2016 Pub Cruise

[Mac of Cygnet]

Much shorter, because the boxing day floods in the Calder valley meant that Cygnet was trapped in a 10 mile stretch of the Rochdale and Calder & Hebble until early July, thus cutting my usual 6 month cruise in half. However, I made my escape on July 9 and made up for lost time, managing to visit 61 different pubs before returning to Sowerby Bridge on October 1st. I've included a couple of trips up the Rochdale before and after this for completeness - and because it added a few more pubs!

 

Where I visited a pub during my 2014 and/or 2015 Pub Cruises, I've added my comments from then for comparison. A new experience this year was micropubs. I visited five, but wasn't on the whole impressed - amateurish is the word that springs to mind.

 

Once again, I must warn pub diners that FOOD IS NOT INCLUDED. I haven't eaten out in a pub while cruising for at least 3 years. My wants are simple - an excellent pint of real ale and a packet of crisps. In fact my 'price' criterion when scoring is based on these two items together. This year it varied from £2.10 (!) to £4.50, so cheaper than last year, amazingly.

 

To remind of my scoring system:

 

There are 20 points: 10 for beer and 10 for everything else. Up to 5 for beer choice to include one non-national brand or unusual beer type (certain mediocre 'cooking beers' such as Doom Bar and Bombardier are not counted!), and 0 to 5 for quality: 0 and 1 would be sent back - (didn't happen this year) - 2 means wouldn't have another - 3 is acceptable - 4 very good - up to 5 absolutely superb. To make it clear, I'm talking about real ales (cask beers) here. I'm a beer fanatic.

 

So a score is in three parts: Beer choice+beer quality+everything else. e.g 1+5+7=13 has the same total score as 4+2+7=13, but the first pub has 1 superb beer, but the second 4 rubbish ones. So you can tell quite a bit from the scores as opposed to the comments, some of which may seem a bit downbeat, but often explain why the score isn't higher.

 

Everything else includes service, staff, clientele, general atmosphere, situation, decor, interesting pictures, special features (eg library!), quirkiness, cleanliness, price, and the presence of live or other music, juke box or fruit machine (all minus) and whether there is a place for drinkers as opposed to diners. And beermats.

 

I had visited many of these pubs before over the past 30 years, and most were as I remembered, but this time there were a few disappointments - pubs I had looked forward to just didn't have it anymore. But a few newly-discovered gems made up for this. You may already know some of these pubs, but remember my conclusions are just a snapshot, as I visited most only once this trip. Although many are canalside, some involve quite a trek - I'm prepared to put in a bit of effort for a promising pub! Advance research on whatpub.com was useful, but sometimes there just wasn't any choice.

 

GBG means the pub is in the latest (2017) Good Beer Guide.

 

So here we go.

 

Rochdale Canal

HOGSHEAD, Sowerby Bridge 5+4+5 = 14 Large, dim and noisy.

SHOULDER OF MUTTON, Mytholmroyd 5+4+7=16 Refurbished after flooding.

ROBIN HOOD, Cragg Vale 4+4+8=16 Very pleasant inexpensive village local. GBG

FOX & GOOSE, Hebden Bridge 5+4+8=17 Much improved. Can be infested with folkies. GBG

(2015 entry: 5+5+8=18 Now a community pub, back to its former glory GBG)

CALAN'S, Hebden Bridge 5+4+7=16 Tiny micropub. No spirits. Closes at 10PM GBG

DRINK?, Hebden Bridge 2+4+6=12 The other micropub. Limited opening. Rather stark.

Huddersfield Broad & Narrow Canals

WHITE CROSS, Bradley 4+5+8=17 A real local's local, despite the main road. GBG

SPORTSMAN, Huddersfield 5+5+8=18 Weirdly assorted clientele. Can be very busy. GBG

COMMERCIAL, Slaithwaite 5+5+8=18 Very cheap beer from canalside Empire brewery.

(2014 entry: 5+4+7=16 A comfortable makeover. GBG)

RIVERHEAD, Marsden 5+5+8=18 Still as good as ever. GBG

(2014 entry: 5+5+9=19 Ten great beers, mostly brewed in-house GBG

2015 entry: 5+5+8=18 Standards maintained in this great brew pub GBG)

NAVIGATION, Dobcross 4+5+7=16 Food oriented. Too busy at weekends. GBG

(2014 entry: 4+5+7=16 Four excellent beers. Friendly staff. GBG)

WELLINGTON, Greenfield 4+5+8=17 Worth the walk. GBG

STATION BUFFET, Stalybridge 5+5+8=18 The high point of the town in several ways. GBG

(2015 entry: 5+4+8=17 A bright spot in an awful town. Full of interest. GBG)

Peak Forest Canal

DUKE OF YORK, Romiley 2+3+7=12 Disappointing - beer standards slipping.

(2014 entry: 3+4+7=14 Basic and friendly. GBG)

PLATFORM ONE, Romiley 3+4+6=13 A bit of a trek and rather noisy. GBG

Macclesfield Canal

BOAR'S HEAD, Higher Poynton. 2+3+7=12 Pleasant enough, but unimaginative.

(2015 entry: 2+4+8=14 A good local with pleasant atmosphere and staff.)

CHURCH HOUSE, Sutton Lane Ends 4+5+8=17 Difficult to find, but worth it.

QUEEN'S HEAD, Congleton 4+4+7=15 Good atmosphere but slow service. GBG

(2015 entry: 5+5+8=18 Just climb the steps and stumble down! GBG)

RISING SUN, Scholar Green 4+4+8=16 A very pleasant Marston's pub.

(2014 entry: 4+4+8=16 But I can't remember! Must have been good.)

Trent and Mersey Canal

BULL'S HEAD, Burslem 5+5+8=18 A trek from Westport Lake, but a classic. GBG

ROYAL EXCHANGE, Stone 5+5+8=18 A second night with Titanic beers. Great! GBG

(2014 entry: 5+4+8=17 Possibly the best pub in Stone now. GBG)

SWAN, Fradley Junction 5+5+8=18 New management not changed much, fortunately.

(2014 entry: 5+5+9=19 Justly famous, and keeping a very high standard. GBG)

WILLIAM IV, Alrewas 3+5+8= 16 A good unpretentious Marston's local.

DRAGON, Willington. 5+5+7=17 Avoid Saturday evenings! VERY loud music.

CREWE & HARPUR ARMS, Swarkstone 3+3+6=12 Nothing to write home about.

NEW INN, Shardlow 4+3+6=13 Expected a lot but found little.

Erewash Canal

HORSE & JOCKEY, Stapleford 5+5+8=18 Long walk from Sandiacre, but bus back! GBG

GREAT NORTHERN, Langley Mill 4+3+4=11 No atmosphere or interest.

BUNNY HOP, Langley Mill 4+5+7=16 Simple micropub, not overpriced.

River Trent

NAG'S HEAD, Sawley 2+4+5=11 Absolutely no atmosphere. GBG

WHITE LION, Sawley 5+5+7=17 Backyard brewery. Outside tatty, inside interesting.

CROWN INN, Beeston 5+5+8=18 A long walk. Large, rambling, old-fashioned. GBG

VAT & FIDDLE, Nottingham 5+5+7=17 Adjoining Castle Rock brewery. Rather stark. GBG

BROMLEY, Fiskerton 4+3+5= 12 Trendy makeover, Staff in silly uniforms.

WAGGON & HORSES, Bleasby 5+5+7=17 Simple village pub. Blue Monkey brewery GBG

JUST BEER, Newark 5+4+6=15 Micropub down an alley. Nothing special. GBG

MUSKHAM FERRY, Muskham. 3+4+7=14 OK, but great situation. Small pontoon moorings.

WHITE SWAN, Torksey. 2+4+7=13 Unassuming, but made very welcome.

WHITE HART, West Stockwith. 5+3+7=15 Own brewery, beer just OK. Now very busy. GBG

WATERSIDE, West Stockwith 1+4+5=10 Dim and empty. Horrible music.

Stainforth & Keadby and S&SY

WINDMILL, Thorne 2+4+5=11 Giant tellys pumping out awful music. GBG

OLD VAULT, Thorne 5+3+6=14 An uninteresting micropub.

WHITE HART, Barnby Dun 1+4+7=12 Only just worth the walk, but not much choice.

Aire & Calder Navigation and River Aire

KING'S HEAD, Pollington 4+5+8=17 A friendly, quiet village local. GBG

BAY HORSE, Great Heck 2+3+6= 11 A disappointment. Used to be excellent. GBG

GEORGE & DRAGON, West Haddlesey 3+5+8=16 Friendly quiet local with good service. GBG

JUG, Chapel Haddlesey 3+4+9=16 Went out of their way to help me.

STEAM PACKET, Knottingley 3+4+5=12. Not what it was. Rather run down.

BROKEN BRIDGE, Pontefract 2+3+4=9 Below average Wetherspoons in an awful town.

JUNCTION, Castleford. 4+5+9=18 Beers from the wood and all a pub should be. GBG

GRAZIERS, Wakefield 3+4+7=14 Acceptable. A trek from Stanley Ferry's awful 'pub'.

Calder & Hebble Navigation

BREWER'S PRIDE, Healy 5+4+8=17 Great community pub with excellent staff. GBG

OLD COLONIAL, Mirfield 4+4+9=17 Fantastic interior, full of interest and comfort. GBG

FLOWERPOT, Mirfield 4+5+8=17 Typical good Osset brewery pub. GBG

NAVIGATION, Mirfield 5+4+8=17 Comfortable and friendly. 25 beers! (Beer festival) GBG

RAILWAY, Mirfield 3+3+5=11 Undistinguished, with annoying music.

PEAR TREE, Battyeford 3+3+6=12 Armchairs in front of huge telly screens.

RICHARD OASTLER, Brighouse 5+4+6=15 Wetherspoons. Magnificent interior. Understaffed. GBG

(2015 entry: 5+5+8=18 Very good Wetherspoons with magnificent interior. GBG)

RED ROOSTER, Brookfoot 5+5+7=17 Dedicated to beer with tasting notes. Much brighter. GBG

(2014 entry: 5+4+7=16 A rather gloomy barn. GBG)

BARGE & BARREL, Elland 5+5+6=16 Surprisingly busy, considering its recent isolation. GBG

(2014 entry: 5+5+7=17 Ten excellent beers, but a bit dull. GBG)

SHEPHERD'S REST, Sowerby Bridge. 5+5+8=18 Now my pub of choice near my home moorings, since the very sad demise of the Puzzle Hall, much missed. GBG

(2015 entry: 5+4+8=17 Surprisingly cosmopolitan decor. GBG)

So there we are, back home after a race anticlockwise around the big circle (I actually set off to go clockwise, but thought better of it after the Calder went into flood with me on it - I thought I might not get up the Trent). At least I got onto a new canal (Erewash).

My favourite pub this year? Well, I think it has to be my new 'home' pub, the Shepherd's Rest. I'm getting known there now, and there is one table with enough light for my ageing eyes, and it's very relaxing zzzzzz..........

Cheers!

Mac

Edited December 4, 2016 by Mac of Cygnet

[IDS]

Well done Mac, always look forward to your reviews

Ian

[NB Lola]

Excellent reviews. Next time in beeston, miss out the crown, walk just 350ft and find the Hop Pole, truly wonderful place.

[Athy]

Good reading as always, thank you.

Regarding the Hogshead, is "large, dim and noisy" a description of the clientele?

[Sea Dog]

Impressive effort! I had to smile at "infested with folkies".

[mrsmelly]

What a fantastic post. This should be pinned so all boaters see it daily. There is nothing more important than proper pubs rather than the cafes that now abound where pubs once were. Top marks. One point " The broken bridge " as it is now called is called precisely that because " Pontefract " means Broken bridge in ye olde English. Pontefract is far worse than you say though, far below awful

[Victor Vectis]

Excellent reviews. Next time in beeston, miss out the crown, walk just 350ft and find the Hop Pole, truly wonderful place.

Or have a slightly shorter walk and try The Victoria, round the back of the railway station.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Good reading as always, thank you.

Regarding the Hogshead, is "large, dim and noisy" a description of the clientele?

 

In some cases, probably! But most of the denizens of the late lamented Puzzle Hall have migrated there, and most of them are not dim. But it is not conducive to conversation, and too ill-lit for me to see my crossword, so after giving it a fair trial I decided it wasn't for me, despite the excellent choice of beer.

[Cheshire cat]

Excellent write up once again. I'm surprised you manage to travel through Burton without stopping off. Burton Bridge Brewery Tap would be right up your street. It takes a bit of finding though. You've just reminded me I need to re-arrange a visit to the Stalybridge Buffet Bar. Had it organised and then fell ill. No point drinking lovely beer when you've got a cold!

[Mac of Cygnet]

Excellent write up once again. I'm surprised you manage to travel through Burton without stopping off. Burton Bridge Brewery Tap would be right up your street. It takes a bit of finding though. You've just reminded me I need to re-arrange a visit to the Stalybridge Buffet Bar. Had it organised and then fell ill. No point drinking lovely beer when you've got a cold!

 

Well I had quite a long distance to travel in time available this year, and I don't drink at lunchtimes, so it just was where I happened to fetch up each evening. I can't stop at every promising pub, although I did have a serious attempt on the Shroppie and Staffs & Worcester last year!

[Mac of Cygnet]

Just one more addition to the 2016 pub collection:

 

SHEARS INN, Halifax 5+5+7=17 A little gem, very hard to find, but worth the search.

 

And I think this final one of the year deserves a pic.

[Victor Vectis]

Excellent write up once again. I'm surprised you manage to travel through Burton without stopping off. Burton Bridge Brewery Tap would be right up your street. It takes a bit of finding though. You've just reminded me I need to re-arrange a visit to the Stalybridge Buffet Bar. Had it organised and then fell ill. No point drinking lovely beer when you've got a cold!

We spent a couple of days in Burton this summer.

 

I can thoroughly recommend this place http://www.cooperstavern.co.uk/

Full of atmosphere and an excellent choice of beers. I think it used to be the Bass brewery tap.

 

While I was there I came met a group of retired brewers who meet once a week in a different pub in Burton. It was really interesting listening to them and chatting about beer.

 

Coming from the canal the Coopers is past the railway station on the way into town and just along a road off to the right.