Roaming in Radcliffe

Greetings friends! Firstly, my apologies for another few months away from these pages. Regular and long time readers will know that the summer months tend to be fairly busy round these parts, what with Download Festival, various family occasions and, this year, the trials and tribulations of attempting to buy a house. With these distractions either dealt with or on the backburner, I should once again find the time to get out and about. Last week was the perfect opportunity to do just that! On a very sunny, hot and pleasant Thursday afternoon, itself a marked contrast from the recent unsettled, wet and decidedly unsummery weather, I made the short trip out to a place that has long been in my sights. Its close proximity to home, as well as its small handful of pubs, mean that this is a place that can be completed in just a few hours as opposed to a whole day. It would also give me an excellent excuse to be out making the most of the brief summery vibes and should, on the whole, be a lot less physically taxing than my last excursion. The place in question was Radcliffe-on-Trent.

Radcliffe-on-Trent is a village and civil parish in the Rushcliffe borough of Nottinghamshire. The population of the civil parish at the Census 2011 was 8,205. It is to the east of Nottingham, close to but not part of the Greater Nottingham built-up area. However, the Greater Nottingham Partnership sees the whole of Rushcliffe as part of the conurbation. The village lies on the south bank and cliff overlooking the River Trent. The "Rad" part of its name is a corruption of the Old English for red, in reference to the dark red colour of the cliffs, which are formed of Triassic red shale with gypsum banding. Nearby places are Shelford, East Bridgford, Holme Pierrepont and Stoke Bardolph.

To the south-east of the parish lies the former Saxondale Hospital, which has been redeveloped into some 350 dwellings and renamed Upper Saxondale. Harlequin, a small mainly residential area, lies between it and Radcliffe, which is mainly on the northern side of the major, east-west, A52 trunk road. At its western end it the Radcliffe Road runs along the north-eastern edge of Trent Bridge cricket ground. Radcliffe has a railway station connecting it to Nottingham and beyond in the west and Grantham and beyond to the east. 

Despite the presence of a train station, Radcliffe is reached more frequently, more easily and more cheaply, by a regular bus service from Nottingham city centre which reaches the village in around 25 minutes and it was this mode of transport that would convey me to my destination. Because, on one of the hottest days for weeks, what better way to travel than via a badly air-conditioned box on wheels with significant amounts of glass? Needless to say, I was a tad uncomfortable and sweaty by the time I disembarked at Vicarage Lane, in the centre of the village. Fortunately, Radcliffe is blessed with a quartet of pubs, and I would be visiting each in turn. I had a clear plan in my mind which, due to a couple of the pubs not opening until early evening, would involve a bit of going back and forth. However, I was determined, I was moderately excited at what I would discover and I was glad to be out. My first task upon leaving the bus was, typically, the part that would involve the most walking. I took an almost immediate left onto Shelford Road and followed this straight on. This took me primarily past houses but also took me over a bridge with the railway line below. After approximately 10 minutes or so, my first stop of the day appeared, and about time too, as my thirst was certainly in need of quenching. I would begin my explorations at The Radcliffe.

Formerly a Home Ales outlet, at which time it was the Trent Hotel, the pub was most recently operated by Heineken subsidiary Red Star Pub Company, but is now owned and operated by the Secret Pub Company, who also operate other well regarded village pubs locally, including The Plough at Normanton-on-the-Wolds (yet to feature in this blog but I'll get there eventually) and The Railway at Lowdham. This large open-plan pub has benefited from substantial refurbishments in both 2017 and 2019. Clearly, the change of ownership has paid off, as The Radcliffe was voted Best Pub in Nottinghamshire at the British Beer and Pub Awards 2022. Inside, an area to the front is primarily for drinkers, with larger, more open areas at the rear for dining, including a covered patio. A well-appointed garden features picnic-style benches as well as children's play equipment. The decked patio also features uncovered booth-style seating, some of which features tables with gas heaters for colder months. The decor is modern and contemporary but also boasts a lot of character with nice touches throughout, such as minimalist lighting and the use of pages from Haynes motoring manuals decorating the ceiling in the gents, with covers framed above the urinals. The bar sits in the centre of the single main room, to the right of the main entrance. A bank of 4 handpulls can be found here, and I was pleased to see that two of these were in use, offering a choice between Sharp's Doom Bar and Robinson's Dizzy Blonde. It didn't take me very long at all to make my choice. Given that you rarely see Dizzy Blonde in this neck of the woods, I was always going to pick that over Doom Bar. A few moments later, I took my pint outside and sat myself in one of the outside booths, shaded by the trees so that I could enjoy the warm weather without being directly under the merciless gaze of Ra. It was mid-afternoon by the time I'd arrived here and there were a few people about, mostly families finishing off lunchtime meals. I got the impression that the pub can, and does, get very busy for food, and no doubt benefits from having a decent garden space. It's certainly a pleasant and relaxing place to enjoy a pint, particularly when the beer is as well kept as I found it to be. Dizzy Blonde (3.8%) is a very sessionable pale ale, brewed with Amarillo and Cascade hops. Overall, it's very light and refreshing, with a herbal aroma and flavours of clean, zesty hops, all leading to a dry, crisp finish. It's an excellent thirst quencher for hot days!

My afternoon in Radcliffe had begun with a bang so I was eager to see how the rest of my time here would pan out. Leaving the Radcliffe, I retraced my steps down Shelford Road, heading back in the direction of the village centre. A few minutes later, I had arrived back at the crossroads from whence I had first struck out. Opposite me was the local church and, a few doors down from this, the next pub on my list. Taking a slight left, and then crossing the road in front of the local Tesco, brought me to the Royal Oak. 

First recorded as a public in 1855, when the publican was S. Haynes, the Royal Oak is now operated by Stonegate as part of its Craft Union Pub Co. arm and was listed as an Asset of Community Value in October 2016. The pub has previously been owned by both Ei Group (formerly Enterprise Inns) and the Moleface Pub Co., before passing into the current ownership. The main entrance is central to the front facade, which also features two curved bay sections. Inside, the interior is divided into different spaces through the use of internal partitions and pillars. TVs feature prominently throughout, showing either news or sport. An area to one side has a snug-style feel with the central space being more open. Furniture is primarily of traditional scrubbed wood. To one side, there is a door leading out to a raised beer garden area, with rattan tables and chairs and access to a car park. The large bar curves along one wall and features a bank of 5 hand pumps. At the time of my arrival here, 3 of these were in use, another was in the process of having a beer prepared on it and the fifth was undergoing cleaning. This helpfully narrowed down my options. The available beers were Castle Rock Bold as Love and Adnams Southwold Bitter. The remaining hand pump featured a pump clip for Lilley's cider and a polite note to ask about available flavours. I was pleasantly surprised that the beer choices here were other than the Stonegate staple core beers and ultimately settled for the one provided by my employers, a beer that I've become familiar with in recent weeks. Bold as Love (4.5%) is a session IPA with El Dorado and Centennial hops. This leads to citrus and fruity flavours, a smooth mouthfeel and a soft finish. The aroma is very much of stone fruits. The beer was brewed by Castle Rock to commemorate Nottingham Pride and has gone down a storm across local outlets. I'm not here to hit you with the sales pitch though! I again ventured outside here, hoping I'd be able to find some shade. I would proven to be mistaken in this endeavour, but I did manage to at least sit somewhere where the sun's glare wasn't quite so intense. Having a delicious beer to hand certainly helped! By the time I'd finished my beer, and returned my empty glass to the bar, I noticed that another beer had become available. This turned out to be a pale offering from Bang the Elephant but, alas, I didn't think I'd have the time for a second beer here so instead I continued on my merry way.

To reach my next location, I would need to make my way a little bit further out of the village centre, back along the main road along which the bus had earlier entered the village. Taking a short cut through the nearby, mercifully shaded, churchyard, I emerged a few yards further along Main Road, almost opposite the sadly closed and boarded up Manvers Arms which, according to some locals I spoke to later on, struggled after lockdown, closed and subsequently never reopened, citing too much local competition. I would soon see what exactly that was referring to. A few yards on from the Manvers Arms, pub number 3 had not long flung open its doors to the day's trade. I had now arrived at The Chestnut.

Originally known as the Cliffe Inn, the pub was renamed to The Horse Chestnut following a major refurbishment in 2006. In 2015, the current moniker was adopted. A nomination for the pub to be listed as an Asset of Community Value in 2015 was rejected the following year by Rushcliffe Borough Council, although thankfully the pub is still thriving and is now operated as a freehouse. The interior is smart, with 1920s-style decor, including original brewery mirrors on the wall opposite the entrance. A combination of scrubbed wood furniture and banquette seating dominates the first room with further seating up a small flight of steps. The overall interior is split-level with a single bar serving the whole area. The split-level layout continues to the rear, with a door leading outside to a flight of steps that leads to a raised drinking area, as well as a covered smoking shelter. A corridor to the side of the main room leads to the toilets. The Chestnut is one of two pubs in the village to be featured in the 2023 edition of the Good Beer Guide. It's very easy to see why. There are 7 handpulls on the bar here, all but one of which was in use when I arrived. Beers from near and far were featured, specifically Brewster's Hophead, Timothy Taylor Boltmaker, Marble Manchester Bitter, Vocation x Brew York New Zealand Pale Ale, Titanic Huell Melon and Thornbridge DDH Jaipur. As tempted as I was by the DDH Jaipur, a 5.9% beer in 28 degree heat sounded like a recipe for disaster, so instead I opted for the Huell Melon, part of a single hop series of beers from Stoke-on-Trent-based Titanic Brewery. At 4.4%, this is billed as a session IPA with the eponymous hops coming from New Zealand. All-in-all, it's a zesty and pillowy beer with melon and citrus on the nose and an earthiness on the palate. I began enjoying this beer sat at a drinking ledge under a brewery mirror, just around the corner from the bar, and observed by a curious dog. Following a toilet trip and a few minutes to ostensibly get my breath back from the walk down, I again retreated outside to take in the beer garden. It was much more shaded and cooler here, which I was thankful for, and the beer went down an absolute treat! It's clear that the ownership know what they're doing and their place in the GBG is well deserved. Someone did later remark on the absence of a dark beer option and I know, from experience, that some pubs won't put one on in summer due to difficulties in shifting them. Each to their own though.

I had one final stop to make on my whistlestop tour of the delights of Radcliffe-on-Trent and this would again involve retracing my previous route. Making my way back along Main Road, I returned to the Royal Oak but this time, I continued walking past it, past the neighbouring branch of Costa and then turned immediately right into Walker's Yard, where I would find the destination that, I must confess, I'd been most looking forward to all day. My excursion would end at the Yard of Ale.

The only micropub in Radcliffe occupies the site of what was formerly a coffee house and chocolate shop. The building itself is long and narrow, hence the name, with access through a door at the side. Now Good Beer Guide listed (2023), the Yard of Ale also includes a small gin bar, Gin Within, which is open on specific days. Inside, the pub lives up to its name. The door leads directly into the bar space, which features casks on stillage, served through hand pumps a short distance away. To the left, is a small seating area and a single, unisex toilet whilst, to the right, a small step leads up to a narrower space with stools and drinking ledges. Old beer adverts and old photos of the village are the primary decoration. The pub usually opens at 5pm on the 4 days of the week that it does trade so, upon my arrival shortly after 5pm, I was surprised to find that I wasn't even the first one in. In fact, during my stay, a steady stream of locals would continue to appear, along with one, very friendly, Labrador. The beer choices here were interesting. Of the 6 handpulls, 5 were being utilised. The choices at the time of my visit were Adnams Mosaic, Dancing Duck Nice Weather, Tiny Rebel Pixel City, Blue Monkey Cinder Toffee Stout and Vocation Bread & Butter. Despite the stick they seem to get from some beer drinkers, I'm generally a fan of the beers that Tiny Rebel put out and Pixel City was a new one on me so it seemed like the logical choice. This is a 4.4% hazy pale ale, double dry hopped with Ekuanot hops. The end result is a dank, citrusy and tropical treat with hop flavours packing quite a bunch! After paying, I initially tucked myself away in the raised seating area so I could collect my thoughts and take in my surroundings. Eventually though, having been engaged in conversation by the owner of the aforementioned canine upon my return from the loo, I ended up leaning against the windows opposite the bar area, chatting to the regulars and the owner, who was actually the gentleman that had served me. We discussed the general state of the beer scene, both locally and further afield, and I fielded questions about what had brought me to Radcliffe, where else I had been and what I did for a living. In general, they were a very friendly and pleasant bunch and I felt welcomed into their environment. The Yard of Ale was certainly my pub of the day and, at this point, Pixel City was winning in the beer stakes. That was about to change however. One of my newfound companions was waxing lyrical about the Cinder Toffee Stout from Blue Monkey. It would have been incredibly remiss of me not to have given it a go, which I did as my parting drink, much to his mock chagrin. I don't know where this beer has been all my life but I could have drunk it forever. This 5% stout is beautiful! Like bonfire toffee but a bit less smoky and smoother, it tastes like a Crunchie in a glass. The flavours are all caramel and the aroma is big with toffee and sweetness. I don't know how it manages to be so easy to drink without being sickly or cloying but it's a genuine work of art. 

My trip to Radcliffe-on-Trent was, for all intents and purposes, complete. I left the Yard of Ale with a heavy heart and a head full of thoughts. Having done quite a few of these sorts of trips over the years, and having been to all sorts of pubs in all sorts of places, it's a rarity to feel so genuinely welcomed as I did at the Yard of Ale. That's not to say that I've ever truly felt unwelcome anywhere but it's so deeply refreshing to feel like the regulars have made an extra effort to make someone they're never met, a complete stranger, feel welcome and a part of their proceedings. In general, my afternoon had been a great success. Shortly after leaving the final pub, I was back on the bus and making my way back home. I'd gone into the day's activities with high expectations, particularly from the two GBG listed premises, and I have to say, that these were not only met but genuinely exceeded. Although this trip was fairly short and certainly shorter than any I've done for a while, I can honestly say that I think it will linger long in the memory. If anything, my time in Radcliffe is proof that you don't have to travel for hours to find welcoming places to enjoy a cracking pint. Sometimes, they can be a few minutes away or right on your doorstep. 

Pub of the day: Yard of Ale. It was initially going to be a toss up between this and The Chestnut, but for sheer welcome and atmosphere, the Yard of Ale wins out.

Beer of the day: Blue Monkey Cinder Toffee Stout. More please! No further questions.

Biggest surprise: Royal Oak. I expected a rather generic, estate-style pub but was pleasantly surprised by the beer choice and general feel of the place. 

Ale Around the A60

I doubt it's just me but the prospect of warmer weather, and longer days, always gives me a compelling urge to spend a lot more time outside. Last week, my most recent trip allowed me to do just that, as well as complete a route that had been on my radar for some time. Having needed time to figure out the logistics of what would be, for reasons that will be become clear, a physically challenging excursion, I felt that the longer days of Spring would provide the perfect opportunity to give it a go. The mission: to explore the villages and more specifically, the pubs, along and around the route of the A60, a carriageway and trunk road that links Nottingham and Loughborough. The reasons for selecting this, at first glance, random and arbitrary destination, are fairly straightforward. Amy and I drive this road fairly regularly when visiting family in Loughborough. On previous trips, I'd noticed that there were pubs along the route and further investigation revealed other villages, and other pubs, located a short distance either side of the main road. For the purposes of my needs, I would be focusing on the stretch of the A60 between the villages of Bunny and Hoton, and the villages scattered thereabouts, with the overall route forming a very rough quadrangle. 6 villages in total lay within my sights, with 7 pubs featured. I'd also taken time to figure out the best order in which to tackle the route and the best way in which to travel between them. The A60 is served by the Kinchbus 9 from Nottingham city centre and my plan would be to catch this and ride it to the furthest point in Hoton, before making my way back, on foot, through all the stops on my itinerary until I reached Bunny, which would be the climax. This would prove to be as physically taxing as I imagined but fulfilled both the goal of increasing my outdoor time, and the target of visiting the chosen pubs. Join me now, on a magical mystery tour of the Nottinghamshire/Leicestershire border. 

The day in question was last Friday, a warm but unsettled day in early May. My day began shortly after 10.15am. The easiest way for me to pick up the Kinchbus without having to journey into Nottingham first, was to pick it up in Ruddington, a 30-40 minute walk from Clifton. I arrived at the bus stop in plenty of time and, when the bus eventually arrived after being 10 minutes late, I was on my way. The bus conveyed me, quickly, through Ruddington and on through Bunny, Costock and Rempstone (more on all of these later) before arriving, after about 15-20 minutes, in the village of Hoton, where the day's adventures would truly begin. Hoton is a small village, not far from Loughborough, just south of the Nottinghamshire border. After the Norman conquest in 1300, together Robert De Jort and Earl Hugh owned the land. Hoton was sparsely populated with eleven households in the 1300s, nine in 1564. By the time the 1666 hearth tax list was drawn up there were nineteen. Hoton once consisted of three 400 acre patches of agricultural land, though due to the 1760 Enclosure Act more small fields were established and agricultural patterns changed. When Charles James Packe II brought the Hoton Manor house it led to the development of the area. An ale house, an inn and two girls boarding schools were built, as well as further farm buildings and cottages, leading to a further increase in population.

Despite this the census reports show a decline in population from 460 people in 94 houses in 1841, to 294 people in 78 houses by 1891.

Throughout the 1800s Hoton saw various changes that improved the parish. Care for the poor, maintenance of roads and facilities were all carried out by able bodied men in the area. Many old wooden built cottages were replaced by brick cottages, as well as given small allotments to give farmers extra growing space for personal use. Sanitation was improved as many toilets were now outside rather than within the home, preventing the spread of disease. Despite this as late as the 1880s cases of typhoid, diphtheria and ringworm we still being treated.

The name of the village, Hoton, was historically spelled Houghton.

On the side of the main road through the village, located just around a bend, is the Packe Arms.

Now operated by Mitchells and Butlers as part of their Village Inns estate, the Packe Arms was formerly known as the Marquis of Granby until local landowner Charles James Packe restored the pub in the 1800s. The pub is now named after the family and bears their coat of arms on the sign at the entrance to the car park. A large, white-washed building, it still retains period features and an aura of olde-worlde charm. Inside, the decor is a mix of exposed brickwork, wooden beams, flagstone floors, mullioned windows and older furniture, as well as old photos and artefacts displayed throughout. The single entrance leads through into a large room, divided up with the use of pillars and partition walls to create a few smaller sections. To the left is an area with a TV, scrubbed wooden tables and chairs and an open fire. The right leads to further seating areas with longer tables, usually reserved for dining and laid out accordingly. A rear corridor leads to the toilets. The single bar is long and located opposite the entrance. I'd been to the Packe Arms on a couple of occasions before, usually on the return journey from Loughborough, and always with Amy. This would be the first time I'd visited solo and this was also the only pub on the day's list that I had visited before. On the bar at the Packe Arms there are 5 handpulls. On the day of my visit, two of these were in use, both offering Sharp's Doom Bar. Reassuringly, two of the other pumps were adorned with pumpclips for Fuller's London Pride and Black Sheep Respire, accompanied by 'Coming Soon' pennants, at least suggesting that further beers would be available later in the day or over the weekend. With my options limited to Doom Bar, I consented myself with that and moved to a high table just inside the door, in view of the TV screen which was showing news updates of both the local election results and preparations for the King's coronation. Knowing that the Tories were getting a deserved pounding put me in even more of a good mood. The Doom Bar was very well kept and went down well, although, as I'm sure I've mentioned before, the quality of Doom Bar has declined, in my opinion, since brewing shifted to Molson Coors. Still, there were much worse ways to begin my day and the proper hard work was about to begin as I left the Packe Arms and began my wanderings to the next location. 

I'd made an effort to do plenty of research, and consulted Google Maps several times, before the day had arrived so that I knew exactly the quickest way to walk between villages and roughly how long it would take to get to each one. Turning left out of the Packe Arms car park, I was immediately back on the A60. I followed this for approximately 20-25 minutes, crossing back into Nottinghamshire, with the road on my right and open fields on my left, until I reached a set of traffic light controlled crossroads, with a guesthouse on the corner. Crossing over, I turned right at the traffic lights, which brought me to the start of the next village. I had now reached Rempstone. The village is situated at the junction of the A60 and the A6006 and is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. Walking down the main street, past some very large and very lovely houses, I followed the road as it curved to the left before opening out onto a small green. Adjacent to this, opposite the location previously occupied by a Manor House, is the White Lion.

A public house since at least 1855, when W. Walkington was the listed publican, the White Lion has been owned by local residents since 2016 when it reopened after a cosmetic refurbishment. Listed as an Asset of Community Value since 2015, its historic interior is classified by CAMRA as having regional importance. Inside, there is a single room, combined from two previously much smaller rooms. The bar is located on the left from the single main entrance, with the former snug area on the right. The interior has retained the beams from a post-war refurbishment, as well as two fireplaces, one at each end, which were added in the late 1950s/early 1960s. The small bar counter is at least 50 years old and features plain wooden bar shelves and a tiled floor. A modern extension has been added to the rear which contains the original toilets, previously located outside, as well as a pool table and a dartboard. Live bands perform in this space on a regular basis. The pub was also a previous entrant in the Good Beer Guide, having featured in the 2022 edition. I walked in to the sound of wood crackling on an open fire, spotted the bank of 4 hand pumps on the bar, and immediately felt at home. The one other customer, an older gentleman sat in the snug, instructed me to ring the bell on the bar top for service. I did so and a very friendly lady appeared to take my order. The short delay had given me time to peruse my options. 3 of the handpulls were in use, with the choice between Bass, Charnwood Vixen and Shipstone's Original. I still had fond memories of Charnwood Vixen from my last experience with it so the choice here was a no-brainer. I retreated to a small table inside one of the front windows to fully immerse myself in my surroundings. This is a cracking little pub which had been well worth the walk from Hoton. The walls are decorated with photos of the local area, including from the mid-1990s when the village suffered severe flooding, with water knee deep outside the pub. This is a very comforting and welcoming place to spend some time with a superb pint and, certainly in my case, to break up a journey. I had a lot more exploring, and a lot more walking, to do before the day was out. 

Bidding a sad goodbye to the White Lion, I headed out the door and turned left. The next leg of my journey would take me down the A6006 to the village of Wymeswold, back in Leicestershire. This meant effectively walking in a straight line out of Rempstone and along the main carriageway. This came with an added level of difficulty. There are no footpaths per se along the A6006 but there are low cut verges along the edges of the road that make it accessible for walkers. This was to be my route to Wymeswold and so I pressed on. I mentioned early on that the day was largely unsettled but warm. At this stage, there had been no rain and the sun was out. With temperatures around the mid-high teens, the 45 minute walk to the next village had certainly built up quite the sweat and quite the thirst. When the grass verge finally became pavement again, I had reached Wymeswold and was only yards from the next pub, the first of two in this location. Historically, Wymeswold is best remembered for the site of a former airbase, RAF Wymeswold, scene of a fatal air crash in 1943 when a Wellington bomber on a night training exercise crashed on a hillside, killing six crew. A seventh died of his injuries three days later, leaving the rear gunner as the sole survivor. A memorial commemorating the accident can be seen on the wall of the local pharmacy. Additionally, the local church of St. Mary's, restored in 1844, contains one of the country's best collections of headstones carved from Swithland slate, an industry for which Wymeswold was formerly a centre. As I entered the village, the sun was well and truly beaming down and my whistle needed to be thoroughly wetted. Luckily, I soon stumbled upon the next pub, the Three Crowns. 

Built in the late 18th century, the Three Crowns stands opposite the aforementioned church, parallel with the main road through the village. Inside, the interior is relatively large. The island bar is opposite the front door with seating located in split off areas to the left and right. An open space behind the bar leads to a split-level snug/lounge area as well as a rear door that provides access to the toilets and a well-appointed beer garden. The right hand room from the bar is a larger space with tables for dining and a smaller, snug area is located to the left. The pub features old photos of the local area throughout. On the bar are 3 handpulls and I was very glad to see them after my walk. A duo of these proffered goodies though, in the shape of Timothy Taylor Landlord and Draught Bass. I felt that I needed something refreshing and revitalising and this came in the shape of Bass. I made my way into the small snug to the left of the entrance to get my breath back and fill my body with delicious nectar. And delicious it was. I don't drink Bass nearly enough and that's a mistake that I really do need to begin to rectify. Kept properly and served well, it's a genuine delight. I got the impression from my brief time here, that this is very much a community pub, as befits any good village hostelry. Indeed, all the pubs I would visit on the day certainly seemed to demonstrate a spirit of community and supporting the local area. The Three Crowns had numerous adverts for local events displayed on a cork board and the clientele seemed to be primarily locals, as well as a couple of builders who had nipped in for a quick one on their lunch. 

I felt revived after my time here and, fortunately, another pub lay not far away. Leaving the Three Crowns, I crossed the road and made my way down a road opposite, overlooked by the church. Reaching the end of the road, where a small village green is located on a traffic island, I turned left onto Brook Street and continued until I saw a pub sign swinging a few yards away. It turns out that Brook Street is no misnomer. A literal watercourse runs down the middle street with concrete pedestrian bridges crossing it at regular intervals. This brook is the venue for the annual local duck race, scheduled to take place on the upcoming weekend. I even spotted a couple of real life competitors basking in the afternoon sun. The reason for my time on Brook Street was now nearby, at The Windmill Inn. 

This delightful gastropub is the sister venue to the Curzon Arms at Woodhouse Eaves. Inside, the Windmill is very atmospheric. An island bar serves two sides of a large room. The right hand side is more suited to dining with the left being available for both drinkers and those after a bite of the fantastic looking and smelling food. The decor is quirky, with dimmed lighting, bric-a-brac, a mix of furniture and a faux bookcase to one side decorated with bundles of ribbon-tied books. Antlers and small animal skulls adorn the wall above one of the front windows. Plaques of local place names can be found on various walls. This is a very homely feeling pub and completely not what I was expecting to find! There are 3 handpulls on the bar here and 2 of these were in use when I was there. My options were between Charnwood Vixen and Dancing Duck Ay Up. Having already partaken of the Vixen, I chose the Ay Up this time and I was very glad that I did. I enjoyed my beer immensely as I sat at a high table opposite the bar and soaked up the atmosphere. I enjoyed it even more when the heavens opened and a heavy spring shower came down for 5-10 minutes whilst myself, and everyone else, stayed dry and watched from the windows. Luck had definitely been on my side weather-wise so far! I'd lucked out visiting the Windmill too. I totally didn't expect the pub to be this unique and interesting. It certainly qualifies as a hidden gem and I would absolutely recommend visiting, though be aware that the pub operates split opening hours Monday-Friday so is closed between 3-5pm.

Beer drunk and rain abated, it was onwards. The next leg of the journey would, time-wise, be the most walking I would do between pubs. Time for some fortifying lunch as I got my bearings and headed off. Retracing my steps to the church, I took a right and continued along the main A6006 for a few yards until I found Wysall Lane on my left. I took Wysall Lane, primarily a country track between Wymeswold and my next destination, the neighbouring village of Wysall, back over into Nottinghamshire. As the early stages of Wysall Lane aren't suitable for walking I made use of a public footpath that took me off the main road and through some fields that run adjacent to it. I wasn't fazed at having to go a little bit off the beaten track. I enjoy being in the countryside and the public footpath was well signed. After crossing a field that contained a particularly disinterested looking horse, the path split. I could go left, through a field that contained both sheep and lambs, or continue on, through a completely empty pasture. Though there may come a day when I am forced to battle an ovine adversary to prove my worth, it was not to be this day and so I chose the empty field instead. I crossed this, climbed a stile and emerged on a paved footpath, where I turned left. This joined back up with Wysall Lane, at this point designated a public byway, thereby meaning it can be used by drivers, cyclists, horse riders and pedestrians. Turning right, I continued on what is essentially a straight line into Wysall. All-in-all, my walk to Wysall took around 50-55 minutes, made slightly more challenging by the fact that I was walking directly into the sun which had now decided to reappear from behind the clouds. Despite the length of time it ultimately took, I was very much enjoying being outside. I could almost feel the endorphins. Soon enough, the sign for Wysall hove into view and the pavement reappeared. I emerged in the village centre, in the shadow of the Norman church with its 13th century tower. Wysall is one of the rare Thankful Villages, a village that suffered no fatalities during the Great War of 1914-1918. I was feeling thankful too, though for a much less significant reason. Turning right upon my entrance to the village, I followed Main Street on for a few more yards until I saw it. Next up, The Plough.

Recorded as a public house in 1855, the Plough has been in existence for more than 150 years and run by the same family for the last 14. At the heart of what is a pleasant village, the pub retains several period features and a lot of traditional character. The pub is elevated above the road and so is accessed up a flight of steps. An attractive beer garden at the front leads to the entrance which, in turn, leads through into the bar. A large main room is served by a long bar. There is seating opposite and in rooms to either side, in the form of traditional scrubbed wooden tables and chairs. A TV  is mounted on the wall in a small section to the right of the bar and there is a separate area for pool. The interior is modestly decorated but retains a pleasant ambience and comfortable feel. On the bar, there are 8 hand pumps, split into two groups of 4. A number of the choices here are doubled up across two pumps. Greene King IPA, Black Sheep Best and Timothy Taylor Landlord were occupying 6 of the pumps, with the remaining two offering Bass and Greene King Abbot Ale. It had been a long but pleasurable walk so I thought I would slake my thirst with Landlord and enjoy it under the cover of a parasol in the Plough's excellent beer garden. This proved to be an excellent idea. The Landlord was in great condition, the garden furniture, round tables and rattan chairs, was comfortable and the beer garden decor is interesting. During my time there, I spotted an old black and white bus stop sign, a traditional red phone box tucked into the foliage, an old tin sign for Scottish cigarettes, and the pub's namesake piece of farming equipment suspended above the door. There were likely more things that I didn't spot. I did spot the Union flag bunting draped along the the railings though. In fact, and unsurprisingly given the date, every pub I visited was decorated for the Coronation to a greater or lesser extent. My visit to the Plough had been worth it. I'd heard good things about it for years so the chance to finally go and see it for myself wasn't one I was going to pass up. I was just getting myself together to continue the journey when the weather turned again. The sun, which had been beaming down, was replaced by a torrential downpour. Luckily, I was well protected by the parasol so decided to wait things out for the torrent to subside enough that I could make a break for it. A few minutes later, it calmed down and so I ducked out into what was now a light drizzle, and continued on my way.

I had a 45 minute walk lined up, which would ultimately bring me back to the A60 and to the final pair of pubs on the trip. Leaving the Plough, I retraced my steps but continued straight on, past the entrance of Wysall Lane, following the road round. Reaching the end of Main Street, I turned right onto Costock Road which then curves to the left as it leaves Wysall, opening out onto a carriageway through open countryside. This would prove to be, whilst not the longest, the most difficult part of the walk. The journey down Costock Road would involve walking primarily along overgrown grass verges, which had now been soaked by the afternoon rain. Whilst the rain had now stopped, the sky was overcast and more rain threatened. Shortly after leaving Wysall, I spotted a public footpath sign pointing me across a nearby field. However, it appeared that this would take me a long way in the wrong direction before circling back and so I resolved to push on. The threatened rain didn't properly materialise and so I managed to stay largely dry, at least from the shins up. By the time I found myself back on substantial ground, my ankles and feet were soaked. Undeterred though, I carried on. I knew I wasn't far away. I could see traffic on the A60 as I rounded one final bend. I'd made it back to the main road from where my journey had deliberately deviated. More than that, I had arrived in the village of Costock. Straddling the main road, Costock is known for its 14th century church of St. Giles, the nearby Holy Cross convent at Highfields, and for being mentioned (as Castol), rather unflatteringly, in the diary of the 18th century German traveller K.P. Moritz. Crossing over the A60 via a nearby pedestrian crossing, I made my way into the village proper where I was greeted by the imposing site of The Generous Briton.

This large, three storey, brick building was originally a Holes of Newark pub and was listed as an Asset of Community Value in January 2016, though this protection expired in 2021. The Generous Briton underwent an extensive renovation in 2018 and the pub recently changed hands after the previous tenants stepped aside due to mounting costs. Inside, the layout is one open-plan room separated by pillars. Wooden floors and comfortable seating add a contemporary feel. My arrival here coincided with early evening and a small number of locals were already in situ with more arriving during my stay. This pub has the feel of a real community hub, a necessity in a village devoid of shops. One bar sits at the back of the room and this is equipped with 3 handpulls. All of these were being utilised giving me a trio of tipples to choose from. I was required to select from Wainwright, Banks's Amber and Marston's Pedigree. I decided that the Pedigree would be the chosen one and took my beer to a table on the far side of the room to enjoy it. It was clear that my initial assertions were correct. The frequency with which people were entering the pub confirmed that this is a significant place in the lives of the village residents. It's heartening to see a pub taking on such a substantial role in such a difficult time for, not just the industry, but the country as a whole. Plus, they do a decent pint of Pedigree. 

My journey was almost done but I had one destination left to visit. A further 2 and a bit miles of walking would take me to the last pub of the day and, pleasingly, the entire route would be on pavement. Leaving the Generous Briton, I crossed back over the road and began the walk north, along the pavement that runs alongside this stretch of the A60. The weather was in a more agreeable mood now. The clouds had temporarily vanished, replaced by spring sunshine. I made my way down Loughborough Road, up and over Bunny Hill, stopping to look at some sheep along the way. Shortly after, the road levelled out and I was approaching the last village on my afternoon tour: Bunny. The place-name 'Bunny' is first attested in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as Bonei. It appears in Episcopal Registers as Buneya in 1227. The name means either 'reed island' or 'island on the river Bune'.

There has been a settlement on the site since pre-Norman times, perhaps as far back as the days of the Roman Empire. The parish Church of St Mary is 14th century. The most significant building in the village is Bunny Hall, probably built in the 1570s and occupied by the Parkyns family for three hundred years. Sir Thomas Parkyns, 2nd Baronet (1662–1741), known as the Wrestling Baronet, built what is now the north wing to his own design circa 1723–25. He also built the school and almshouses. Thomas Parkyns was a devotee of wrestling and organised an annual wrestling match in Bunny Park (prize a gold-laced hat). These matches continued until 1810. His book on the subject The Inn-Play: or, the Cornish Hugg-Wrestler was published in 1713 and reprinted many times.

The following is an excerpt from a description of Bunny as published in 1813:

Bunny, a straggling village on the high road, containing about sixty houses, and which seems to have been indebted principally for its origin to the ancient seat of Bunny Park Hall, once the property of the family of Parkyns, and now of their descendant Lord Rancliffe. This family have indeed been great benefactors factors to the village, as it contains a good school house and hospital, the former being close to the church yard gate and erected in 1700 for the poor children of Bunny and Bradmore; and the latter having four rooms for four poor widows, and endowed by Dame Anne Parkyns.

The Hall was sold circa 1990, but remained unoccupied and had become semi-derelict by 2005. It was occupied and under restoration in 2006. A small section of the grounds now houses a new group of luxury homes.

In the middle of this historic village, sits the Rancliffe Arms. 

Dating from the 16th century, the Rancliffe Arms began life as a coaching inn. Subsequent additions in the 17th and 18th centuries, along with 20th century alterations have given the building its current facade. Original features still remain, some of which were unearthed after an extensive refurbishment in 2006, including exposed beams and an original fireplace. Now Grade II listed, the pub is classy but homely. The entrance to the pub is hidden from the main road and accessed across the car park. The large bar runs along one wall with a carpeted dining area beyond. Immediately adjacent to the entrance is the lounge bar area, with wooden floors, primarily used for drinking. A decking area for outside drinking is located to the side of the pub. A brick structure in the car park is the remains of an old dovecote, sadly no longer in use. The Rancliffe Arms is a pub that I've passed many times but never actually managed to make it inside. Now was finally the time. The bar contains 4 handpulls, across two banks of 2, 3 of which were available when my aching feet carried me through the door. My options were Wainwright, Marston's Pedigree and Bombardier. It had been quite some time since I'd had Bombardier in any form so the time seemed right to buck that trend. A word of guidance: there's a £5 minimum spend on card payment but I didn't begrudge stretching myself to a packet of crisps as an additional purchase. I plonked myself down on a sofa in the lounge area, next to the entrance and reflected upon how far I'd come. I'd thoroughly earned my pint of Bombardier which was just as well as it turned out to be great! It had been an enjoyable and successful day, if not long and tiring but I had one final task; to figure out how best to get home. I reasoned that it was unlikely I'd have finished my pint before the next bus and as they're once an hour, this seemed out of the question. Alternatively I could walk from Bunny back to Clifton. From personal experience, I know that this takes at least an hour and a half. Either way, even if I got the bus, I would still have to walk from Ruddington. In the end, I needn't have worried. Because Amy is an amazing wife, she came to pick me up as she'd not long got home from work.

 
And with that, and the prospect of no further walking, my day was done. What were my prominent thoughts and feelings? My main feeling was one of accomplishment. I'd completed my mission, albeit perhaps not in the most logical or sensible way possible. I was proud of myself for sticking with my plan and for the research and work that had gone into it. Most of all though, was a sense of relief. Relief that village pubs are still going, in an environment where far too many pubs are closing on a daily basis. I've waxed lyrical about my appreciation and love for village pubs many times down the years. For me village pubs should always be about serving a community. They're a safe space, a good space and a space that, sadly all too often, comes under threat from circumstances out of our control. They should be respected, enjoyed and saved. Communities need them, pubs need their communities and, now more than ever, the spirit of togetherness and of local pride, needs to shine through. It might not be everyone's cup of tea but, if you could offer me a village pub, with an open fire, a cracking pint and where everybody knows your name, you can 100% count me in. 

Pub of the day: The White Lion, Rempstone. A cracking little local pub with a cosy welcome.

Beer of the day: The Draught Bass at the Three Crowns in Wymeswold was absolutely fantastic.

Biggest surprise: The Windmill, Wymeswold. A hidden gem. Well worth seeking out.

The Best of Beeston

Just like that, we find ourselves in April which, disconcertingly, means that a quarter of the year has passed us by. Just as well then, that the excursions have been coming thick and fast. This past Saturday, with my week off drawing to its inevitable conclusion, provided an opportunity to head out for an exploration of a place that has long been overdue a revisit, and also happens to be considerably closer to home than recent locales. It's been nearly 10 years since Beeston first made an appearance in this column, a fact that needed hastily rectifying at the first opportunity. In the interim, Beeston's drinking scene, which had been possessed of a couple of bonafide beer destinations, has continued to improve no end, with new premises opening, old ones being brought back to life and stalwarts going from strength to strength. This trip also had the added bonus of featuring a very special, returning guest. Accompanying myself and Amy on a Saturday afternoon of boozy wonderment, would be Matt who had joined us from Bristol for the weekend, for a long awaited reunion. It had been more than 3 years since we'd seen Matt in person during our trip to Bristol and Bath on the weekend in March 2020 before things went decidedly skew-whiff. Following an evening of reacquainting Matt with Nottingham the previous day, we were raring to go on Saturday morning and, fuelled by a hearty breakfast, we set off. We got the tram to Beeston. Despite their unreliability and how much we generally hate them, the tram still remains the quickest way to reach Beeston from our end of the city and, having changed lines at Nottingham train station, we disembarked at Chilwell High Road at around 11.30am. Amy had never been to Beeston, Matt hadn't been for years for obvious reasons and my last visit had been during various Covid restrictions in 2021 with two, now former, work colleagues. 

We had a good itinerary to work from and, to that end, had decided to head to the furthest out location first, particularly as it opened before all of the others. Crossing the road from the tram stop, we headed down a small side road between a small Co-Op and a building site and walked through a new-build housing estate. Emerging on Queens Road West, we crossed over and turned left, continuing on until we reached Dovecote Lane, where we turned right. Situated at the end of Dovecote Lane, immediately adjacent to the railway line and backing onto Beeston Station, is a must-visit for any beer lover that happens to be in the area. Our day in Beeston would begin at the Victoria Hotel.

This fine, former railway hotel was built by Ind Coope & Co. in 1899, opposite what was then the Beeston Brewery and, later, the Shipstone's Maltings. Allied Breweries did a fantastic job of neglecting the building until 1994 when it was purchased and restored by Tynemill (now Castle Rock). The heritage interior comprises both Victorian and 1930s features, throughout a multi-room layout. The entrance leads into a lobby with a former off-sales hatch or snug straight ahead, although this is now used for storage. To the right, a smaller, plain bar area, which is self-contained with its own toilets. To the left, is a much larger space where the back corner has been opened out into two more rooms, primarily used for dining. The doors, windows and benches are primarily Victorian but other features are from the 1930s makeover when the bar counter was extended to serve both main rooms. The bar fittings contain some Art Deco features, and other features added at the same time, specifically Dado panelling, floors and fireplaces, all survive with minor alterations. The rear lobby features a staircase with a stained glass window and, beyond this, a garden alongside the railway that features a large, partially covered seating area. An exterior corridor also leads to the gents toilets. Now operated by an independent owner, the Victoria has become a mainstay of the Beeston and wider Nottinghamshire beer scene, is Good Beer Guide listed for 2023 and was registered as an Asset of Community Value in January 2023. We arrived to find the pub already beginning to slowly fill with locals. Making our way into the left hand bar area, we were momentarily struck dumb by the sheer quantity of beer available. 11 handpulls welcomed us, with an interesting mix of choices. Available on the day were Full Mash Seance, Castle Rock Harvest Pale, Black Sheep Bitter, Brains Rev. James, Lenton Lane Pale Moonlight, Warwickshire Darling Buds, Charnwood Outback, Warwickshire Lady Godiva, Shiny Affinity, Lenton Lane 5G and Portobello Crown Jewels. Matt and I both initially pondered the 5G but, at 5.6%, this seemed a tad hefty for so early in the day and with so many pubs ahead of us. Instead, Matt went for Lenton Lane's Pale Moonlight, whilst I opted for Lady Godiva from Leamington Spa's Warwickshire Beer Co., whilst Amy began the day on Stowford Press keg cider. Beers bought, we managed to find one of the few unreserved tables in one of the dining areas at which to enjoy them. I'd immediately remembered why the Victoria was so good. The beer choice is superb, the service is great, the pub is aesthetically pleasing and the food, which we saw being conveyed to hungry diners, looked and smelled fantastic! It's a real result that this place was rescued and reinvigorated in the way that it was. As well as in terms of quantity, the beer quality here is also excellent. Lady Godiva (4.2%) is a golden ale with aromas of honey and biscuit. A slightly sweet, biscuity maltness is balanced against rounded hoppy bitterness with sweetness on the palate leading to a lingering, bitter finish. In short, it was a very good choice for the first beer of the day. Shortly, the table we were sat on was also reserved for later diners and it's a testament to the quality and consistency of the Victoria that the place seemed to be virtually fully booked for the lunchtime rush. We, however, would not be staying for food. The day was young and there was much more to be getting on with. 

Leaving the Victoria via the rear exit, we retraced our steps almost exactly, emerging back at the tram stop a few minutes later. A few feet from here, our second location was instantly visible. Next, to The Chequers Inn.

Straddling the Beeston/Chilwell border, the Chequers is a former Shipstone's house. The current building dates from the late Victorian or early Edwardian period and occupies the site of an earlier pub with the same name. In 1876, J. Chapman held the licence for the premises and the pub acted as a coaching inn in the early 20th century. The timbered gables and etched windows are amongst the most notable features. Originally consisting of several internal rooms, these were knocked through into one large room in 1984. A full refurbishment was carried out in 2015. A decked patio and garden can be found to the rear of the pub. Internally, that one large room consists of a slightly raised area to the front, often used for live music with a smaller seating area to the right of the front door. To the rear, is a small room with a pool table, adjacent to a carpeted area with high tables and chairs. Two TVs can be found on the walls, one at either end of the pub. The bar sits mostly along one wall and serves all areas. The Chequers was very quiet when we arrived, despite Man City v Liverpool being shown on the TVs. Barring a small cluster of regulars in the seating area, a father and son playing pool and two girls sat at a table inside the front windows, we were the only ones in there. I was pleased to see a cluster of 3 handpulls on the bar, 2 of which were in use, both offering beers from Timothy Taylor, specifically Landlord and Knowle Spring. We decided on Knowle Spring all round! An interesting feature of the service here is that a Covid-era one-way system still remains in place at the bar, implemented with the help of a fabric barrier that defines the queue area. We entered at one end and ordered our drinks which were poured for us and then placed on the counter at the other end of the bar to ensure that we had to walk through the queuing area to collect them. This is genuinely the first pub I've seen still operating this kind of method since restrictions were eased and relative normality returned. Each to their own. Whatever licensees feel is necessary to keep themselves and their customers safe should be accepted. We took our drinks to a table in one corner, near the toilets and in view of the second TV where we watched as Liverpool's 1-0 lead quickly and spectacularly unravelled. We were all pleased with our decision to choose the Knowle Spring as our beer here. Landlord can be found the length and breadth of the country so finding something less ubiquitous from the Timothy Taylor stable was a nice change. Knowle Spring (4.2%) is a full-bodied blonde beer. It's easy drinking with aromas of floral and grapefruit, a hint of spiced orange on the tongue and finishing with aromatic citrus hop flavours, courtesy of UK-grown Minstrel, Cascade and Chinook. I had vague memories of having tried the beer before but exactly when and where I can't be sure. At any rate, it was certainly better than the football would turn out to be. 

Putting the Chequers behind us, our attention immediately turned to our next destination, handily located opposite. Crossing back over the road, it was no time at all before we had reached The Hop Pole.

Thought to be the oldest building in the local council area, the Hop Pole was built in 1847 and became a pub in 1870. Formerly owned by Punch Taverns and latterly by Star Pubs and Bars (Heineken), the pub has been operated by Pub People for several years. Despite looking like it could do with a lick of paint on the outside, appearances can be deceiving. Entering through the front door (located on the side of the building when approaching from the road) leads to a well appointed two-roomed pub. To the right, is a comfortable lounge bar with banquette seating, soft furnishings and low wooden tables and, to the left, a larger more open room, extending back to an area used for live music. Low wooden tables and chairs are spread around the room at various intervals. Both rooms are served by a central bar with the toilets located either side of the entranceway. Amongst these genuinely very welcome and homely surroundings, are 8 handpulls. We entered into the left hand room to find 5 of these in use, with a choice of St. Austell Cornish Best, Charnwood Salvation, Dancing Duck Dark Drake, St. Austell Proper Job and Charnwood Vixen. Amy and I both went for the Vixen from Loughborough's Charnwood, a recent favourite brewery of mine. Matt swung in favour of the Cornish Best, a beer from St. Austell that isn't often seen in these parts compared to the relatively common Tribute and Proper Job. We occupied a table a short distance from the bar, where conversation turned to music and beer. The Vixen was superb! This is a 4% copper ale with subtle hints of honey, spice and hedgerow fruits, accompanied by a fruity aroma and finish. Amy and I both really enjoyed this beer. Matt's Cornish Best was delicious too, a very understated pale ale with good balance of hop flavours as well as toffee and biscuit notes.

We were approaching the halfway stage of our day's excursions and the best was certainly yet to come. Leaving the Hop Pole, we turned left and continued down the High Street where we found our next stop a few yards away, at Totally Tapped.

Located in a row of late 19th century terrace shops, Totally Tapped occupies what was, most recently, a travel shop. Previously located a few yards away, at a smaller property over the road, the pub moved to this location earlier this year, opening a few weeks prior to our visit. Until mere weeks ago, Totally Tapped operated as the taphouse for the now, sadly, defunct Totally Brewed which has been forced to cease trading due to rising costs of literally everything. Happily, Totally Tapped is continuing to operate as a going concern and is one of two micropubs that we would be visiting that day. Inside, the decor is bright and quirky. A small bar to the rear presents 4 handpumps, and a number of keg beers on the wall behind whilst, adjacent to this, two enormous beer fridges sit resplendent, filled with all manner of fantastic beery goodness! A unisex toilet can be found to the rear and, in warmer weather, a small garden can be accessed through a rear door. This place is a beer nerd's heaven, from the range and quantity of beers available, to the A-board exclaiming that dogs are welcome and will be served before people, right down to the cardboard cut-out of Nicolas Cage propped on a radiator in the rear corridor. Just a note: Payment is by card only. What of the beers? The 4 handpumps in question were all kitted out with beers from Black Iris, presumably as a compromise to sourcing more without having to leave the pumps empty in the absence of Totally Brewed products going forward. The cask options on the day were Bleeding Heart, Ngaru Nui, Ngaru Iti and Rise & Shine. It was the latter of these to which I found myself drawn. Matt had decided on a hazy, keg pale from Birmingham's Glasshouse brewery whilst Amy had been irresistibly drawn to the Vault City cans in the fridge. Vault City is one of Amy's favourite breweries and there was a lot of their stuff here. After we had all tried a sample of a mango & habanero sour on keg, Amy selected Paradise Punch, a kiwi, melon and mango session sour in a can. My choice, Rise & Shine (5.2%), is a coffee milk stout. I'm normally averse to coffee flavours but was pleasantly surprised by how good this was. The coffee was subtle which the richness and sweetness to take over. The bitterness balances well with the smoother mouthfeel from the lactose component. All-in-all, this was a fantastic beer and, genuinely, one of the best stouts I've ever had. Amy's sour can was sensational, being both fruity and citrusy but without being too sharp or cloying as some sours can be. Matt's hazy Glasshouse beer was a top quality NEIPA, juicy, citrusy and dank with some subtle bitterness underneath. We loved this pub. Not only was the service great and the beer choice fantastic but the pub in general is the perfect model of one of the new generation of micropubs. I cannot recommend it enough. The loss of Totally Brewed is gutting but fingers crossed this cracking little pub carries on forever.

It would have been very easy to have stayed at Totally Tapped all day and never gone home again. However, there was still more work too and the next two locations are two of the most well-regarded in the current Beeston beer scene. Continuing down the High Street, we swung a right onto Church Street to visit The Crown.

This Grade II listed Beeston institution stands on a site occupied by an alehouse since at least 1830. Good Beer Guide 2023 listed, the pub's current appearance owes to its restoration by Everards, which sympathetically improved and retained key features of the pub's heritage interior. Inside, a single bar serves 5 distinct areas with the four original rooms, known as the 'Shambles', retained when the pub was extended in 1976. The original door, now effectively subsidiary, is on Middle Street and leads into a passageway with quarry tiling. A pair of open doors leads to a sliding hatch and still intact stable door with a shelf and part-glazing. The very small public bar to the right has retained 1880s bar fittings and the quarry tiled floor. The herringbone-panelled bar counter looks out over furniture consisting of a bench and three small tables. Another glazed partition wall separates a tiny snug, which was formerly an off-sales room. The snug to the left of the entrance passage has old fixed seating on three sides. The Games Room is the last of the original suite of rooms and features vintage Dado panelling and fixed seating of various dates. There is also a tiny, three-seat 'confessional', originally used as a hideaway for the local vicar. The primary entrance into this gem of a pub is through the rear garden, which also features an outside bar in warmer months. The Crown was listed as an Asset of Community Value in January 2023 and has been a previous regional Pub of the Year winner in 2010 and 2011. The central bar boasts 11 handpulls, a number of keg lines and 7 real ciders and perries, making it yet another destination beer pub for this area. Myself and Matt had been to The Crown before and knew what to expect but still found ourselves mesmerised by the history and aesthetics, as well as the not insubstantial beer selection. Amy was also impressed by the traditional style of the pub and the fact that it was the busiest we'd been in so far as well as being dog friendly. A choice of 11 real ales on handpull greeted us. We had to make a decision between Dancing Duck 22, Brewster's Hophead, Everards Tiger, Blue Monkey BG Sips, Three Blind Mice Simple Stout, Oakham Bishop's Farewell, Abbeydale Cloud Peak, Moor Beer Stout, Abbeydale Reverie, Wilde Child Wonderland Trail and Black Iris All Seeing IPA. Quite some choice, I think you'll agree! In the end, we managed to make a decision, with Amy going for Tiger and Matt & I both opting for 22 from Dancing Duck. We managed to find a table in one of the tiny snugs, around the corner from the main bar, in which to fully immerse ourselves in this historic pub. Amy's Tiger was very well kept and the same can be said for the 22 (4.3%). 22 is a well balanced session bitter with good malty flavour and dark fruit notes, offset by strong hop flavours and a clean finish. It's very drinkable and refreshing. I was really glad to see that the Crown is still going strong. Not only is the atmosphere just as I remembered it but their beer is still amongst the best in the area. This is clearly a very old pub and, at first glance, there seems to be nothing more than good vibes on show. Something spooky is believed to lurk within. A figure in a cloak and wearing a plumed hat, identified as resembling a Cavalier, has been seen throughout the property before vanishing without a trace. As the pub dates back to the 19th century, whoever or whatever this apparition is, clearly dates from a much earlier date. To be fair, I can think of much worse places to spend the afterlife!

Dragging ourselves away from the Crown, we continued down Middle Street, finding ourselves roughly in the centre of Beeston and a stone's throw from the main shopping district. Our next destination stands just nearby and is another pub that represents the continued rejuvenation of Beeston's beer scene. The final of the three Good Beer Guide 2023 listed pubs of the day, was The Star Inn.

Another former Shipstone's house in the locality, The Star Inn was rebuilt in 1915 to a design of local architect Frederick Ball, the uncle of WWI air ace Albert. The current owners have restored the pub far beyond its former glory with the pub winning Nottingham LocAle Pub of the Year in both 2017 and 2019. Inside, the decor is tasteful and minimal with characterful touches, such as Star Wars figurines and interesting artwork and posters. One long bar serves a lounge-style bar space with high tables and stools throughout. A permanent marquee and spacious garden can be found to the rear and there is a separate sports room. The bar itself featured in both 'Boon' and 'Auf Wiedersehen, Pet'. The bar is well stocked. As well as a bank of 10 handpulls, there is a good selection of whiskies, gins, wines and rums. In the years since its refurbishment, The Star has built a fantastic reputation for the range and quality of its ales and we were about to put that to the test. Our delightful array of options ran as follows: Blue Monkey Infinity IPA, Little Brewing Hawk, Beartown Lit, Black Iris Snake Eyes, Alter Ego Goth Juice, Thornbridge Jaipur, Black Iris All Seeing IPA, Marston's Wainwright, Alter Ego Blonde Protagonist and Marston's Pedigree. Such was the choice that I almost missed the presence of Jaipur on the bar, not an easy feat! Whilst Matt and I decided on the Blonde Protagonist from Alfreton's Alter Ego, Amy opted for the Infinity IPA, and we made our way to a high round table with a trio of stools, a short distance from the bar. Once again, I'd forgotten how good The Star was. Even with the presence of a suspiciously well-behaved stag do, the atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant and the beer was great. Blonde Protagonist (4.3.%) is a hoppy, blonde ale with UK hops, including UK-grown Cascade. It's delicious, with decent hop character and some delicate bitterness. Amy's Infinity IPA was in great condition, from the ever reliable Blue Monkey. 

We were fast approaching the end of our journey but it wasn't over yet. There were still at least 2 pubs that we were hoping to squeeze in. Leaving the Star, we turned right and followed the tramlines until we reached the junction with Union Street where we turned left and crossed the road. A short distance away is the Malt Shovel.

This former Shipstone's tied house is now owned by the Reunion Pub Company, who reopened the Malt Shovel in December 2022, after a period of closure and a small refurbishment. The pub occupies a good location just off of Beeston's main high street. Inside, the decor is minimal and modern. Seating is a combination of banquettes and wooden tables and chairs. The walls display old posters and the lighting is soft and muted. The bar sits in one corner of the room and features 5 handpulls, usually featuring beers from the Shipstone's range, plus guests. This turned out to be the case when we arrived and waited to be served by the criminally overworked barman, who appeared to be completely by himself on a Saturday afternoon. We were able to fully peruse the available ale range at least. As well as a trio of beers from Shipstone's, namely Gold Star, IPA and Original, there were also two guest beers, in the shape of Wye Valley HPA and Bath Ales Gem, both an uncommon sight in this part of the country. Matt went for the HPA whereas I stayed local with the Shipstone's Gold Star. Amy decided to take a temporary break from booze and went for a soft drink, and we headed over to a table underneath the windows. The Gold Star was very good. In my opinion, it's one of the better beers currently brewed under the Shipstone's name. The others are by no means bad. I just find that Gold Star always hits the spot. Our day had shaped up very nicely indeed and we'd timed our arrival here perfectly as we'd stayed one step ahead of the stag do that we'd first seen in the Star who had now just arrived here. It's definitely better to be at the bar before the round that includes at least 4 pints of Guinness! The Malt Shovel is certainly a handy pub to have in the area and it's good that it was able to reopen. We were also pleased to see that reinforcements had arrived to rescue the beleaguered barman, shortly before we left. 

Our itinerary had served us well, and we had made the right choice to visit the Victoria first as everything else is considerably closer together. The same was true of our next stop. Emerging from the Malt Shovel and turning right brought us out onto the central high street where our next destination stood directly in front of us. Time now for the Pottle.

The second and final micropub of the day is a small, friendly place amongst the shops of central Beeston. A small bar is in the far corner of the room and there is seating along either side of the room, with more seating outside. The toilets are located upstairs. Beers are served direct from the cask via gravity and are located in a small, temperature controlled room behind the bar. 6 such beers were available when we wandered in, offering an interesting range of options, and there are also keg beers and bottles and cans available too. The choices we were faced with were Blue Monkey A4, Bang the Elephant Idle Hands, Pheasantry Single Hop El Dorado, Pentrich Flood of Flame, Milestone Fletchers and Bang the Elephant Penny Caramel. I'm as attracted to interesting beer names as much as I am specific breweries so it didn't take me long to decide on Flood of Flame from Pentrich. Amy and Matt both made their selections and, before too long, we were perched at a table along the left hand wall, clutching our beers in their handled glasses. Flood of Flame (4.5%) is an awesome beer! It's a super hoppy, very hazy, pale ale, hopped with Amarillo and Motueka. These provide flavours of juicy citrus and light gooseberry, which are complemented by light floral notes and a low bitterness towards the end. This was a very very good beer indeed. The Pottle is an interesting little place with a diverse beer range and it certainly appeared to be popular, even on an unsettled Saturday in early April.

We had a decision to make now. On the one hand, we could potentially push on and make our way to a final duo of pubs to wrap up the day. Alternatively, we hadn't eaten since breakfast and hunger was starting to become a factor as time wore on. In the end, we decided to listen to our stomachs, finished our beers and made the short walk back down Union Street towards the tram which would convey us on our journey towards both home and food. Our journey would allow us to discuss our day and determine our findings. Beeston had been a real treat! In the 10 years since this blog first covered it, things have changed but it only really seems to be for the better. Venues that were leading the way continue to do so. Destination ale pubs are still flying the flag. Given everything that has happened in the last decade, in particular the last 3 years, it's a great relief to see somewhere that is still thriving. Pubs and breweries have been pushed to breaking point so to see that so many in close proximity, in one small part of the county, are doing so well against the apparently never-ending turmoil, can only be a good thing. How long this Beeston boom will continue is anyone's guess, but it certainly shows no signs of abating. Indeed, as I type, the White Lion, next to The Star is being prepared for a summer reopening after 3 years of closure, having recently been purchased and, we can but hope, subsequently rescued by Lincoln Green Brewery. The fact that Beeston has arguably more great pubs than it had before, needs to be celebrated. Based on the results of our visit, you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere quite like it. 

Pub of the day: Totally Tapped. Despite the presence of the traditional big hitters nearby, this place blew us away.

Beer of the day: Another tough decision but Black Iris Rise & Shine just about edged it for me. We all thought Vault City's Paradise Punch was stunning too.

Biggest surprise: The Hop Pole. Looks a bit neglected on the outside but is actually a very nice and welcoming pub.

A Ramble 'round Ripley

Yesterday, taking full advantage of a week off work, I took myself over the border into Derbyshire, a county that I always enjoy visiting and have fond memories of from previous trips. The object of my desire was a small town in the east of the county, one that is not so well known for its pubs, but that I was hoping would reveal itself under closer inspection. I would be spending the afternoon in Ripley.

Ripley is a town in the Amber Valley borough of Derbyshire. Little information remains as to when Ripley was founded, but it appears in the 1086 Domesday Book, when it was held by a man called Levenot.

In 1251 Henry III granted a charter for "one market one day a week, on Wednesday, at [the] manor of Ryppeleg: and one fair each year lasting three days, on the Vigil Day and Morrow of St Helen". Ripley Fair antedates Nottingham Goose Fair. The market day was later altered to Saturdays, with an extra market on Fridays.

Medieval Ripley was just a few stone cottages and farms around a village green, with a few dwellings further afield. Corn was ground at a mill owned by the Abbot of Darley. In 1291, Ripley had "two water-mills with fish ponds".

The Ripley area has been industrialised since the late 18th century. One of the earliest firms to take advantage of local mineral resources was the Butterley Company. It was formed in 1790 by Benjamin Outram and Francis Beresford. Jessop and Wright joined as partners in 1791. Benjamin Outram and Jessop were pioneering engineers best known for their input into the rail industry and their engineering of the Cromford Canal. Outram developed the L-shaped flange rail and Jessop engineered the cast iron fish belly rail. The Little Eaton Gangway project was one of the engineering feats they completed. The engineering part of the company closed and the site of the Butterley Company was demolished in 2010. The company was latterly in three parts, Butterley Engineering, Butterley Brick and Butterley Aggregates (all separate companies). Over the last 200 years these have dealt with steelworks, coal mining, quarrying, railway, foundry and brickworks. One of the best-known examples of the company's work is the arched roof of St Pancras railway station in London, recently restored as an international terminal. Recent major Butterley achievements were the design and construction of the Falkirk Wheel, a canal boat-lift funded by the Millennium Commission and the Spinnaker Tower seen in Portsmouth Harbour as the focus of its regeneration.

Ripley was also a mining community, with collieries owned by the Butterley Company until the Coal Nationalisation Act of 1947. These included Ripley colliery (1863–1948), Britain colliery (1918–1946), Ormonde 1908–1970, and other pits at Upper and Lower Hartshay, Whiteley, Waingroves, Bailey Brook, Exhibition, Loscoe, New Langley and Denby Hall.

Going in, I knew very little about Ripley other than it being the home town of Barnes Wallis, inventor of the bouncing bomb, and, more recently, also of metal musician and producer Andy Sneap, latterly a touring guitarist for Judas Priest. I was interested to see whether the town's pubs would throw up any hidden gems or whether, what might well be considered another run-of-the-mill industrial town, would prove to be just that. 

Conveniently, getting to Ripley from Nottingham is relatively easy. A bus leaves the city centre a couple of times an hour and takes around an hour and a quarter to reach the town. And so I arrived, on a decidedly inclement Wednesday afternoon, a little after midday, into Ripley's Market Place, where the bus (the Trent Barton Rainbow One) terminates. Luckily, for my purposes at least, a considerable number of Ripley's pubs are in close proximity to both the Market Place and each other, with no less than 5 of the ones on my list visible when I disembarked the bus. The first two stops on my agenda face the market place directly, are next door to each other, and exactly opposite the bus stop. All that remained, was to decide which one to hit first. Decision made, I crossed over the road and began my day of exploration, beginning at The Three Horse Shoes.

What was formerly a Wards pub, reopened in 2018 after a period of closure from its previous incarnation as a nightclub. The original name has been reinstated since the pub was taken into the fold of Amber Taverns, the current owners. The pub has also benefited from a tasteful refurbishment, both internally and externally. Inside, one door leads into a single room, divided up into different areas through the use of internal partition walls and pillars. An area along the front of the building consists of banquette seating and scrubbed wood tables and chairs. There is a smaller, snug-like area in one corner, with high tables and chairs and, to the rear, a well-appointed outside space with wooden furniture and booths, and a covered smoking shelter with its own TV. Televisions can be found throughout, along with a dartboard and fruit machines. Photos of old Ripley, along with various bric-a-brac make up the rest of the decor. The bar takes up most of the far wall, with 3 handpumps located on it. It was already a good start to see that all 3 of these were in use and offering a choice between Theakston's Old Peculier, Courage Director's and Dancing Duck Ay Up. Whereas I often don't tend to go below 4%, the Ay Up was certainly the least weighty of the available options and so I began with that, retreating to a table in the snug area to enjoy it. The pub is currently having another, much more minor, facelift and there was a decorator applying paint to the inside of the front window frames, the smell of paint in the air and 'wet paint' signs on the main door as a useful warning. I was pleased to have arrived safely in the town and to be out of the rain for a few minutes. The Three Horse Shoes certainly had the feel of a pleasant, town pub that's well frequented. Indeed, even in the few minutes that I was there, there were a number of other customers in, all of whom I got the impression were regulars. They've certainly done a good job of the place as the whole effect is very modern without detracting from the character of the building. The big question, though: how was the beer? In short, it was OK. Just OK. I've had Ay Up before and it's been better than it was here but it was by no means the worst beer I've had. It also seemed to be a touch on the hazy side which is unusual for this beer if memory serves. Still, it definitely wasn't the worst way to start my day in Ripley and was an effective thirst quencher to welcome me to the town. 

As mentioned earlier, the first two pubs of the day are next door to each other so, beer polished off, it was time to head next door and see what I would discover at The White Lion. 

The White Lion is part of the Marston's estate and is an updated version of a traditional two-room pub. A front door leads to doors to right and left which both lead into the same area, where a central bar serves two sides of what is now a single room. The previous two room layout has been knocked through into a single unit with a pillar at the end of the bar hinting at where the divide previously would have been. The interior is light and bright with colourful slogans adorned on the walls. Seating is wooden tables and chairs, arranged opposite the bar in both areas, with a single high table positioned between the bar and the front door, roughly in the space where the dividing wall would once have stood. A large TV takes up a chunk of wall at the end of one room with the opposite end hosting a dartboard. The bar is square and relatively small, with two handpulls, one on either side. However, this soon proved to be misleading. Even though both handpulls were adorned with a pump clip for Wychwood Hobgoblin Gold, the beer was not available. I immediately made the assumption that real ale is only available at busier times, like weekends. To the pub's credit, the pump clips were turned around to indicate the lack of the product. I just happened to ask on the off-chance. Still, not wanting to go back out in the rain just yet, and having just made friends with a dog, I stayed and opted for Guinness instead. Taking a seat at the aforementioned high table, I enjoyed my pint and politely eavesdropped on the conversation taking place amongst a group of regulars sat opposite me. Curiously, Ripley is one of those places that has both a White and Red Lion. However, as the Red Lion is part of a national chain under the totalitarian grip of a certain Mr. Martin, it will not be featuring here. The White Lion, again, was not an unpleasant pub in which to spend some time and the Guinness was rather good. I realise that going into a pub for real ale and choosing to stay when there isn't any might be a bit galling for some but, as someone who works in the pub trade, I can't go into a pub and not buy something. Every little helps everyone, especially at the moment. 

So far, my day was hit and miss. I was hoping things would trend more in an upward direction at my next stop. Leaving the White Lion, I crossed back over the main road, to where stop number 3 is located, overlooking the market place and at a 90 degree angle to the previous pub. Next up: The Thorn Tree.

This former Marston's pub is now owned by Pub People which, if nothing else, gave me cause for hope as, more often than not, their pubs tend to take real ale seriously. Inside, one large room is divided up into smaller areas, with standard low seating to one side and an area of high tables behind the front windows, overlooking the square. Smaller areas can be found to the right and rear and the toilets are accessible through a door at the end of the bar. The bar itself is slightly curved and roughly central with a, slightly alarming, step up to the counter, making it feel like you're towering over everything. That might not be too bad for people of average height but I'm 5'11'' so it was a bit unnerving. On the plus side, despite the mild sense of vertigo, it did enable me to fully peruse the bank of 6 handpumps, of which 4 were in use, purveying tasty beverages. The choices on the day were Beermats Matte Black, Purity Mad Goose and Falstaff A Fistful of Hops, with the remaining pump given over to Lilley's Mango cider. It was a no-brainer in picking the Falstaff and I took it to one of the high tables opposite the bar, out of sight of the small cluster of regulars playing a board game with the landlord. The beer was good. I haven't had many beers by Falstaff but I was rewarded for my decision. Fistful of Hops (4.5%) is golden amber in colour with powerful hop aromas and undertones of citrus with long hoppy flavours going into the aftertaste. At this point, it was the best beer of the day but, three pubs in, that wasn't saying much. I was feeling confident that things were on the up. 

Leaving the Thorn Tree, I turned right and immediately right again onto Market Street. Continuing down this, I identified both of my next two destinations, located virtually opposite each other near a road junction. The first of these, on the side of the road on which I now found myself, was the Pear Tree Hotel.

This pre-Victorian pub was previously owned by Greene King but has been significantly improved and refurbished by the current owners who reopened the premises in 2019. The pub is heavily driven by sport, as evidenced by the number of TVs throughout, as well as a pool table, dart board and photos of, and quotes by, Muhammad Ali displayed throughout. Inside, the pub is one large, L-shaped room served by a single bar. At the rear is a covered extension which also boasts a TV as well as an outside spirit bar for special events. The decor is modern and to a high standard, with high wood tables and chairs, soft lighting, bare wood on some walls and quieter alcove style spaces. The bar takes up a lot of one wall, on the short arm of the 'L'. The long arm extends to the rear of the property towards the garden. Three handpulls are located on the bar here and I was given a choice between Morland Old Speckled Hen, Thornbridge Jaipur and Greene King Abbot Ale. In such company, there was only going to be one winner and, mere moments later, I was retreating to a table with Jaipur in my hand. A note for anyone who might visit here: payment is by cash only, something seen less and less often these days but there are still a small number of pubs that do it. The Jaipur was great. It's a cracking beer at the best of times and it was a pleasant surprise to find it so well kept in a location that I would normally not have expected to see it. 

Things were looking up and, I only had a few feet to travel to reach the stop on my tour of Ripley. Making use of a nearby pedestrian crossing, I made my way over Market Street to the next location, the nearby Crompton Arms.

Very much a town centre pub, the Crompton Arms is a refurbished version of an older pub. Inside there is one large seating area, with a moderately sized bar against one wall. TVs can be found on multiple walls throughout the premises and seating is primarily of the traditional scrubbed wood tables and chairs. This was by far the busiest pub at the time I wandered in, with a mix of locals including workers and young families. The bar was quiet though, allowing me easy access to the pair of handpulls offering Greene King Abbot Ale and Timothy Taylor Landlord. It took me a few minutes to get served, largely because I was stood on the wrong side of a dividing pillar so the lady behind the bar was unable to see me until my presence was pointed out to her by one of the locals. Eventually though, Landlord poured, I grabbed a chair at one of the tables nearest the bar and spent some time both taking in my surroundings, and pretending to know enough about international cricket to watch it on the TV in front of me. The Landlord was in good condition and very drinkable, which is always nice to see. As ubiquitous as it tends to be, some pubs struggle to keep it properly so the fact that they've done so here is good to see.

By the time I left the Crompton Arms, the rain had abated, at least for now and, following a brief respite for some food, there was a fair bit more walking involved for the back half of the itinerary. Turning left out of the Crompton Arms, I took the first left onto Crossley Street. Following this all the way to the end, I came across my next destination. Instantly recognisable, this is The Angel.

Looking for all the world like a church or some other kind of religious building, The Angel can be easily spotted due to the 8 foot angel statue above the front door. Inside, the decor is eclectic. Faux gold angel sculptures decorate the walls throughout and the seating is a mix of traditional high tables combined with red leather banquettes, some of which have been incorporated into windowsills and constructed over radiators as well as sofas in the front area. An upstairs mezzanine area has additional seating and is reached up an iron staircase. There's almost a clandestine 'speakeasy' style feeling about the place, aided by there only being windows on one side. The bar is L-shaped and occupies a corner space. First a disclaimer: this pub won't be around for much longer. In February, planning permission was granted to convert the building into two townhouses, which means that this unique pub will soon be lost. It's an absolute tragedy that this is being allowed to happen. The pub's last confirmed day of trade is April 3rd so there's a strong chance that it's already closed by the time you're reading this. Yet another pub consigned to history and the perils of capitalism. In light of this, I was very glad that I'd gotten the chance to visit before it was too late. In terms of the beer selection on the day in question, one of the two handpulls was in use, with Sharp's Doom Bar available. This was in good condition and went down surprisingly quickly. At the time of writing, the pub operates split opening hours and is closed from 3-7pm Monday-Thursday, so I'd made it with an hour to spare before the mid-afternoon closing time. There were a number of locals in, all lamenting about the pub's imminent demise. It was quite sad to hear. By all accounts, there's no legitimate reason why the pub can't continue. Greed on behalf of property developers and the local council seems to be the deciding factor in the decision. Still, if you, or anyone you know, is in the market for an 8 foot statue of an angel, you know where to come.

Bidding farewell to the Angel, I emerged into weather that seemed, temporarily at least, to be holding off the rain. This was just as well, as I had a little bit of time to kill before the next scheduled pubs were due to open. This gave me a little bit more time to explore the town in more detail and I spent a few minutes gathering my thoughts in the local churchyard and taking a few photos before the clock ticked round to my next stop. Making my way down Butterley Hill, my next intended destination was supposed to be The Nags Head, a rather unassuming building on the right hand side. However, for reasons that I've still been unable to fathom, it didn't appear to be opening, at least not at the time advertised. Luckily, the next location stands opposite and was one I was very much looking forward to. Onwards, instead, to the Talbot Taphouse.

 

Now more correctly known as The Talbot, the pub occupies a traditional Victorian 'flat-iron' shaped building at the apex of a road junction. The entrance is reached up a short flight of steps which leads to a beer-lover's paradise. The bar takes up the centre of the room, against one wall. To the left, a long bench seat wraps around the wall, with tables and stools positioned in front of it as seating, and a log fire occupies a space on one wall. To the right, is a slightly smaller area which is often used for live music and there is a door next to this that leads to the toilets (mind the step!). The beer choice is impressive. As well as a can fridge at the end of the bar and several keg beers, there are also 9 handpumps. The Talbot is Good Beer Guide listed for 2023 and is the local CAMRA Branch Pub of the Year for 2022. I was expecting very good things. When I arrived, 5 of the handpumps were in use with a variety of options. At first glance, the options were Thornbridge Apricity, Little Critters Pineapple American Wheat, Lenton Lane Honey & Caramel Twist & Stout, Hop Kettle Neonate and Thornbridge Jamestown. Another two beers were added to this whilst I was in the pub, in the form of Caveman Palaolithic and Leatherbritches Ashbourne IPA. Initially though, I decided Neonate from Hop Kettle was the way to go. This proved to be a great idea. Hop Kettle are based in Swindon and Cricklade in Wiltshire and Neonate (4.5%) is an award winning (SIBA Bronze Medal) session IPA. Brewed with Citra, Chinook and Centennial, it's hoppy, fruity and very drinkable. I was blown away by this beer and by the Talbot in general. There's something very welcoming and comforting about the place and I was engrossed in the large print on the nearby wall showing the pub in days gone by. Externally, very little has changed. With such a good beer choice, and the pub's reputation, I couldn't just have one here. For my second beer, I went for the Honey & Caramel version of Lenton Lane's Twist & Stout. This beer was fantastic! The smoky sweetness of the original has been given another dimension by the addition of caramel which makes it almost dessert-like whilst adding a chocolatey complexity, all without altering the ABV beyond its standard 5%. The barman clearly approved of my decision, as did I when his phone rang and the ringtone was the theme from the MCU Avengers movies. 

It seemed that tearing myself away from the Talbot would take a similarly superhuman amount of effort but succeed I did. Having quickly confirmed that the Nags Head still wasn't open, whilst simultaneously wondering why whoever lived next door to it had a picture of The Nun from the Conjuring franchise in their window, I retraced my steps back into the town centre. I had two final pubs I wanted to tick off. I decided to start with the one that was the furthest away so that I could end up closer to the bus stop for my return journey. Reaching the market place again, I turned down Market Street, following it to the very end, where I took a left at a roundabout. This took me onto Peasehill, the other main thoroughfare that leads to and from the town centre. After a few minutes walk, I crossed over the road to a rather nondescript building that, were it not for the remnants of the sign hanging on the front, I would have mistaken for a random house. This was, in fact, the Beehive Inn.

Located approximately half a mile from the centre of Ripley, this pub prides itself as a community hub, supporting local rugby and pub league teams as well as raising money for charity, particularly disabled bikers. Walking in leads to doors to either side, served by a small central bar. A third room is to the rear, as is access to the toilets and garden. At the end of the garden, in a separate building, is the Honeypot Bar, which is due to open soon and is believed to be replacing the existing premises. Inside, it's very much like being in someone's front room. The right hand room, into which I entered, features a large, log fire, big screen TV and pull down projector for live sport, and seating which is primarily banquette style with wooden tables. A selection of books, including a couple of past Good Beer Guides, occupy one corner. The small bar has 4 handpulls and also houses a spectacular selection of ciders. The Beehive has been awarded Branch Cider Pub of the Year for 2022, a testament to the choice of apple-based beverages available. Ale-wise there were 4 options, namely Dancing Duck Abduction, Dancing Duck Dark Drake, Blue Monkey Infinity IPA and Alter Ego Mr. Brown. As intrigued as I was by the Alter Ego beer, I wasn't really in the mood for bitter so, instead, I went for the Infinity IPA from Blue Monkey, a brewery I'm generally a fan of. This was in great condition and certainly revitalised me after the walk down from the town centre. I was pleased to find this place open when I arrived, not just because I desperately needed a wee! On my way back from the toilet, a drayman told me that he'd dropped off a cask and pointed to the one he'd left in the corridor, a fact that I subsequently completely forgot to pass on to the landlady. I can only assume he thought I worked there. 

The walk back up Peasehill from the Beehive was much less stressful than the walk down, no doubt helped by my now empty bladder, and it wasn't long before I was again turning into Crossley Street where, behind a row of shops sits one of Ripley's two micropubs. Known as Tom Said, I had planned on this being my final stop, due largely to its proximity to the bus stop and also because it was due to open at 5. I arrived 2 minutes before 5pm to find a disconcerting lack of activity behind the glass, and the blinds still close. Giving it the benefit of the doubt, I waited a few more minutes and did a loop of the block in the event that they'd been held up and would be opening a few minutes later than normal. When nobody materialised, I tried the door. Firmly and immovably locked. With no real idea what was happening, I couldn't really justify waiting around, especially if it ultimately turned out that the pub wouldn't be opening at all that day. So, a tad miffed but accepting my fate, I turned around and crossed to the bus stop where the Rainbow One would soon whisk me back to Nottingham, just as the rain began anew. This was particularly irritating as I already knew that Ripley's other micropub, Ripley's Little Alehouse, wasn't open on Wednesdays, so ultimately I ended up not being able to visit either.

What, then, could I take from my trip to Ripley? The one hour and 16 minute journey back to Nottingham offered plenty of time for reflection and to process my experience for the day. Overall, whilst a couple of pubs had let me down by not being open, it hadn't been a bad day. Ripley had largely been how I'd expected, a traditional town with traditional pubs, all firmly in the bracket of what you'd expect to find in any town of this ilk across the country. There were a couple of standouts but the majority were simply pleasant enough without being spectacular. Going back to an earlier phrase, I would say that 'hit and miss' is an acceptable summary of the day. I'd enjoyed exploring somewhere new and it was a pleasure to visit the Talbot, a pub that's thoroughly deserving of the accolades it has achieved. All in all, it was a refreshing experience that reinforced that towns like Ripley certainly aren't the real ale wasteland that people would assume. Sometimes, throwing caution to the wind really can pay off.

Pub of the day: The Talbot. No question about it. It deserves all the awards it's won.

Beer of the day: Lenton Lane's Honey & Caramel version of their stout is absolutely gorgeous.

Biggest surprise: The Angel. The fact that the pub is so elaborately decorated makes it even more of a travesty that it will soon be closing for good.