A Saunter Round Sunny Stockport

After an enforced hiatus of 19 months it was time to get back into the saddle and start saving pubs again (or just visiting some decent boozers in convivial company!)

My participation almost didn't happen as a bout of severe toothache overnight nearly derailed my plans. By morning, the pain had subsided somewhat and with a strict 'diet' of painkillers and alcohol, I was sure that I could survive the day!

My first port of call for a Proper Pub Day Out is usually the same - Bournville Café for a decent breakfast to set me up for the journey.

The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed the use of the word 'sunny' in my title and yet this looks decidedly overcast...well, yes, it was a somewhat dull start to the day, but by the time I arrived at Stockport Station the sun was out.

After studying the maps and Google Street View, the walk to our rendezvous pub was shorter and easier than I'd expected!

The Queens Head is a 'larger than it looks from the outside' Sam Smith's establishment. Pub Curmudgeon and Paul Bailey were already there...and have both reported on the day out already (I'm usually last in these matters!). Soon we were joined by Retired Martin, Sheffield Hatter and Leonlen...sadly Paul Mudge was unable to join us owing to a broken foot. Anyway, my pint of Taddy Lager was fine!

Soon it was time to move on to the next pub, but not before a slight detour to see a clock strike noon...except that it didn't...apparently it is still out of commission as the building refurbishment continues!

A stroll through the shopping centre brought us to the Swan with Two Necks.

Our first Robinson's pub of the day...and some of 'the gang' just about to enter. This is another one of those 'bigger on the inside' places with an interesting layout. My Dizzy Blonde was very pleasant.

All too soon it was time to move on to our lunch stop at the Arden Arms.

Despite being a little out of the town centre, the Arden Arms was doing a brisk trade and it was a good job that Pub Curmudgeon had booked a table for us! The food and drinks arrived promptly...well...apart from my pudding which took a bit longer! My Robinson's Hopnik Citra IPA was superb...even though it looked very much like a lager.

 

Although it looks somewhat unprepossessing from the outside, the Arden Arms is a gem inside and well worth the visit.

 

Next up was The Railway.

If I hadn't been with people in the know, I'd have walked past without realising there was a pub there. The fact that it has been under threat of closure and demolition for a number of years explains the lack of investment in fancy new signage. Inside it is still a proper pub serving a range of beers...and we're at the stage, now, where I can't remember what I did have to drink! ("Take notes!!" I hear you cry. Well, I did have three pens with me, but all three were knackered!)

 

I hope it survives as it's a friendly pub and there seemed to be enough derelict shops nearby that deserve to be demolished first! Then it was time to move on again...to the Boar's Head.

Another magnificent Sam Smith's establishment...so it was another pint of Taddy Lager for me (I'm not a fan of Old Brewery Bitter)

 

All too quickly, we were off again heading for The Petersgate Tap which I'd passed, but not noticed, on my way from the station several hours earlier!

Inside, it felt more like a pub than do many micros with a fine range of cask ales, craft beer and gins. No doubt I had something hoppy and citrussy, but I have no recollection as to what it was! This was the place where we got 'the gang' back together after various people had gone in different directions at lunchtime (the usual schism - food versus no food on a pub crawl!).

 

Then it was time for our saunter to turn into an uphill trek, which would have been more of a problem for me in the recent past, but I only required one major sit down on the way (thanks to my twice weekly gym sessions!). Before we got to our destination, there was a chance for a picture of the iconic Robinson's Unicorn Brewery looking magnificent in the late afternoon sunshine (and with a bit of extra editing from me!)

Our ultimate destination, the Sun & Castle wasn't too much further away!

It is a good number of years since I had a pint of Holt's Bitter (2013 - The Volunteer in Sale!) and it tasted pretty much as I remembered although the price was somewhat higher than back then (understandably!). Another lovely pub.

 Then it was time to move on again to The Armoury.

By now, my memories are getting pretty vague and, if I hadn't been carrying a camera, I'd probably have forgotten the visit altogether!

 

And, finally, it was time to move on to our last pub of the day out - Ye Olde Vic (ignoring sound advice, I took the picture after I left for the station by which time the sun had set!)

I have no recollection as to what I drank here, but I do remember there being a gentle discussion of climate change. I also seem to remember saying that, "I'm right, of course!" which in a more sober state I'd never dream of saying as it's the last thing that will win an argument! Hey ho! All good clean fun!

 

Pub Curmudgeon's interesting and cunning itinerary meant that the station was only just over the road and easily accessible (if you don't go into the car park next door!) With that, I was soon on a train whizzing back to Brum - change at Stoke; change at New Street and change at Kings Norton (oops!)! The last change was unplanned as I dozed off between Selly Oak and Bournville (2 minutes at most!) and only regained consciousness just as the doors were closing!
 

It was a magnificent day out, aided by the wonderful autumn weather and a superb selection of proper pubs...not a dud amongst them! Thanks again to Pub Curmudgeon for arranging this little saunter!

 

Where to next? Sheffield Hatter is planning a trip to Belper on Thursday 18th November (which sounds interesting!). Macclesfield has also been mooted by Retired Martin for (possibly) Friday 5th November which is also of interest as I haven't been there since January 2015 (and I don't think that we've ever done it justice!). Unfortunately, this time of year is my busiest time in the run up to Christmas, so I don't know which (if any) I'll be able to make!

#219 Leigh Arms, Little Leigh, Cheshire : 2000 to 2016

The Leigh Arms is probably the only pub that we've visited from different waterways on each occasion.

Our first visit there was on the evening of Sunday 3rd September 2000 on our return from a long trip to Manchester.

By the time we'd moored up it was almost 8pm and, with it being a Sunday, we were expecting it to be a close run thing as to whether we'd be able to get any food. As it turned out, the food had just closed for the night when we arrived, but the chef was willing to prepare us a Chilli Con Carne as there was still some left - so, what could have been a disaster turned into a very pleasant evening!

On that occasion we'd been travelling along the Trent & Mersey Canal heading south, back towards the Midlands.

Our most recent visit was on the evening of Sunday 14th August 2016 and this time we were travelling along the River Weaver having moored at Acton Bridge.

Although we were earlier in the evening this time (about 7pm) the food service had stopped at 6pm, which seems to be quite common these days on a Sunday. So, we had a pint, discovered that the Riverside Inn was a short walk away and, with it being a Marston's pub, was serving food until 9pm. We decamped and spent the rest of the evening in the Riverside Inn.

#182 Red Bull, Church Lawton, Staffs : 1991 to 2015

The Red Bull pub is a well-known canalside pub, but not one we've stopped at very often. It is a couple of locks down from the summit of "Heartbreak Hill" and so is not in the best position for stopping at when boating.

Our first stop there was on the lunchtime of Thursday 25th July 1991.

 This was during the journey south for Emma Jane, from Adlington to, ultimately, Cowley Peachey on the Grand Union Canal.

Our next stop there was another lunchtime stop on Wednesday 24th August 2005. This was a pit stop on our journey to Chester and back.

In 14 years, the only discernible changes were the 'new' hanging baskets and the addition of a burglar alarm.

Our most recent visit to the Red Bull was at lunchtime (again!) on Tuesday 20th January 2015. This was part of the 'Shakedown' cruise for Peggy Ellen, which is why we were boating in January!

At least in the subsequent ten years since our last visit the exterior had been completely redecorated, even if the hanging sign looks to be the same as in 1991!

Regular readers will know that I can rarely remember what the pubs I feature are like on the inside. So far I've resisted all mention of the interior because, quite frankly, I don't really remember it much. However, I suspect that it hasn't changed much over the years and this is what it looked like on this visit.

As you can see, still a proper pub! Well worth a visit if you're passing and, hopefully, we'll be back in less than ten years this time!

 

#168 Ring o' Bells, Marple, Cheshire : 2000 to 2014

My first ever visit to the Ring o' Bells in Marple was during an epic canal trip from Lapworth (south of Birmingham) to Manchester and back, in a fortnight. This wasn't the first time that our narrowboat Emma Jane had been to Marple; that was back in 1989 when the boat was being moved up north. At that time I was living in Australia so was unable to partake of the delights of the Ring o' Bells.

This picture was taken on a lunchtime stop on Friday 1st September 2000. I don't remember too much about the interior apart from the fact that it was full of canal memorabilia and served good food.

Although we repeated this journey in 2010, we didn't stop in Marple so it wasn't until lunchtime on Tuesday 24th June 2014 that we next stopped in Marple.

It's amazing what tricks the mind will play on you, especially after 14 years. We moored our hire boat by Marple Junction and expected to see the Ring o' Bells just by the bridge there...but there was no pub! At somewhat of a loss to understand why such a good pub would have disappeared we wandered into the centre of Marple, had lunch and a bit of a pub crawl and headed back to the canal only to find the Ring o' Bells where it had always been - by the bridge 200 yards BEFORE the junction - doh!

On this occasion we didn't venture inside, but we rectified that situation a few months later when we popped in and had a very good meal in what is still a lovely canal themed, old style pub!

Unsurprisingly, over the 14 years the pub has been completely redecorated on the outside, now in Robinson's Grey. (Is that a shade you can get from Dulux?)

If ever you are passing through Marple, the Ring o' Bells is a pub well worth a visit for its traditional feel and good food. The website is here.

#157 Bridge End Hotel, Llangollen : 1996 to 2014

Our first ever canal visit to Llangollen was  in 1996. Since beginning canal boating in 1980 I'd been eager to go along the Llangollen Canal to experience the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. This Thomas Telford designed masterpiece is also a World Heritage Site and well worth a visit even if you're not boating. (See Here)

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct © Photo Digital Art 2014

The town of Llangollen is about 5 miles away (by canal) and a beautiful journey it is as the canal hugs the side of the Dee Valley which it has just passed over on the aqueduct.

This picture was taken at lunchtime on Tuesday 27th August 1996 and shows a somewhat typically decorated (for the time) Robinson's pub. I've no recollection of the interior, but I do recall that next door was a taxidermist's shop.

Although we've been back to Llangollen in the intervening years we didn't venture into the Bridge End until our last visit.

This was on the evening of Saturday 19th April 2014 and it had become the Bridge End Hotel with a complete external makeover. Inside it was reasonably well appointed, but nothing was particularly memorable about it. (And the Taxidermist was still next door!)

#129 Parr Arms, Grappenhall, Cheshire : 1991 to 2013

This will be a short entry as I've only ever drunk in the pub once! Our first visit was at lunchtime on Tuesday 22nd July 1991 as part of a trip from Wigan to Lapworth.

As I recall it was a pleasant village pub, but over 20 years later the memory hasn't dragged out anything significant.

After we'd finished our journey in 1991, our boat Emma Jane went further south and for a few years was based on the lower reaches of the Grand Union Canal.

In the intervening years we've passed through Grappenhall a couple of times, but not stopped there.

This year, in a break from tradition, our Easter trip took us into Manchester, starting from the Claymoore Narrowboats hire base at Preston Brook. On our way back we took the opportunity to revisit the lovely village of Grappenhall.

This photo was taken on Sunday 31st March 2013. There are two pubs in the village, almost next door to each other, and we went in the Ram's Head first where we had a few pints and our evening meal. It was getting a bit late and I was keen to have a last pint in the Parr Arms...but it was closed having finished serving at 10:30 pm!

On my (very) brief visit inside it appeared to be a proper 'old school' village pub, but sadly with 'old school' opening hours! So we had another one in the Ram's Head!

As you would expect in 22 years the exterior had been extensively changed, but it is now a Robinson's pub and back in 1991 it was Greenhall Whitley. One trivial point to finish - it is unusual to get an orange car in one picture...but in two, 20+ years apart, that's just 'spooky'!