodborough Road. Some of the largest brickworks in the Nottingham area once stood here as the local Keuper marl (now known as Mercia Mudstone) was suitable for brick-making and it is believed that bricks from this area were used in the construction of London's St. Pancras station. The name Mapperley Top refers to the collection of shops that runs along Woodborough Road and there is also a local radio transmitter on the nearby Mapperley Ridge which stands 122 metres above sea level.

Matt and I met for the day at the Sainsbury's local on the junction of Ransom Road and Woodborough Road, following long walks up some steep hills. Our first destination was not too far away, the Duke of Cambridge, literally just down the road.

 

Originally built around 1881, the pub is named after George William Frederick Charles, 2nd Duke of Cambridge from 1850. He was the grandson of George II, served in the Hanoverian army then became a colonel in the British army in 1837, major-general in 1845 and rose through the ranks before becoming Field Marshal in 1862. Inside, the pub is very much a 'locals' venue but we get a warm welcome regardless. The building is 2 storey with the kitchen located upstairs and the bar area on the ground floor with seating scattered around the bar which lies opposite the door. There is a substantial outdoor seating area on wooden decking at the side of the building. The pub is also dog friendly providing they are kept on a lead and are well-behaved. The atmosphere is very friendly and relaxed and the ale selection gets the day off to a promising start. There are 4 hand pumps on show with Harvest Pale and Bombardier available, one pump not in use and the 4th occupied by a guest ale, in this case All American Summer Pale Ale, brewed by Edinburgh's Caledonian Brewery. There is also Theakston's Mild available on a smooth flow tap. Matt and I opted for the Summer Pale and it proved to be a good choice. At 4.0%, it is very light, very hoppy and smooth with delicate fruity undertones. It goes down at a fair rate of knots and gets the day off to a good opening.

Leaving the Duke after our pints, we next ventured down Woodborough Road to Mapperley Top where our next 3 locations sat directly next to each other in a convenient line, set back from the main road. First of this trio is The Plainsman, a smart-looking Greene King pub.

 

Developed in December 2008, The Plainsman has the appearance of a traditional country house and takes it's name from the proximity of  it to Mapperley Plains. The interior is significantly better than Greene King pubs are usually renowned for with a new, modern appearance, a big, polished, wooden bar, curved in layout with a central location. There is a large amount of seating throughout the interior and several large TV screens showing the early stages of Wimbledon. The bar is very well-stocked both with spirits and beer, with chrome gas taps and smooth, white hand pulls, of which there are 6. The ale on offer is mostly the standard Greene King fare with choices between Greene King IPA, Olde Trip, Abbot Ale, Old Speckled Hen and Old Golden Hen, as well as one that we've never seen before. Twisted Wheel is a Greene King ale with a difference. Advertised with a bullseye-themed, 70s-style pump clip and with an ABV of 4.0%, it's light with a taste of ginger and a notable hint of spice. It's an unusual concoction but is very nice and a refreshing change from the usual mainstream ales that Greene King puts to its punters. The name is interesting too. According to one of our fellow punters, Twisted Wheel was also the name of a 60s and 70s northern soul club in Manchester. Whether this is the direct inspiration for the name though remains to be seen. Upon ordering our pints of this unusual brew, we took a seat in the outside seating area, which is mostly picnic tables but also includes plastic sofas, and discuss one of our favourite topics: Doctor Who.

Before too long, it was time to move on again and, just next door, is the local Wetherspoons, the Woodthorpe Top.

 





 

The building that is now the Woodthorpe Top was previously Woodthorpe Grange Motors, the successor to Hopcroft Motors, a local car mechanics, for which this single-storey building was initially built following the Second World War. The Mapperley war memorial is located directly in front of the premises. Paid for by public subscription and erected shortly after the First World War, this Gothic-style memorial stands on a triangular island of land donated by Lord Carnarvon. The bar is long and on the right hand side of the room as you enter. The bar frontage is wooden with white plaster cladding and the opposite wall has been stripped back to expose internal brickwork with pieces of slate used to give the appearance of older stone. Amongst the standard Wetherspoons mix of high tables and low sofas, is a partition wall dividing the central room from a number of booths along the internal wall. The centre of the pub is taken up by an unusual centrepiece, in this case an ornamental artwork in the form of a metal tree which adds an unexpected touch amongst the décor. I've spoken before about the strength of Wetherspoons commitment to ale and this place is no exception. 10 hand pulls are present with the regular presences of Abbot Ale, Ruddles and Hobgoblin. In addition though, is a wide range of guests, including 2 from Titanic Brewery (Plum Porter and Nautical Mild), Lincoln Green Marion (Matt's choice), Thwaites' Best Cask and Golden Spring from the Blindmans Brewery based in Leighton, Somerset. This latter is my choice for my next tipple and it proves to be a good one. Yet another one at 4.0%, this is golden and fruity with a slight malt kick and a very hoppy finish.

Our next destination and the last of the 3 in close proximity to each other is the Bread and Bitter, another excellent pub under the ownership of Castle Rock.

 Opened in 2007, the Bread and Bitter occupies the building that was previously Judge's Bakery until this ceased operation in 1991. Although the outer shell is almost identical to that of the original bakery, the interior has been completely rebuilt as a pub. Castle Rock has lovingly restored the original bread ovens and these have pride of place in the dining area. This is a very nice looking premises with a variety of seating areas, including directly opposite the bar and the Garden Room in a conservatory-like extension. There are also picnic tables available for outdoor seating. One area of the pub is a dedicated 'brewer's graveyard' of memorabilia from breweries that, for numerous reasons, have ceased operation and this can be found between the dining area and the entrance. Children and dogs are both welcome here, both until 9pm, as long as they're well behaved and dogs only in designated areas. The bar, as you'd expect from Castle Rock, is well stocked, with ales permanently available and a wide range of continental beers and spirits. Ale-wise, there is an excellent. The 8 central hand pumps are split evenly between Castle Rock beers and chosen guests. On this occasion, there is a choice of Harvest Pale, Preservation, Twayblade and Slow Worm (all Castle Rock, with the latter 2 part of the Natural Selection range) and 4 guests: Wentworth Plum Stout, Ramsbury Popham's Pride, Black Sheep Brewery Golden Sheep and Clark's Westgate Gold. We decided almost before we ordered, that it would be rude not to have more than one pint in here. Firstly, we went for a Castle Rock beverage each, with Matt choosing Twayblade (6.0%) and myself opting for Slow Worm. This is a ruby-coloured mild with a strength of 3.5% and it's very smooth and surprisingly creamy with a deceptively soft finish. For the 2nd round of beers here, Matt went for Popham's Pride whilst I was swayed by Westgate Gold (4.2%). This had an unusual creamy nose to it but was very hoppy with a fruity finish and a nice sweet flavour.
As hard as it was to tear ourselves away from here, we still had one more place to visit. 

Leaving Mapperley Top, we headed slightly back on ourselves and made our down nearby Porchester Road to The Punchbowl.

 

Operated by Ember Inns, The Punchbowl outwardly resembles a hotel or, as is more likely given the area, an old manor house. The pub is very food driven but also makes every effort with regards to their cask ale. Inside, the bar is opposite the entrance and roughly L-shaped. A restaurant/dining area is located to the left of the entrance down a small flight of stairs, although it is possible to eat wherever you like. To the right is a more traditional bar layout with higher tables, snug-like areas and a TV screen. The premises also boasts a large outdoor seating area with picnic tables and a smoking shelter, all located under trees that grow on the property. The front of the building is whitewashed and full of character. The building itself is mounted above the road with a couple of staircases leading up to the main entrance. Dogs are welcome here too but must be kept on a lead at all times. Mine threw up last time we brought him though. The bar is well-equipped, with 9 hand pulls serving the regular ales of York Brewery Yorkshire Terrier and Thornbridge Lord Marples. There are also regular guests, on this occasion Everard's Tiger and Moondance from Hampshire's Triple F brewery, although this is still settling at the time of our visit. After brief deliberation, we opted for the Yorkshire Terrier, which was certainly more interesting than the dog it was named after. At 4.3%, it's pale and smooth with a creamy head, hop flavours and a fruity aroma. I do like The Punchbowl and I've visited it a few times in the past. Their food is excellent too and they do a number of decent money-saving deals on various days of the week. I can also vouch for the excellent quality of their Sunday dinners! Matt liked this place so much that he suggest we have a second here as well, which I was more than happy to do, and this time we took a punt on Lord Marples. This is a mere 4.0% and is a classic British bitter with light toffee and caramel characters, a mixture of floral and spicy hop notes and a pleasing bitter finish.

And with the finish of these pints, it was time to call it a day. Despite recent disappointments on a couple of previous excursions, I think we both agreed that this particular trip was a roaring success. Mapperley has lots to offer the discerning ale drinker and I would heartily recommend a journey out this way to try it for yourselves. For the relatively small number of pubs in the area, you could do worse than to make a day of it and try them all like we did. It's always pleasing when you can find so many venues, so close together that share the same standard of quality when dealing with cask ale and this can certainly be used as an example for others to follow.



Ales of the Unexpected

Firstly, I must apologise for the longer than usual gap between blogs. Due to the rigours of my new job, I've spent the past week or so trying to adjust my body clock to my new and unusual sleeping pattern. Things seem to be going ok up to this point, so from this point forth normal weekly service shall resume.This week, I decided to stick a tad closer to home and investigate a few pubs that serve ale but are not widely known for it. My plan was to identify a few venues that, for whatever reason, don't get the recognition they deserve in the ale stakes. As it's about to become clear, this was easier said than done. 

My first stop was Fothergill's on Castle Road, in the immediate shadow of Nottingham Castle. This is a pub and bistro occupying a long, low building almost opposite the famous Robin Hood statue.

 The building was designed and constructed in 1883 by architect Watson Fothergill, whose name it retains to this day. The frontage is glass with wooden furniture within and the interior has been recently stripped back to show off some of the original architecture and features, including the bare brick walls opposite the main windows. The bar and associated restaurant area are just inside the main entrance and there are a couple of small staircases leading down to further seating areas a short distance away. The bar is central and square in design with a number of unusual choices of draught lager and cider. There are also 5 hand pumps, which immediately drew my attention. Most of the options are local with Harvest Pale and Screech Owl from Castle Rock, Sunchaser from Everard's and Infinity from Blue Monkey brewery. There is even a real cider on hand pull, in this case Fanny's Bramble, a blackberry cider from Sandford Orchard. On this occasion I opted for the Infinity (4.6%), which was excellent. Whilst seated in a quiet corner I had a brief glance at the food menu, which sounded very appetising and may warrant a further visit in future. I also had the unfortunate joy of listening to a woman nearby describing her dairy allergy and using 'sheeps' as a plural of sheep, which sent my inner grammar Nazi into a rage and made me wish that someone else nearby had heard it too.

My next location was somewhat unconventional. Fat Cat Café sits on Chapel Bar, just up from Angel Row and old market square. 

Set over 2 floors, it prides itself on being a venue for good drink and informal dining.
 The outside of the building benefits from floor to ceiling windows, giving the interior a light, open feel whilst inside is all dark wood and low lighting, complimented by leather sofas and low wooden tables. The premises is split over two floors with the lounge bar area downstairs and the restaurant area on the floor above. The bar is long and situated on the right side of the building, next to the stairs to the upper floor. A sign on the exterior window advertises real ale and there are 4 hand pumps but, sadly, this is as good as it got.
Upon entering, I was unexpectedly asked to take a seat so that the waitress could come over and take my order. Table service was a nice touch, although I only wanted a pint! Of the 4 available hand pulls, there was only one in use, providing Harvest Pale in decent enough condition, although it was a touch too warm. One can only hope that a greater range of ales is normally available to compensate for the disappointment I felt on this occasion. The atmosphere within was relaxing enough though so it wasn't necessarily all bad.

Leaving Fat Cat, I turned right and headed down into Market Square and towards my next destination, The Bank, on what is technically Beastmarket Hill.

As the name suggests, this was in previous years a branch of Barclays Bank, before their relocation further up the road, and the pillars outside the entrance provide evidence of their financially inclined past. The pub, in its current format, is owned by Mitchells and Butler and it is obvious from the outset that this is one of their more food-driven venues. Inside, there is an abundance of seating and a relaxed atmosphere with lots of in-house advertising of the various (and numerous) food offers. I was instantly struck by the irony of a former bank being so keen to save its new patrons some hard-earned cash. As I made my way inside, I couldn't help but notice the Cask Marque accreditation sign next to the door, which offered some hope as to what I might find. The interior is fairly spacious with much of the structure, such as support pillars and aesthetic touches, hinting at the pub's prior identity. The bar sits on the right hand side and extends almost the length of the wall. 6 hand pulls are present, and they are doubled up with Greene King IPA, Bombardier and Everard's Tiger. Not quite the range I was hoping for but, to avoid being rude, I stretched to a pint of Tiger which at least was well-kept. The pub was busy with locals and older people what with it being around lunch time but I still managed to find a decent seat near one of the many televisions showing BBC News.

 
Around the corner on Friar Lane is The Approach, a place that has recently been gaining a decent reputation with regards to its cask. The Approach is part of the Navigation Brewery estate, which also includes the Southbank Bar and The Cross Keys amongst others.
  

The stone and glass frontage gives way to a spacious interior with lots of high tables and chairs and some plush seating throughout the room. The bar is long and slightly curved, stretching across the majority of the right hand wall of the building. The Navigation Brewery pubs provide a collector's card which I am proud to already have so I was looking for another opportunity to get another stamp towards the 6 required for a free pint. Annoyingly, the bar will accept either CAMRA discount or provide a collection stamp but not both. I settled for the stamp as the difference is only 20p but it's something worth bearing in mind. Ale-wise, 2 were available from the 4 hand pulls on the bar. They were Navigation Pale and Wychwood Hobgoblin. I opted for the former as the latter is one of the few beers that I happen to prefer in bottled form, and took a seat facing one of the large TVs, this time tuned to Sky Sports News. This seems to be a recurring thing with Navigation pubs but I'm not classing it as a bad thing. As much as anyone, I like to be able to watch TV with an accompanying pint. The Approach is also big on its ability to host live music events and there was plenty of advertising material available to supply information on upcoming events. The place had generally a better feel about it than it had on my only previous visit, way back in 2006.

My final stop of today's tour was one of Nottingham's iconic pubs. I'm sad to say though that it turned out to be a disappointment on my part.

One of only 4 venues in Britain owned by the Eerie Pub Co., The Pit & Pendulum is a relative newcomer to the real ale vanguard in Nottingham. Located on Victoria Street adjacent to the tram line and with a second entrance on Pelham Street, this horror-themed pub is certainly very atmospheric and situated over two floors, decorated with all manner of horror and torture themed memorabilia. The ground floor contains the main bar and most of the seating, whilst the lower floor is accessible down a spiral staircase and contains, amongst other things, including more seating, a fake bookcase that is actually a doorway to the toilets. The lower level is actually incorporated  into the existing cave system and this provides an added dimension to the place, especially when a tram goes past and the whole building vibrates. There is also a second bar downstairs that is only normally manned in the evenings and on busy nights. The exposed brickwork that makes up part of the cave complex is clearly visible in many of the various snugs that are built into the walls.

I had high hopes for The Pit, as it's locally known, particularly when I spotted the sign outside one of the two entrances that proclaimed how proud they are of their ale. Upon reaching the bar though, it was a different story. 5 hand pulls are present on the bar but all of them had their badges turned around, indicating that they had all run out! However, not wanting to judge a book by its cover, I asked the lady behind the bar for confirmation, only for the shocking truth to be revealed: all the ale was currently gone but there should be some available within the next 40 minutes. Disappointed, but refusing to resort to lager or cider, I opted for a coke and went and sulked in one of the downstairs snugs, accompanied only by some sinister looking manacles mounted on the wall behind me. As much as I like the atmosphere of The Pit and was a regular in my Uni days, I'm of the opinion that, if a pub is going to advertise ale, it should ensure that at least one hand pull is in use at all times. Admittedly, I could've waited but 40 minutes seems like a very long time to wait for a pint of the good stuff.

The Pit & Pendulum redeems itself slightly in my eyes because of the alleged hauntings associated with it. Admittedly,there is a certain irony that a horror-themed pub should have ghost stories linked to it but that doesn't mean that the tales can be discounted. In this case, there have been many stories of staff being prodded by unseen hands, sometimes whilst serving customers. Shadowy figures have been seen by many people in the downstairs area and there have been numerous accounts of voices whispering in the male toilets. Overall, today's excursion has taught me that a pub is probably not renowned for ale for a reason. With the notable exception of Fothergills, the locations on this trip left a lot to be desired for fans of real ale. This does not mean in any way, shape or form, that they are bad places to go for a good time. It merely suggests, that for those of us searching for a specific type of beverage, that there are other locations better suited to our needs.

An Unexpected Journey

With a bit of a gap in my daily schedule of late, I could've been at rather a loose end. However, with the rare situation of myself, Matt and Jess and Dean and Harriet all being free at the same time, we decided to use it as an opportunity to visit some of the pubs at the Sherwood end of Mansfield Road. This was largely decided because of the proximity of it to Matt's house, meaning I could leave the car there overnight, and the opportunity to visit a few places that are new to me. What followed was a thoroughly enjoyable evening of beer and laughter. Our first destination was the local Wetherspoons, The Samuel Hall.

The pub is situated in half of an old tram and bus depot on the main street in Sherwood and named after a local lace manufacturer. Upon entry, the bar is rectangular and situated on the left side of the room with lots of seating opposite and more upstairs on an extended mezzanine that runs along the majority of the area above the bar. The pub is fairly narrow in terms of floor space but has a snug-like area with booths and low seating hidden away to the back and this is where we decide to pull up a pew. Ale-wise, 10 hand pulls are present, with a variety of different offerings from near and far, including a couple of milds. My first choice of the evening was Bus Depot Bitter, brewed by Nottingham Brewery especially for the Samuel Hall as part of a recent new range honouring local Wetherspoons venues. At 4.3%, it's golden, smooth and hoppy with a fruity finish on the palate and a perfect way to kick things off. Due to confusion about whether or not others would be joining us, we ended up staying here for longer than planned. This is certainly not a bad thing though as it allowed for more ale sampling time. Next up for me was Sherwood from Lincoln Green. Apt name aside, this is a very pale ale that is also very hoppy, and very drinkable at 4.4%. As conversation meandered between a variety of topics such as cats and Harriet's job at Rampton, we made a group decision that food was needed. Thankfully, it being a Tuesday, it turned out to be steak night so it didn't take too long for us to decide what we wanted. I went for a mixed grill which, as part of the deal, also came with a drink for the bargain price of £6.49. Wetherspoons have recently begun allowing ale drinkers the privilege of having any of the available ales as part of this offer, which pleased me greatly and allowed me to move onto Robin Hood from Springhead Brewery. At 4%, it's a dark, traditional bitter with a good head and an abundance of hop flavours. Certainly the right choice to accompany the mixed grill, which was delicious and barely touched the sides, even with the addition of Jess and Matt's tomatoes.

Eventually, the time came  to venture on elsewhere and our next stop was The Chestnut Tree, situated further down Mansfield Road and on the opposite side.

 

This building has the look of an old manor house is raised substantially above the pavement thanks to some stone steps that lead directly to the rather large smoking area. Inside, the bar is central and curved and there is plenty of seating and a few TVs, on this occasion showing 90s music videos. The pub itself is nice enough and looks very clean, light and spacious, but the ale selection leaves a lot to be desired. Of the 3 hand pumps in use, Castle Rock Harvest Pale has run out, leaving the choice of Pedigree or Brakspear Bitter. I opted for the latter, largely because it was something different. Thankfully, the beer was in condition, auburn in colour with a malty, traditional bitter taste that is surprising for its low strength (3.8%). Generally it was rather nice and we soon learned to ignore the 'local' lads who were shouting out to random people across the road, as our conversation moved on to piercings, tattoos and Harriet's tendency to randomly pass out. The evening was very pleasant weather wise and we'd decided to sit outside, although the temperature soon began to drop so another relocation was called for. Next up we ventured to somewhere off the beaten track. Running parallel to Mansfield Road, lies a street called Loscoe Road and approximately halfway down is the excellent pub known as The Gladstone. 

 

Well camouflaged in the middle of a Victorian terrace, The Gladstone is a haven for ale drinkers. Named after a former Prime Minister and retaining all the character of a traditional pub, it features a central, double, C-shaped bar with 12 hand pulls featuring Timothy Taylor Landlord; Fuller's London Pride; Harvest Pale; Brewster's Decadence and 2 beers from one of my favourite breweries, Peterborough-based Oakham Ales. Their offerings Scarlet Macaw and Bishop's Farewell are both available and I decide on the latter, which is a 4.6% pale ale, dominated by elaborate fruity hop notes with a grainy background and a dry finish. It's very delicious and in great condition, as it was when I was last here, and I'll definitely be returning again in the not too distant future. We again venture to the beer garden, taking in as we go the memorabilia decorating the walls, including old cricketing gear and school equipment, as well as an old bicycle suspended on the wall above our table. It's probably a sign of the amount of alcohol consumed at this stage that causes the conversation to go in slightly darker directions, taking in subjects including Alzheimer's Disease and accidental racism from the older generation. Soon though, it became time to move on again, to our last scheduled stop on this tour and it's one I've certainly been looking forward too. The clock is ticking though as it's only half an hour before the next place shuts. Luckily, it's not that far away, which is just as well, as I would've been rather unhappy if we hadn't managed to get in for last orders. 

We're back on Mansfield Road proper now, on our way to Nottingham's first micropub, the incredibly popular Doctor's Orders.

 

Located, as the name suggests, in an old pharmacy, Doctor's Orders is unique and one of the breed of micropubs springing up around the UK. There is no bar, no cellar and no standing. Orders are taken at your table and the beer is poured from barrels that are racked in an adjacent room, behind the old pharmacist's counter and visible through glass partition windows so that you can see what's happening. It's not busy on our visit. Besides the 5 of us are a couple sitting together and a 40ish metal fan by himself. The brews on offer include 5 ales (from Mallard, Navigation, Nutbrook and Magpie respectively) and 2 real ciders. Whilst we're there, the Navigation beer runs out and is replaced by Red Feather from Welbeck Abbey. All pints are priced at £3 each and we all decide on different things, with myself venturing for Webbed Wheat from Mallard. It's golden, sweet and slightly fruity with a nice hop kick and just a little hint of the wheat that gives it its name. It's drinkable too at a very sensible 4.3%. It's certainly a quirky and charming place with some of the original features still remaining, including the bell that sounds whenever someone enters or exits. We arrived with about 25 minutes to spare until close, giving us time to properly enjoy our beers before we decide what to do next. We eventually popped into the Golden Fleece for a quick one before I decided to head home to the dog. The Golden Fleece will get a proper review at a later date as a return visit will fit nicely into an investigation of the other pubs at the City Centre end of Mansfield Road. All in all, it's been a highly enjoyable and, from my perspective, very productive evening and it's left me with lots to mull over for future reference. Mansfield Road is certainly a place where the ale is plentiful and, with less than half the pubs there visited on this trip, one can only hope that the trend continues. 

With my return to work imminent, I'm still planning on trying to fit an excursion in at least once a week to keep the blog up to date. All being well, my next excursion should be more City Centre based. It all depends on how my shifts at my new airport job work out. Keep an eye out for updates though. I'll do my best to keep things going as they have been. 

A Stap-ale Diet?

Prior to the trip I made for this blog, I knew 1 thing about Stapleford. That, slightly worrying thing, is that the town is known colloquially by locals as 'Stabbo'. Despite this, and following a few hours waylaid there last week whilst the car was repaired, I decided that the pubs of Stapleford warranted further investigation and so, on Wednesday, Matt and I jumped on a bus and made an afternoon of it.

 
The town of Stapleford lies on the border of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, close to both the River Trent and the River Erewash, which divides the town from nearby Sandiacre. The origins of Stapleford can be traced to before Norman times. There is a Saxon stone cross in the churchyard of St. Helen's Church which is said to be the oldest stone memorial in the Midlands. Stapleford owes much of its development to the proximity of the two rivers, which made it an important area for trade. It also expanded in the 18th Century when the stocking hose trade thrived in the area, evidence of which can still be found in the Stocking Knitters Houses that still exist on Nottingham Road. The central crossroads of the town is called The Roach, a name that derives from the time when French prisoners from the Napoleonic Wars were set the task of cutting through rock to create roads and this was referred to as 'La Roche'. The town also features two significant landmarks, The Hemlock Stone on Stapleford Hill and, more recently, the excellent Full Mash brewery.

The first destination on our survey was the Man of Iron, situated on Pasture Road, on the edge of the town.

After some bus stop related confusion, we entered the premises, which is operated under Hardy & Hansons and named for the local term for a blacksmith. It soon became obvious that this is a traditional locals pub, with lots of sofas and low seating, a pool table, dart board, jukebox and a TV, currently showing Bargain Hunt with the volume up. The bar is situated to the immediate left of the entrance and there is a significant shortage of the good stuff. There are 2 standard hand pumps, 1 of which is not in use, the other being Abbot Ale. There are also 2 smooth flow pumps, containing Greene King IPA Chilled and Hardy and Hansons Dark. Matt opted for the latter whilst I swallowed my pride and went for a pint of Abbot Ale, which was in good condition thankfully. This pub was more or less what I'd imagined it would be, although it could've done without the landlady shouting at her son as soon as we entered but you can't have everything. We moved on to our next target, hoping for better things.
Next up was The Chequers Inn on the corner of Nottingham Road and Church Street, which I'd heard rumours about being rather good. Sadly, I can't remember where I heard these rumours, which is just as well.

This roughly L-shaped, white building has peeling paint on the exterior but, not wanting to judge a book by its cover, we were undeterred. The pub has two bars, one on a lower level and one at ground level. Our attempt to enter the lower bar was thwarted by someone, presumably the landlord, telling us that the downstairs bar was closed and to head upstairs. This, again, was not a problem, as it was still early in the day. Upon entering the top bar however, we were unimpressed. The bar is small, rectangular and situated in the corner immediately inside the door. Despite our high hopes, there were no handpulls on show, with 2 rows of standard taps greeting us. The only thing remotely ale related was something called Mann's Chestnut Mild. We both decided on a pint of this, hoping at least that the beer was good. As you can probably gather, this again proved to be a false dawn. The mild was dark and creamy but distinctly watery and rather bland. The bar area itself was of a standard layout with bare wooden floors and seating and a raised area at the back with a pool table and dart board. We discussed this place later and are of the opinion that perhaps we'd come at the wrong time of the day and that the good rumours I'd heard perhaps related to the lower bar, which may have had hand pumps for all we knew and, obviously, they presumably would've been considerably busier in the evening. So far though, our ale trail through Stapleford was not going according to plan. I knew things would improve though, thanks in huge part to our next destination.

 
Situated almost opposite the Chequers, The Horse and Jockey is CAMRA LocAle pub of the year 2013 and it shows, almost upon entry.

 The pub dates from 1740 and is a two-storey, white, brick building with a small staircase heading up to the front door. Inside, the layout is roughly square with wooden floors, high tables, low sofas and the bar at the back of the room. The bar is fantastic both aesthetically and because of its products. One half of the back bar is all spirits whilst the other is devoted entirely to whiskies and there are very many of those available. Ale is the reason we've come though and we're certainly not disappointed, with 10 hand pulls from a variety of breweries, both local and further afield. There is also a selection of real ciders available, something which impressed Matt no end. After a few moments of deciding, we made our selections. I went for the pub's own ale, called simply Horse and Jockey, and brewed by nearby Full Mash. At 3.8%, this is pale, very clear, hoppy and smooth with a decidedly fruity finish. Matt likes dark beer where he can get it so he went for Woild Moild from Norfolk's Wolf Brewery, which was very dark, creamy and smooth with a soft finish. They were both very tasty, so much so that we decided to have a second pint here, largely to erase the memory of the previous 2 places we'd visited. My next choice was Beau Douro, brewed by The Wellington Inn in Hull. This is pale, citrusy and has a hop kick that belies it's 4.3% ABV. Matt opted for Tuck, a porter from Hucknall's Lincoln Green brewery. This was brimming with coffee flavours and hint of chocolate malt and went down very well indeed. The Horse and Jockey had certainly banished the issues of the day so far and we were in much better spirits by the time we headed to our next destination, The Pavilion on Derby Road.

As the name suggests, this is an old cricket pavilion with a mostly open plan layout, with a large proportion of high seating, a long bar opposite the front windows, pool tables and a table football set. The main sign out the front advertises FREE BEER, only for it to read Free Wifi and Guest Beer as you get closer and the small print becomes more obvious. There are 4 hand pulls on show, all in use and all, uniquely for Stapleford it seems, containing real cider, including Old Rosie, Country Perry and Matt's choice, Weston's Wild Wood. My initial survey only spotted Caffrey's on a normal smooth flow tap until I noticed a small range of bottled ales in the fridge. The selection wasn't bad: Hobgoblin, Spitfire and Thwaites' Wainwright (4.1%). I went for the latter and it was quite good, golden and very sweet with a citric backbone. Bottled ale is an unusual thing for me to drink in pubs so this was worth the visit for the novelty alone. All in all, The Pavilion wasn't too bad, not perfect but considerably better than a few other places.

Next up, was the local Wetherspoons, located just down the road from The Pavilion. The Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren shares its name with a pub in Nottingham, as well as another, now closed in Loscoe.

 It occupies a site near where Stapleford Hall used to stand and is named after Stapleford's local hero, who was born at the hall in 1753. He joined the Navy and rose quickly through the ranks, eventually becoming Admiral. He was also Ambassador to the Russian Court and an MP for Nottingham from 1796-1806. The hall itself was demolished in 1935 and The Warren Arms, built in 1750 and named for the family, used to stand opposite the Wetherspoons until it was demolished in 2009, despite protests. Inside, this is one of the nicest Wetherspoons I've ever been in. The layout is almost that of a manor house, with a long staircase to the upstairs toilets, lots of booth-like seating and ornamental cannons, both in the toilets and the bar, as well as full size relic greeting you upon entry. Several of the mirrors around the room are done in the style of portholes. Wetherspoons are certainly doing their bit to promote real ale and this one is no exception, with 10 hand pumps, split between 2 groups of 5 on either side of the till points. The bar is at the very back of the room, so there is plenty of time to decide what you want on the long walk over. 5 of the offerings are mild, with the other 5 being a standard selection. I shelled out for Nautical Mild from Titanic brewery and it was very nice indeed, malty and smooth with an unusual but welcome hoppy tinge to the aftertaste. Matt opted for Burton Bridge's Moorish Mild (3.9%), which he seemed to greatly enjoy, with its slightly fruity nose, low bitterness and pleasant aftertaste.

We were both rather hungry by now but decided to negate food in order to reach our last pub, with the promise of a trip to Gregg's on the way back to the bus stop. At the very end of Derby Road, just before the bridge that crosses the Erewash into Sandiacre, is our final destination, The Midland.

 I was hopeful that this would be impressive and the pub itself wasn't too bad. The choice of ale was disappointing however. The layout was much what we expected, with a central U-shaped bar and seating around the edge spreading across the room. Of the 2 hand pumps available, 1 is not being used whilst the other is promoting Doom Bar which, in the absence of other options, we ordered a pint of each. The quality of Doom Bar has declined noticeably in recent years and whether this is too with its seeming prevalence in  many premises. Following the quick consumption of these, we thought it was time to head home, with the aforementioned Gregg's stop taking first priority. On our bus journey back, we were able to discuss our day and agreed, that whilst Stapleford is, with a couple of notable exceptions, lacking in decent real ale outlets, it has certainly been an enjoyable afternoon and much more fun than doing the same thing alone. Next week, we expect to be doing something similar around the upper echelons of Mansfield Road, which I'm rather excited about, as it will include several pubs that I've never visited. However, as always, nothing is certain, but watch this space, as another excursion, somewhere, will be taking place regardless.

A Lion-Hearted Effort

Bank Holiday weekends seem to be prime time for beer festivals. 

With that being said, I hadn't planned on visiting two different beer festivals in 2 days in 2 quite different places. Following an invitation to celebrate the fact that I will soon be employed again, it was deemed necessary to make the journey to the annual beer festival at The White Lion in the Derbyshire village of Sawley.

Sawley sits at the point of convergence of the rivers Trent and Derwent and The White Lion is at the heart of this small but thoroughly pleasant village. A whitewashed front façade gives way to a twin bar layout interior, with a bar on either side of the main entrance, separated by a wooden partition and the back bar display itself. The interior is wooden, with a few round tables and plain wooden chairs. The walls are decorated with photos of the local area and a couple of pieces of artwork from the Romantic era. To the rear is a gravelled patio style area with hexagonal picnic tables and substantial room to accommodate a small car park. A small stage had been set up in order to provide the festival with entertainment from a variety of local bands. Each of the 2 bars inside has 4 hand pulls, the only regular being Bass. One side contains 3 beers from Hartshorns whilst the other includes 2 beers from each of Dancing Duck and Blue Monkey. These beers are all part of the festival, with the rest set up on a racking system in the upstairs function. Great pains have been made to ensure that all the beers available are local in origin and the food being sold in the car park is all sourced locally. The weather could not be better for the festival and the rest of the beers come respectively from Lincoln Green, Brunswick, Navigation, Mallard, Muirhouse and Castle Rock. The pub is now in the process of installing their own microbrewery called Old Sawley Brewery and the fruits of these labours are also available. The festival took place over the entire Bank Holiday weekend so by the time of my visit, on Day 3 of 4, all the real cider ordered in had already been sold. That didn't matter to me though as I was fascinated by the variety on offer.
My first taste of the brews on offer was Stormin' Auburn from Hartshorns. With a strength of 4.5%, this is an amber ale with a perfect amount of bitterness to the taste. It goes down quickly, perhaps too quickly, as we sit in the sunshine in the very full beer garden, watching a local band of young lads perform a mixture of their songs and some covers of songs by the likes of Oasis and Kasabian. The beer buying process is slightly simpler than that at Newark Beer Festival (see previous blog), as pints can be purchased, either through the use of tokens or cold hard cash. This is a nice touch, especially for those of us who are a tad overwhelmed by the sheer volume of people, variety of beer and the significant heat. For my next pint, I changed tack slightly and opted for Duck's Courage (5%), courtesy of Dancing Duck Brewery. This is pale and bitter with hints of spice that add a nice touch to the flavour. I made every effort to take my time with this pint, whilst enjoying the music of a quartet of local rock musicians executing some very good cover versions, including a storming cover of 'I Died in your Arms Tonight'. More of the extended family and friends had arrived by this stage and it was enjoyable catching up with old faces and meeting new ones, including the myriad of dogs on show at this canine-friendly venue.
By the time my glass was empty again, I decided that I'd have a crack at the offerings that Blue Monkey had provided. My option on this occasion was simply called Monkey (5%) and is the brewery's 500th brew (hence the name, which is slang for 500). Golden blonde in colour it carries an unusual mix of toffee and mango, proving once again that Blue Monkey certainly know what they're doing. I thought it was about time that I ventured to the upstairs room to see what else was on offer. This decision was justified all the more by my being able to talk to a member of staff who was in charge of the racking system. He explained to me that the weather had been a big saviour of this year's event, following a wash-out last year which resulted in at least 2 musical acts being cancelled. He certainly knew his stuff and was very helpful at describing the wide choice of beers in front of me. My eventual choice was Stumbling About from Muirhouse brewery. At 5.2% it is a ruby red ale with a distinctive kick that makes it strangely refreshing. Flagging somewhat by this point, due largely to the sheer quantity of ale I'd managed to consume in the previous 24 hours or so, it was about time to call it quits for the evening and I soon made my journey home.
The White Lion is by no means the only pub in the village and there are a few more drinking establishments very close by that I will definitely visit in the foreseeable future. It would be rude not too check out nearby places to see what they have to offer in comparison. At present, I haven't been able to find out much on the history of the pub, however I'll be attempting to find out more about the village as a whole (and any hauntings) before my return visit.
Overall, I'm very impressed by the commitment and knowledge of the staff here and the effort they've made to continue on with one of the lesser known beer festivals in the local area. The pub certainly deserves to do very well from its efforts and, if things continue in this way, they'll certainly be getting even more notice very soon. Obviously the weather has played a significant part in ensuring that the festival is a success but, when small, community-driven pubs like this put so much effort and thought into their work, it's the very least that they deserve. I will certainly be making every effort to keep an eye of developments at the site and the addition of their own microbrewery will only serve to enhance their prospects. All-in-all, if you visit one new pub this summer, you could do considerably worse than Sawley's White Lion. 

Festival time in Newark

With the Bank Holiday weekend turning out to be a very nice one weather-wise for the 2nd time in a month, it would've been rude not to make the most of it. Earlier in the week, I decided that it was a good time to head off to yet another beer festival, this time at Riverside Park in Newark. This annual event, now in it's 18th year, promised a fun weekend of live music, good food and over 140 real ales and ciders. Sounded exactly what I wanted to do on a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon! My best friend Dean and his wife Harriet live in nearby Collingham so I thought it would be excellent to have a meet up with them so that we could all go to the festival together. It had been quite a while since I'd last seen them so arrangements were quickly made for me to drive to their house and from there make my way to the site.

 
The market town of Newark-on-Trent grew up around the now-ruined Norman Castle, which sits on the bank of the River Trent, upon which the town is located.

The castle itself was besieged by Parliamentary forces during the Civil War and is the location at which King John died in 1216. Literally just across the river, is Riverside Park, the venue for this event and myself, Dean & Harriet arrived to find a long tent thronged with people with outdoor seating areas fenced into a single enclosure with food vans, cake stands and a stage also present. Oddly, the toilets were outside of the actual fenced-in area which made for some interesting issues which I will come to again later. With Newark Castle looming over the site from across the river it's a very attractive site to spend a few hours in the sun with friends and beer. Upon arrival, we paid our entry fee (£10 each with £2 refundable for a commemorative glass), accepted our tokens and I picked up a program which contained an extensive beer list. Tokens were allocated to 3 per person upon entry, with 9 tokens for CAMRA members (hooray for me!) and more tokens available to purchase within the festival. As the only ale drinker in our company I was very excited by what awaited me. 120 ales racked on both sides along both sides of the tent, arranged alphabetically by brewery. Dean is a real cider fan but he wasn't disappointed either with a large selection of cider and perry from across Britain, with a significant quantity from Somerset. After a few minutes perusing the extensive list of beers, I finally managed to reach a decision upon where I would start my journey. Prices were categorised as follows: 2 mini-tokens for 1/3 of a pint and 3 for 1/2. This rose to 3 and 4 respectively for brews above 5%. With this in mind, my first choice of tipple was Tricerahops from Wiltshire's Hop Kettle brewery. At 4.1%, this was a good place to start as it was a very fruity, triple-hopped, golden ale with an excellent all-round flavour and finish.
I mostly drank 3rds whilst I was there, largely because it enabled me to try more things without exhausting my supply of tokens too quickly. The only problem is that I did seem to be returning more beer quite often! Apparently 3rds don't last very long! As much as possible, I did my very best to slowly increase the ABV of the beers I drank as the day wore on so as to make the most of the flavours on offer. This was a good plan in theory but, this being the 2nd day of the festival, some beers had sold out so a hasty rethink was needed on occasion. My 2nd beer of the day was from my neck of the woods. The Wild Weather brewery is based in Silchester, Hampshire and my choice of their Stormbringer was wise indeed. This premium ale boasts well developed hop flavours and a very good all round taste. With a strength of 4.5%, this seemed like a good progression up. I followed this with a rare treat. Oxymoron is one of those strange beasts: a black IPA that had been dry hopped for extra flavour. This was surprisingly subtle for a beer of 5.5% and originated from Otley brewery in Pontypridd. So far, so good. I went back a step with my next choice. My original selection had run out so I switched to Cavendish from Welbeck Abbey. At a softer 5%, this was a strong blonde ale and barely touched the sides on the way down. At this point, a food break was required.
Heading out of the tent and back into the beautiful sunshine we decided to partake in some food from the on-site burger vans. I opted for a 1/2lb beef burger, Harriet opted for wild boar sausages in a cob, which I finished off and they were excellent. Dean decided on a venison burger, made better by the cheese apparently and we took a well deserved rest on some plastic seating whilst our food went down. Having made the rookie mistake of 'breaking the seal' on the way into the festival, I now needed another bathroom trip and this is where things got slightly ridiculous. I exited the tent, went to the toilet and then attempted to go back in, only to be forced to queue as there was now a '1 in, 1 out' policy in place due to the number of people. This was despite the fact that I was wearing a wristband that indicated that I had already paid and I saw other people being let back in whilst I was waiting. I understand that the security on site have a duty to adhere to the capacity guidelines and it might be I tried to go back in through the wrong side of the partition but it was a little frustrating. Thankfully though, I wasn't waiting for any longer than a couple of minutes.
Shortly, it was back to the beer and I had already earmarked my next choice: Sumo, from Market Deeping's Hopshackle Brewery. This is a golden, amber beer with an aroma and flavour brimming with hop resins. At 5.2%, it was very refreshing after the food and the queuing. By now, the tent was rammed with all manner of people and I was now onto my 2nd set of tokens, available for purchase at the price of 50p each. With my next choice no longer available, I settled for Benedictine Groove, an unusual concoction from Edinburgh's Elixir brew academy. This was unique with it's distinctive taste of smoked malt and a hint of tonic wine, all encompassed in a very dark beer with an ABV of 5.5%. I followed this with Sutherland, the latest Wicked Women beer from Brewsters. Whilst 4.8% is considerably weaker than my previous choice, it was well worth it. It was at this point that peer pressure persuaded me to try a taste of the strongest beer available over the weekend. Baz's Bonce Blower is a staggering 12.2% and I took a lot of persuading but eventually made my way over to the counter, only to find that it had all been sold the previous day. Not really a surprise and a lucky escape for me! Unperturbed, I went for an unusual choice instead; a mango, wheat beer called Wit Less II from Cheshire's Redwillow brewery. My gamble paid off and the beer was excellent, the fruity flavour and aroma balanced nicely throughout the 4.8% concoction.
With 3 tokens remaining and the sunshine and alcohol starting to have an effect, and myself running out of cash, I had the opportunity for one more half before we called it a day. I made the choice of an American-style pale ale called Old Colony from the 8 Sail Brewery in Heckington. At 5.3%, it did the job nicely and brought the day to a very good end. After ensuring that we had all of our belongings and that our commemorative glasses had been either refunded or safely wrapped up, we headed out and made our way back to the point from where Dean's mum was collecting us. It had been a very very good day and, from a personal perspective, a good insight into a proper beer festival. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I think everyone else did too. From a haunting perspective, the most well-known stories are confined to the nearby castle, with reports of stone throwing, strange flashes of light and disembodied footsteps. King John's spirit is believed to remain in the area where he died. Whilst these are not pub-related tales, Dean did share an interesting anecdote concerning the building that is now the Just Beer Micropub in the town. Back in the 1980's there was a case of kidnapping in which a one-legged kidnapper held a woman hostage in the flat above where the pub is now located. Although this is not a ghostly story, it is certainly a gruesome one as the perpetrator kept his unfortunate victim in a wheelie bin for a year, an event which would obviously have been very traumatic. There are other stories of ghostly happenings amongst the pubs of Newark and I will certainly be returning in future to investigate these and partake in their excellent beers. With this year's Newark Beer Festival done, I am resigned to visit again next year. If this year's is anything to go by, it will definitely be worth the effort!

Wanderings in Wollaton

With my first few blogs being mostly centred around Nottingham City Centre and its environs, I thought the time was right to visit some places that were slightly further afield, yet close enough to get to easily. With that in mind, I made the short walk into town and hopped onto the Trent Barton Rainbow 2, headed for the Nottingham suburb of Wollaton. The suburb has Wollaton Village at its centre, unchanged for several hundred years with the Admiral Rodney pub at its centre (more on that later). The surrounding area is known for its proximity to Wollaton Hall, an Elizabethan mansion house and museum with its own deer park, which recently found fame for its portrayal as Wayne Manor in the latest Christopher Nolan Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises. There are several fine pubs in the immediate vicinity and it is these which are the focus of my trip on a relatively mild, but significantly overcast, Tuesday afternoon.

My first destination was The Wollaton Pub & Kitchen.

Situated on the main Wollaton Road, with its main entrance on the adjacent Lambourne Drive, The Wollaton occupies a premises that was previously known as The Willoughby Arms after the family that built, owned and occupied the nearby Wollaton Hall. The pub takes the form of a modern bar/restaurant combo with brick exterior and green and cream paint my initial introduction to the place. The pub is owned by Moleface Pub Co., who also own Larwood & Voce in West Bridgford amongst their small portfolio. The interior of the pub is split into designated drinking and dining areas. The restaurant is modelled loosely on the design of an orangery with a decidedly open appearance. The bar area is more enclosed without feeling claustrophobic, and features several classic touches including leather sofas, bare floors, an abundance of wooden furniture, gilt mirrors and exposed brickwork on the wall towards the rear car park. The pub is very nice to look at, with a significant emphasis on food but definitely not lacking in the drink department. There are 6 hand pulls on show, 2 each of Timothy Taylor Landlord and Black Sheep Bitter and guest appearances of Castle Rock Harvest Pale and Navigation Pale, which I decide upon. The beer is in excellent condition and I take a seat at a nearby table, the legs of which are constructed from the stand of an old Singer sewing machine. There are several pieces of promo material advertising their food offers around the walls and I shall definitely be returning to sample the food in the near future. The only slightly strange thing about this otherwise fantastic place is the toilets. The urinals remind me distinctly of the toilets at most football grounds, consisting of a long, porcelain, trough-like structure. The whole experience is made more unnerving by the varying close ups of a woman's face that adorn the walls in the gents. Thankfully, I'd only had one pint by this stage or it might have been more than a little disconcerting. Overall though, this is an excellent venue to which I hope to return soon.   

My next destination is a somewhat different story. Situated literally a few yards down the road from The Wollaton, The Wheelhouse is situated on the same main road, at this point designated as Russell Drive, opposite the local police station.

 The unusual name is essentially a description of the building's layout as it is basically circular in shape, having been originally constructed in the 1960s. It is currently run by Greene King, under its food-driven Hungry Horse brand name and this is reflected in the general layout of the interior. The bar is central and roughly semi-circular, with an abundance of seating throughout reflecting the strength of the food sales. The pub is marketed is a family friendly establishment, with its large seating areas, pool table and food deals. There is still ale on offer, although the selection is fairly bog standard Greene King fare. The 3 hand pumps feature Old Speckled Hen, Abbot Ale and Hardy & Hansons (a Greene King subsidiary) Kimberley Bitter. I opt for the latter and whilst I'm not disappointed, I always find it a shame that Greene King have such an obstructed vision of which ale they should supply to their managed outlets. Kimberley Bitter is a 3.9% brew with a nose of hops and flowers, a fruity finish and a consistent bitterness that compliments its copper colour. The beer itself is fine, as evidenced by the Cask Marque plaques throughout the bar area and, whilst I appreciate that this particular part of the Greene King stable is food-centric, I feel that the casual drinker is missing out. The food on offer sounds delicious though, enhanced somewhat by the revolving dessert cabinet near to where I'm sitting, crammed full of delicious cake products. After a few minutes of enjoying my pint, I decide to move on to my next venue, not before being accosted by a very cute Staffordshire Bull Terrier in the outdoor seating area though.

The convenient thing about this area of the greater Nottingham region is its proximity to Wollaton Hall. The outer walls of the park are situated opposite both of the pubs I've just visited and this creates an attractive panorama as I leave the main road and start towards the village proper. My next visit is the Admiral Rodney which sits directly in the centre of the village, where the main road through the village transects nearby Bramcote Lane at a small roundabout, close to the neighbouring Anglican church of St. Leonard.

 The building is very old, with lots of very nice character features, including original wooden beams and flagstone flooring, all made slightly crooked by the layout of the building's foundations. Named after the head of the Admiralty at the time of Lord Nelson, the overall impression is one of olde worlde charm with the interior evoking images of bygone times with its pictures of old houses from around the local area. There are 2 entrances to the pub, the main entrance which leads to the central lounge, and the side door, which I enter through, which leads to a smaller bar area and a very nice snug complete with dart board. The bar is L-shaped, with 6 hand pumps, 5 of which are in use at the time of my visit. There is an interesting variety of beers on offer, in this case Harvest Pale; Sharp's Doom Bar; Bateman's XXXB; Courage Director's and London Pride. I'm quite partial to a pint of Director's (as I've mentioned before), so this was my tipple of choice on this particular occasion. This is a pub of considerable charm and character. As I sit enjoying my pint, my eyes drift to the menu, which includes amongst it's offerings Venison Pie and Wild Boar Pie, all of which sounds wonderful. This is the kind of pub that I love, one which has retained it's period features, more or less unchanged, for a very long time. In a village of this kind, it only serves to add to the atmosphere as well as reflecting its status as a hub of the community. With all of it's intact décor comes a cautionary tale, one the I feel is specific to visiting unfamiliar pubs without company. On a journey to the bathroom, the myriad of internal doors confused me to such an extent that I almost ended up behind the bar. Thankfully, I don't think anyone noticed.

Upon leaving the Admiral Rodney, I head straight down Bramcote Lane which is directly opposite the door I entered the pub through. This leads directly to my final destination for this afternoon, The Hemlock Stone & Dragon on the junction of Bramcote Lane and Wollaton Vale.

Originally just known as The Hemlock Stone until the addition of a Thai restaurant in the premises a few years ago, the pub is named after an unusual standing rock information on nearby Stapleford Hill. The pub is another that fits in with the picturesque charm of the area, with a traditional English pub feel upon entering and the Thai restaurant tucked away to the right. The décor is plush with a very nice pale green as the overriding wall colour and an abundance of comfortable leather seating. I've visited this premises before, not long after the Thai infusion and the food was excellent then. Although this is one of those pubs that seems to place a greater emphasis on its food menu, it has received Cask Marque accreditation, which means that, despite a limited selection, the beer you get will still be properly served. Of the 3 hand pumps on the bar, 1 is not in use and the other 2 host Director's (again) and Doom Bar. As much as I like Director's, I don't feel like sampling it twice in a row so I opt for Doom Bar. The quality of this ale has noticeably declined in recent years, although there is nothing obvious to complain about with this pint. The pubs on this particular trip to what is a very nice, and decidedly upper class, part of Nottingham are certainly in keeping with the surrounding area. Of the 4 I visited, The Hemlock Stone has an interesting legend associated with the stone formation after which it is named. The Hemlock or Himlack Stone is located on Stapleford Hill and opinion varies as to whether it was carved by ancient human occupants of the site or deposited naturally as a result of geological erosion. The most interesting theory about its origin is that it was deposited by the Devil after a failed attempt to destroy Lenton Priory with a stone thrown from his cave at Castleton. It is alleged that the missile missed its target and landed on the hill where it remains to this day. Certainly an interesting anecdote, whether you believe in the story or not.

My tour of Wollaton complete, I ventured back to the bus stop before the inevitable opening of the heavens (it's May in England after all), after an interesting and very enjoyable journey around an area that, myself, has not been explored nearly enough. I admit I did miss out at least one pub (Middleton's, formerly The Roebuck on Trowell Road, which I intend to feature in a tour of Trowell and surrounding areas) but all in all, I feel like I have a better idea of what pubs in Wollaton have to offer with regard to their real ale scene. There are certainly many places worthy of visiting for their food menus alone and this will definitely ensure that I make a return to this most pleasant of places in the foreseeable future.