Πρόσφατα, μια ομάδα φίλων και πήγα για το South Pennines Real Ale Trail. This is the same Ale Trail that featured on Oz and James Drink to Britain. Πριν υπεισέλθω σε λεπτομέρειες, a quick summary — we all had an excellent day, και να απολαμβάνουν μια καλή λίγες μπίρες.
Διαδρομή
Αποφασίσαμε να ξεκινήσει στα τέλη του Leeds της γραμμής και το έργο το δρόμο μας προς Μάντσεστερ. Υπάρχουν 8 στάσεις κατά μήκος του τρόπου, and as we were intending to have at least 1 drink at each we had to carefully plan our times so we didn’t miss the last train home. ΕΝΑ South Pennines Day Ranger (για £ 19) covers all the journey, και στην περίπτωσή μας, also covered our journeys to and from Sheffield. For a handy quick-reference to each pub I’d recommend printing a copy of this ale trail flyer και google map μου από τις θέσεις των σιδηροδρομικών δρομολογίων και παμπ.
ΧΡΟΝΟΔΙΑΓΡΑΜΜΑ
The service required for the ale trail is operated by Northern Trains and is called the Huddersfield Route Υπάρχουν 2 different train services required, each covers half the route and both run to Huddersfield. The first is the Leeds — Dewsbury — Mirfield — Huddersfield service which stops at Cottingley, Morley, Batley, Dewsbury, Ravensthorpe, Mirfield, Deighton and Huddersfield, and the second is the Huddersfield — Ashton-under-Lyne — Manchester Victoria service which stops at Slaithewaite, Marsden, Greenfield, Mossley, Stalybridge, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Victoria. Both of these services run once every 60 λεπτά. ο Huddersfield Line Timetable covers both these services.
Για να αποθηκεύσετε ένα κομμάτι του χρόνου, we didn’t follow the route in a straight-through fashion as we didn’t want to spend a full hour in each pub. We started by travelling from Leeds to Dewsbury, before travelling back towards Leeds to Batley. We then headed back towards Manchester but bypassed Dewsbury (όπου είχαμε ήδη) and went from Batley straight to Mirfield. Αν και αυτό μας έσωσε μόνο 34 λεπτά στο μονοπάτι ale, it allowed us to catch a later train from Sheffield to Leeds (A Cross Country service which only takes 41 λεπτά σε Λιντς)
οι παμπ
The Ale Trail website lists a pub for each stop, but having done part of the Ale Trail before, Ήξερα ότι υπήρχε περισσότερο από 1 παμπ για να επιλέξουν από σε κάθε στάση. Below I will cover all the pubs I am aware of
Λιντς
Wetherspoons
Location: 100m from the platform in the station.
Τροφή: Ναί, standard Wetherspoons menu
Οι σκέψεις μας: We didn’t visit here due to time — plus of course we’ve all been to a Wetherspoons before.
Batley
The Cellar Bar
Location: 60m from the platform on the far side of the station car park.
Τροφή: Αγνωστος
Οι σκέψεις μας: The Cellar Bar looks like it might be rather disappointing from the outside (δηλ. it looks like a typical football+carling bar) αλλά μια φορά στο εσωτερικό του φιλικό προσωπικό, excellent beers and resident cat give a much better impression. Between our group we had Saltaire Blonde and Copper Dragon Golden Pippin, δύο από τα οποία ήταν εξαιρετική
Dewsbury
West Riding Refreshment Rooms
Location: In the station with direct access from platform 1
Τροφή: Μενού εξαρτάται από την ημέρα. On Saturdays there is an Ale Day Breakfast from 10am — 4pm
Οι σκέψεις μας: The West Riding has a great interior, and lots of drinkers memorabilia. It also has an excellent selection of beer, and does a great sounding breakfast. Our only complaint was how busy it gets. At midday it felt more like midnight, absolutely rammed full of people who’d obviously started very early and were already drunk enough to be very loud. It wasn’t unfriendly drunk, everyone was jolly, but when you’re having your first pint of the day its nice to sit down and have a gentle natter at a normal volume!
Mirfield
The Navigation Tavern
Location: 300m from the platform. Περπατήστε κάτω από το δρόμο από το χώρο στάθμευσης αυτοκινήτων, turn right and go under the railway. Πάρτε το πρώτο αριστερά μετά το πέρασμα κάτω από τη σιδηροδρομική.
Τροφή: Οχι
Οι σκέψεις μας: This was one of my favourite pubs. The interior is dated, but each time I’ve been there has been room to sit and quick service. There is also an extensive selection of ales so what’s not to like! Υπάρχουν αντλίες χέρι-τράβηγμα στη γραμμή, and more handles with labels above the bar — these labels are for the beers that are available on the back bar! Don’t make the mistake that some of our party made of assuming the selection is limited to the pumps on the front bar. If in doubt — ask!
Χάντερσφιλντ
Επικεφαλής του Steam
Location: In the station with direct access from platform 1. Προς το νοτιοδυτικό άκρο του σταθμού.
Τροφή: Ναί. ΕΝΑ very good selection σερβίρεται μέχρι τις 21:00. We ate here and were very impressed with the quality of food and speed of service.
Οι σκέψεις μας: We much preferred the head of steam to the kings head. Το φαγητό, όπως σημειώνεται παραπάνω, Ήταν καλό. There were a couple of negatives though, τόσο σχετικές με το προσωπικό. The first was when we looked to get a table in the buffet room we were told only those people in our party who were eating could sit in there, οπότε στην πραγματικότητα μας είπαν να χωρίσει το κόμμα μας μέχρι. We chose instead to eat in the bar part of the pub which wasn’t a problem. The second issue was with one of the bar staff deliberately ignoring one member of our party when she was at the bar. Δεν υπήρχε κανένας άλλος στο μπαρ κατά τη χρονική στιγμή, and as soon as one of the other members of our party went to the bar instead they got service. It is our belief that the reason for the initial non-service was related to ethnic background. However, I would prefer to think that it was an innocent accident. On the positive side the beer was excellent. I had a Saltaire Raspberry Blonde which was by far the best fruit beer I’ve ever had. It had a delicious taste of raspberry without being sickly and sweet like most fruit beers.
Kings Head (FKA The Station Tavern)
Location: In the station in the “East Wing”
Τροφή: Οχι
Οι σκέψεις μας: The Kings Head has a good selection of Ales, but despite being grade 1 listed is disappointing in terms of decor and comfort.
Slaithwaite
The Commercial
Location: 300m from the platform. Leave the platform into the car park. κάνετε μια 180 τη σειρά και να πάει κάτω από το μικρό δρόμο από το χώρο στάθμευσης αυτοκινήτων. Στο κεντρικό δρόμο λάβει μια σκληρή δεξιά και να πάει κάτω από το λόφο. Follow the curve of the road to the left. At the roundabout the pub is on the near left corner.
Τροφή: Οχι
Οι σκέψεις μας: We were a bit disappointed with the commercial which is billed as an ale pub and wine bar. It wasn’t a good start when our pints of ale were served in skiffs, especially as my better half’s Lager-Shandy was served in a proper glass — Surely the wrong way round! I asked the barman to recommend a Pale Ale and was presented with what I was told was a locally brewed pale ale. I wasn’t given the name, but I believe it was “Commerciale”. I would like to recommend people avoid it — it was quite eggy and very disappointing, Δεν βοήθησε από την σκίφ καμία αμφιβολία. This is not the sort of experience I expect from a “CAMRA pub of the year 2009” so maybe we were just unlucky?
το Swan
Location: 550m from the platform. Βορειοανατολικός.
Τροφή: Οχι
Οι σκέψεις μας: The swan is owned by the same people as the Commercial, and is further from the station. As a result we chose not to visit.
Marsden
The Riverhead Brewery Tap & Dining Room
Location: 300m from the platform. Go past “the railway” pub and follow the main road to the bottom of the hill. Πήγαινε πάνω από τον ποταμό. Η παμπ αντιμετωπίζει το ποτάμι στα δεξιά.
Τροφή: Ναί, λεπτομέρειες άγνωστο
Οι σκέψεις μας: The Riverhead is owned by Ossett brewery, and as expected, προσέφερε μια καλή επιλογή από μπίρες. It has a lovely setting right next to the river Colne. Whilst sat in the right hand half of the pub you get a great view into the brewery room which is always interesting.
The Tunnel End Inn
Location: 800m from platform. Leave the station, turn right and right again to cross the railway. Turn left and follow Reddisher Road due West. Η παμπ βρίσκεται στη δεξιά πλευρά μετά από 650 μέτρα.
Τροφή: Ναί
Οι σκέψεις μας: Unfortunately the Tunnel End Inn is temporarily closed. Hopefully it will reopen soon as it sounds like one of the best potential pubs on the trail
Greenfield
Railway Inn
Location: 50m from platform, on opposite side of the road
Τροφή: We didn’t enquire, αλλά πιστεύω ότι υπάρχουν κρεατόπιτες διαθέσιμη.
Οι σκέψεις μας: The Railway Inn had a slightly less extensive selection of ales than most of the other pubs. When we visited the only ales available were Deuchars, Copper Dragon and Bombardier. The limited selection aside this was a decent pub, και ήταν ωραίο να είναι σε θέση να πάρετε ένα τραπέζι αρκετά εύκολα.
Stalybridge
Stalybridge BuffetBar
Location: Direct access from platform, στο σταθμό
Τροφή: Οχι
Οι σκέψεις μας: Ένα πολύ μακρύ λεπτό παμπ, γεγονός που κατέστησε δύσκολο να μπει σε. Μόλις κάναμε τον τρόπο μας μέσα από τα πλήθη ήμασταν σε θέση να βρείτε ένα τραπέζι στο άλλο άκρο. The selection of beer was good but by this point we’d lost interest in making many notes. I do remember some interesting pictures on the walls however. I think this would have been one of our favourites if it had been less busy, και είχαμε ήταν πιο νηφάλια!
Μάντσεστερ
We didn’t go as far as Manchester, but there are doubless pubs near the station if not in it.
“Γεια σου Τζον, φανταστικός πόρος, ευχαριστούμε για την παραγωγή αυτού. Δυσκολεύομαι να προσπαθήσω να βρω ένα R8074…”