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Cheshire Ramblings
We set off from the Anchor at 09.10 for a good fast run up
the M6 with 13 sober people. We stopped of at Sandbach services just south of Junction
17 as we were early (looks like the M6 toll does it's job!!).
 
Our first pub was The Cock Inn, Henbury. We arrived bang on opening time and was
greeted by the very friendly manager. The pub sits on the A537 1 1/2 miles west
of Macclesfield. Owned by Robinson's of Stockport it serves Robinson's Hatters
Mild, Old Stockport Bitter, Hartleys XB, Best Bitter and Old Tom. I settled for
the Hatters to start the day off with a mild (it being a bit to early for the
Old Tom). The pub offers a separate public bar and a dining room. A small dining
area is just off the main lounge.
We moved off to Kettleshulme for a visit to two pubs in the Peak District
village, first, The Swan, located on the B5470 and serving Thwaites Bitter and
guests Skipton Copper Dragon 3.9%, Your Yorkshire Terrier + one from Khean
brewery. Copper Dragon was enjoyed. Dating from the 15th Century the interior is
fantastic with original timber beams and a real stone fire place. About 100
yards up the road is the Bull's Head serving Boddingtons Bitter, Wadworth 6X and
rather nice Weetwood Old Dog Bitter 4.5%. The pub has a small room on the left,
the main room houses a dart board, a large sofa and a TV, we sat down to watch
part of the Bolton - Chelsea game.
Next up was the Rising Sun at Rainow also located on the B5470. Excellent views
of the Peak District in this stone built pub, the interior is mainly devoted to
diners and on our visit an un-adventurous beer range with Greene King Abbot Ale,
Courage Best and Marstons Bitter, the Marstons was sampled and kept well. They
also have a garden for those Summer days.
The first of the days National Inventory pubs was next with
the Harrington Arms, Gawsworth. The pub is still part of a working farm, basic
country pub dating from the late 17th early 18th Century with parts added in the
19th Century. The bar is located in the corridor with two rooms leading from
this. We sat in the tap room with its basic seating and quarry tiled floor. A
third room sits to the left of the pub as you enter in the newer part of the
building. Robinson's Hatters Mild and Best Bitter on offer, this time trying the
Best. Two pints were sampled and enjoyed before moving of to our next pub.
The Egerton Arms in Astbury. On the A34 with plenty of
parking and also has B+B accommodation. Dating from the 16th Century it has a
very spacious interior and a restaurant. Beers being served were Robinson's Best
Bitter on electric dispense and Double Hop from the single hand pull. A very
impressive 12th Century parish church sits opposite.
Our second National Inventory pub on the itinerary was the
Commercial Hotel in Wheelock sitting just of the Crewe Road on the left. The
Commercial has been a pub since 1742, a central bar serves two rooms with a
further two leading off, one of which is a games room with a snooker table.
Boddingtons Bitter, Thwaites Bitter, Tetley World Champion Ale 4.3% and Wychwood
Yorick 4.3% were on offer along with a good range of British bottled beers. Two
pints of Yorick was enjoyed.
A longish run was taken to the Travellers Rest in Alpraham,
the third of our National Inventory pubs. In the same family since 1900 and,
according to the current licensee it has been in the Good Beer Guide since the
second edition (the current GBG is the thirty first). Located on the A51 between
Nantwich and Chester, an extension was added at the rear in 1937 making a fourth
room all served by the one bar. The interior looks like you have walked into the
1950's. Lees Bitter, Tetley Mild and Bitter served. I tried the Mild, although
it's from a national brewery I still quite like it. An impressive collection of
foreign bank notes adorn the wall above the bar now supplemented by some
Slovenian Tolars collected on my trip there in February.
An additional pub to the itinerary was added due to the lack of food available
over the afternoon. The name of the pub escapes me as we had drunk a bit by this
point but the two Weetwood beers went down well, Best Bitter 3.8% and Eastgate
Ale 4.2%. A separate dining area is on the left when you enter the pub with the
bar on the right. It was the second pub from the Travellers Rest heading towards
Nantwich.
As we were now running late we had to head strait back to Birmingham and another
fast run down the M6 with 13 rather less sober people and a 22.30 arrival at The
Anchor Inn to sample some of the beers on offer for the St Patrick's weekend.
Cheers - Wez Brown (c) 2004.
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