Blog Tracker
01-08-2023, 09:51
Visit the Paul Bailey's Beer Blog site (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2023/08/lewes-and-back-by-bus.html)
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It's always a good idea to have a reason for heading off ona bus trip, or a day out by rail somewhere, even if that reason is reallyrather tentative. My reason for taking the bus down to Lewes last Friday, was toreturn the pile of empty Harvey’s beer bottles I’d accumulated since our lastvisit to the Sussex County town. I came across the bottles whilst tidying up oursummer house, a couple of months ago, and whilst I could quite easily havedriven to Lewes, in order to return them, as Mrs PBT’s and I had done prior toChristmas, making use of my bus pass meant that apart from a few hours of mytime, the return trip from Tonbridge would cost me nothing. Also, by not takingthe car, I could visit a couple of Lewes pubs and enjoy a few beers, withoutbeing a hazard on the road, or indeed putting my driving licence at risk.
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But why did I want to return these empty bottles in thefirst place? The answer is Harvey’s, quite commendably, are one of the very fewUK brewers in the country who operate a bottle return scheme, which operates bycharging a refundable, 10p deposit on each bottle supplied. So, by returningthese bottles and using public transport, I was doing my bit for theenvironment in two ways. I’d accumulated just under two dozen empty and washedbeer bottles, but how to transport them without making too much of a racket, andwithout straining my back and shoulders into the bargain? Simples really, Iplaced half the bottles in my rucksack, and then shoved the remainder into a stoutshopping bag.
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“You want to watch out as they might not let you on the bus,”said Mrs PBT's as I set off to the bus stop. My initial destination wasTunbridge Wells, where I could pick up the No. 29 Brighton and Hove service, whichruns half - hourly between the Wells and Brighton. It took me two buses toreach Tunbridge Wells, but this meant I missed the 20-minute walk down from BaileyTowers to the bus stop opposite Tonbridge station.
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I arrived in Tunbridge Wells in sufficient time for a precautionarypee stop, although there was not enough time to grab the coffee I was craving. Busdrivers understandably, are not keen for food and drink to be consumed on theirbuses, and given the empty bottles I was carrying, a cup of coffee would nothave been a good idea. Mind you, I was gagging for a caffeine fix by the timewe reached Lewes. Given the load I was carrying, I thought it wise to sit onthe lower deck of the bus, even though the upper one would always be my firstchoice. This was more to do with exiting the bus, given the steep stairs downfrom the upper deck, and the way that buses tend to lurch around when stopping(and accelerating).
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The journey to Lewes took 20 minutes longer than it shouldhave done, largely due to road works – that current scourge of any journey involvingmotor transport, so I heaved a sigh of relief when we finally reached ourdestination. The bus deposited us at the bottom of the town, and at the foot ofthe famously steep School Hill. I crossed the road and headed towards CliffHigh Street, traversing the River Ouse by the bridge next to Harvey's magnificentlybrewery, with its adjacent and well-stocked shop.
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I returned my bottles which were gratefully received by thestaff at the shop, in exchange for the principal sum of £2.20, which wenttowards three new bottles of Harvey’s beer. The first one was an old favouritePrince of Denmark, a strong and complex dark ale, with an abv of 7.5%, whilstthe other two were Southdown Harvest plus Georgian Dragon, a ruby ale namedafter the mythical beast slain by England’s patron saint.
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Afterwards it was time to grab that much needed coffee, somethingI wanted more than beer, at that moment in time. I wanted to avoid the usual Starbucksand Costa outlets, as I like to support independent retailers whereverpossible. I was also feeling rather peckish, but salvation came in the form offa local bakery called Bake Out, situated next to the River Ouse. Whilst queuingup for a flat white, I saw a freshly baked pasty beckoning to me, from a trayat the front of the glass countertop. It proved far too tempting, so afterpurchasing one of these appealing hot pasties, plus a coffee, I found aconvenient bench, on the other side of the road, where I could sit down andenjoy this impromptu lunch.
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Something to eat prior to starting on the beer, was definitelya good idea and it seemed like I wasn’t the only person stuffing their face. Thepasty I bought was filling and wholesome, and many others had the same idea, asplaces like Bake Out and other similar outlets, were doing a roaring trade. Thebench I was sat on, proved a good spot for watching the world go by, and it wasnice just sitting there watching the world go by. Lewes has always had analternative, and slightly offbeat feel to it, and it seems to attract like-mindedpeople. I have always had a soft spot for the town, and the fact that it's thehome to one of the country’s best traditional brewing companies, is one more factorthat makes it a “must visit” destination, as far as I'm concerned.
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It was now most definitely time for a beer. I had a coupleof pubs in mind, the first one of which was an old favourite from the time thatI worked in Lewes. The Gardener’s Arms is a slightly quirky offbeat pub of thetype I hinted about earlier. It's situated in Cliff High Street just a stone’sthrow from Harvey’s Brewery Shop. It’s also genuine free house, offering fiveconstantly changing guest ales, usually sourced from small breweries, from allover the country. Harvey’s seasonal ales and one-off brews often feature, aswell.
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It must be a decade or so since I last visited, so I made abeeline to the pub, keen to see what beers were on sale. I walked in past the smallcrowd sat at a table in front of the window, having decided upon the Three AcreRuby Porter, advertised on the “A” board in front of the pub. Unfortunately,the beer had just sold out, but the helpful girl behind the bar recommended theRother Valley Blue, instead. It's a porter she told me, and she was right ofcourse, but somehow over the years I've always regarded this pleasant Rother Valleydark beer as something different, although I'm not sure which. I sat at thebar, enjoying the beer, which was dark, full bodied and delicious, whilst soakingup the atmosphere of this classic Lewes pub.
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It was time to move on, so I made my way back cross the RiverOuse, stopping to take the obligatory photo or two of Harvey’s Brewery. Beforeheading up the hill, I wanted to check the location of the bus stop for myreturn journey, as well as the times of the buses. This information is readilyavailable on the Brighton & South Downs website, butjust to make sure, it was the stop outside Waitrose. The pub I had in mind wasthe classic, Lewes Arms, situated at the top of the town, in the shadow of Lewescastle, but instead of making the steep School Hill, I followed one of the sideroads, stopping to take some photos of the interesting buildings I passed onthe way.
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One particular building that really sparked my interest wasthe complex that was once home to the Star Lane Brewery of Beard and Co. Thecompany ceased brewing in 1958, after reaching an agreement with their Lewesneighbours, Harvey’s that the latter would brew for them, but they would sell thebeers under their own name. Forty years later, in 1998, Beard’s sold their 43pubs to Greene King. Today the Star Brewery is home to a series of art galleries, and as thedoor was open, I managed to sneak a quick peep inside, to see if there wasanything remaining from its days as a brewery. The plant had obviously beenstripped out decades earlier, but an old staircase leading to both the upperand lower levels of the building, gave a clue and also a feel of the days when Beard& Co were producing their beers there. Behind the former brewery complexlies the Lewes Arms, (https://www.lewesarms.co.uk/) a former Beard’s pub of course, and a real classic in somany ways.
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Before venturing inside for a drink, I walked up the steep laneat the side of the pub, towards the castle, which I could see, towering over thetown, as I looked out across the pitch of the local bowls club. I paused too,in order to look at the plaque commemorating the Battle of Lewes, which tookplace in May 1264. The skirmish saw an army of barons, led by Simon De Montfort,defeat a royalist force twice their size under King Henry III on the downs, to thenorthwest of Lewes. It is claimed that De Montfort’s victory led to theestablishment of the first English parliament, which met at Westminster, inJanuary of the following year.
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I retraced my footsteps, down to the Lewes Arms, a pub thatis as traditional as anyone could wish for, and popular with visitors and locals alike. Fuller's beers are served, alongside Harvey's Best, plus a guest. Theseare dispensed from a bank of hand-pumps, located in the atmospheric front bar,which has its own door off the corridor. Last Friday, as well as the Harvey’s,there were two Gale's beers on sale, Seafarers and HSB. on sale, I naturallywent for the latter, having enjoyed a glass of the same beer, the previous day atthe Nelson Arms in Tonbridge.
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As with the Gardener’s, the Lewes Arms is another quirky pubthat embodies everything I like about East Sussex's county town. The lively, but well-behavedcrowd in the front bar, were probably of a similar age to myself, but the younggirl behind the bar kept them in order and had everything under control. Shealso served me up a first-class pint of HSB. I ended up sitting in the roombehind the bar, which is one of three rooms in the pub, which was occupied by afamily group and their dog.
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I can highly recommend the Lewes Arms to visitors to thetown, but two pints was sufficient, bearing in mind the bus journey home. I returnedmy glass to the bar and made my way back down School Hill to the main road atthe bottom. I had about 15 minutes to wait before the bus arrived, and thistime I climbed the stairs to the top deck. This made the return journey far more pleasant,as I’d felt rather hemmed in during the outward journey, and the views acrossthe Sussex countryside were a joy to behold. Our first stop was the town of Uckfield, after which theroad skirts the edge of Ashdown Forest as it makes its way towards Crowborough.We arrived back in Tunbridge Wells sometime around half four, by which time my bladderwas rather full. A quick dash to the public toilets in the Royal Victoria Placeshopping centre, followed by the bus back to Tonbridge, saw me home in plentyof time for tea. It was a long journey, just to return a couple of bags ofempties, but it was good to renew my acquaintance with Lewes, and a couple ofits pubs. I shall probably choose somewhere nearer, for my next bus trip,though.
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It's always a good idea to have a reason for heading off ona bus trip, or a day out by rail somewhere, even if that reason is reallyrather tentative. My reason for taking the bus down to Lewes last Friday, was toreturn the pile of empty Harvey’s beer bottles I’d accumulated since our lastvisit to the Sussex County town. I came across the bottles whilst tidying up oursummer house, a couple of months ago, and whilst I could quite easily havedriven to Lewes, in order to return them, as Mrs PBT’s and I had done prior toChristmas, making use of my bus pass meant that apart from a few hours of mytime, the return trip from Tonbridge would cost me nothing. Also, by not takingthe car, I could visit a couple of Lewes pubs and enjoy a few beers, withoutbeing a hazard on the road, or indeed putting my driving licence at risk.
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But why did I want to return these empty bottles in thefirst place? The answer is Harvey’s, quite commendably, are one of the very fewUK brewers in the country who operate a bottle return scheme, which operates bycharging a refundable, 10p deposit on each bottle supplied. So, by returningthese bottles and using public transport, I was doing my bit for theenvironment in two ways. I’d accumulated just under two dozen empty and washedbeer bottles, but how to transport them without making too much of a racket, andwithout straining my back and shoulders into the bargain? Simples really, Iplaced half the bottles in my rucksack, and then shoved the remainder into a stoutshopping bag.
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“You want to watch out as they might not let you on the bus,”said Mrs PBT's as I set off to the bus stop. My initial destination wasTunbridge Wells, where I could pick up the No. 29 Brighton and Hove service, whichruns half - hourly between the Wells and Brighton. It took me two buses toreach Tunbridge Wells, but this meant I missed the 20-minute walk down from BaileyTowers to the bus stop opposite Tonbridge station.
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I arrived in Tunbridge Wells in sufficient time for a precautionarypee stop, although there was not enough time to grab the coffee I was craving. Busdrivers understandably, are not keen for food and drink to be consumed on theirbuses, and given the empty bottles I was carrying, a cup of coffee would nothave been a good idea. Mind you, I was gagging for a caffeine fix by the timewe reached Lewes. Given the load I was carrying, I thought it wise to sit onthe lower deck of the bus, even though the upper one would always be my firstchoice. This was more to do with exiting the bus, given the steep stairs downfrom the upper deck, and the way that buses tend to lurch around when stopping(and accelerating).
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The journey to Lewes took 20 minutes longer than it shouldhave done, largely due to road works – that current scourge of any journey involvingmotor transport, so I heaved a sigh of relief when we finally reached ourdestination. The bus deposited us at the bottom of the town, and at the foot ofthe famously steep School Hill. I crossed the road and headed towards CliffHigh Street, traversing the River Ouse by the bridge next to Harvey's magnificentlybrewery, with its adjacent and well-stocked shop.
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I returned my bottles which were gratefully received by thestaff at the shop, in exchange for the principal sum of £2.20, which wenttowards three new bottles of Harvey’s beer. The first one was an old favouritePrince of Denmark, a strong and complex dark ale, with an abv of 7.5%, whilstthe other two were Southdown Harvest plus Georgian Dragon, a ruby ale namedafter the mythical beast slain by England’s patron saint.
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Afterwards it was time to grab that much needed coffee, somethingI wanted more than beer, at that moment in time. I wanted to avoid the usual Starbucksand Costa outlets, as I like to support independent retailers whereverpossible. I was also feeling rather peckish, but salvation came in the form offa local bakery called Bake Out, situated next to the River Ouse. Whilst queuingup for a flat white, I saw a freshly baked pasty beckoning to me, from a trayat the front of the glass countertop. It proved far too tempting, so afterpurchasing one of these appealing hot pasties, plus a coffee, I found aconvenient bench, on the other side of the road, where I could sit down andenjoy this impromptu lunch.
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Something to eat prior to starting on the beer, was definitelya good idea and it seemed like I wasn’t the only person stuffing their face. Thepasty I bought was filling and wholesome, and many others had the same idea, asplaces like Bake Out and other similar outlets, were doing a roaring trade. Thebench I was sat on, proved a good spot for watching the world go by, and it wasnice just sitting there watching the world go by. Lewes has always had analternative, and slightly offbeat feel to it, and it seems to attract like-mindedpeople. I have always had a soft spot for the town, and the fact that it's thehome to one of the country’s best traditional brewing companies, is one more factorthat makes it a “must visit” destination, as far as I'm concerned.
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It was now most definitely time for a beer. I had a coupleof pubs in mind, the first one of which was an old favourite from the time thatI worked in Lewes. The Gardener’s Arms is a slightly quirky offbeat pub of thetype I hinted about earlier. It's situated in Cliff High Street just a stone’sthrow from Harvey’s Brewery Shop. It’s also genuine free house, offering fiveconstantly changing guest ales, usually sourced from small breweries, from allover the country. Harvey’s seasonal ales and one-off brews often feature, aswell.
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It must be a decade or so since I last visited, so I made abeeline to the pub, keen to see what beers were on sale. I walked in past the smallcrowd sat at a table in front of the window, having decided upon the Three AcreRuby Porter, advertised on the “A” board in front of the pub. Unfortunately,the beer had just sold out, but the helpful girl behind the bar recommended theRother Valley Blue, instead. It's a porter she told me, and she was right ofcourse, but somehow over the years I've always regarded this pleasant Rother Valleydark beer as something different, although I'm not sure which. I sat at thebar, enjoying the beer, which was dark, full bodied and delicious, whilst soakingup the atmosphere of this classic Lewes pub.
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It was time to move on, so I made my way back cross the RiverOuse, stopping to take the obligatory photo or two of Harvey’s Brewery. Beforeheading up the hill, I wanted to check the location of the bus stop for myreturn journey, as well as the times of the buses. This information is readilyavailable on the Brighton & South Downs website, butjust to make sure, it was the stop outside Waitrose. The pub I had in mind wasthe classic, Lewes Arms, situated at the top of the town, in the shadow of Lewescastle, but instead of making the steep School Hill, I followed one of the sideroads, stopping to take some photos of the interesting buildings I passed onthe way.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRQVXJLI3CsxRP9AsEI3ONctrqjxnm01EoyHmTHoGCU 0fvQ8qeV8DznvNau0mSE04r98DC7zi5qgxz5hz0r9W0x1wRfBF 052uDFMZfGn_gBlezhdimV0-fhwaM--LjnxWDjFu1Hm4IbnWE8MdzAb20oTEFFP_Ogm2DJ9NbLqJIR-W89B0407fpnoNoHs/w400-h225/IMG_20230728_135242.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRQVXJLI3CsxRP9AsEI3ONctrqjxnm01EoyHmTHoGCU 0fvQ8qeV8DznvNau0mSE04r98DC7zi5qgxz5hz0r9W0x1wRfBF 052uDFMZfGn_gBlezhdimV0-fhwaM--LjnxWDjFu1Hm4IbnWE8MdzAb20oTEFFP_Ogm2DJ9NbLqJIR-W89B0407fpnoNoHs/s4208/IMG_20230728_135242.jpg)
One particular building that really sparked my interest wasthe complex that was once home to the Star Lane Brewery of Beard and Co. Thecompany ceased brewing in 1958, after reaching an agreement with their Lewesneighbours, Harvey’s that the latter would brew for them, but they would sell thebeers under their own name. Forty years later, in 1998, Beard’s sold their 43pubs to Greene King. Today the Star Brewery is home to a series of art galleries, and as thedoor was open, I managed to sneak a quick peep inside, to see if there wasanything remaining from its days as a brewery. The plant had obviously beenstripped out decades earlier, but an old staircase leading to both the upperand lower levels of the building, gave a clue and also a feel of the days when Beard& Co were producing their beers there. Behind the former brewery complexlies the Lewes Arms, (https://www.lewesarms.co.uk/) a former Beard’s pub of course, and a real classic in somany ways.
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Before venturing inside for a drink, I walked up the steep laneat the side of the pub, towards the castle, which I could see, towering over thetown, as I looked out across the pitch of the local bowls club. I paused too,in order to look at the plaque commemorating the Battle of Lewes, which tookplace in May 1264. The skirmish saw an army of barons, led by Simon De Montfort,defeat a royalist force twice their size under King Henry III on the downs, to thenorthwest of Lewes. It is claimed that De Montfort’s victory led to theestablishment of the first English parliament, which met at Westminster, inJanuary of the following year.
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I retraced my footsteps, down to the Lewes Arms, a pub thatis as traditional as anyone could wish for, and popular with visitors and locals alike. Fuller's beers are served, alongside Harvey's Best, plus a guest. Theseare dispensed from a bank of hand-pumps, located in the atmospheric front bar,which has its own door off the corridor. Last Friday, as well as the Harvey’s,there were two Gale's beers on sale, Seafarers and HSB. on sale, I naturallywent for the latter, having enjoyed a glass of the same beer, the previous day atthe Nelson Arms in Tonbridge.
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As with the Gardener’s, the Lewes Arms is another quirky pubthat embodies everything I like about East Sussex's county town. The lively, but well-behavedcrowd in the front bar, were probably of a similar age to myself, but the younggirl behind the bar kept them in order and had everything under control. Shealso served me up a first-class pint of HSB. I ended up sitting in the roombehind the bar, which is one of three rooms in the pub, which was occupied by afamily group and their dog.
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I can highly recommend the Lewes Arms to visitors to thetown, but two pints was sufficient, bearing in mind the bus journey home. I returnedmy glass to the bar and made my way back down School Hill to the main road atthe bottom. I had about 15 minutes to wait before the bus arrived, and thistime I climbed the stairs to the top deck. This made the return journey far more pleasant,as I’d felt rather hemmed in during the outward journey, and the views acrossthe Sussex countryside were a joy to behold. Our first stop was the town of Uckfield, after which theroad skirts the edge of Ashdown Forest as it makes its way towards Crowborough.We arrived back in Tunbridge Wells sometime around half four, by which time my bladderwas rather full. A quick dash to the public toilets in the Royal Victoria Placeshopping centre, followed by the bus back to Tonbridge, saw me home in plentyof time for tea. It was a long journey, just to return a couple of bags ofempties, but it was good to renew my acquaintance with Lewes, and a couple ofits pubs. I shall probably choose somewhere nearer, for my next bus trip,though.
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