The Four Counties, 14 days, watery pub crawl.

Right folks. At the end of the month we will be embarking on a 14 day holiday on what is known in the narrow boating world as the Four Counties Ring, plus the Caldon canal. This comprises of Staffs, Cheshire, Salop and West Mids. Our itinerary in no particular order as we are not sure if we will be going clock or anti-clockwise yet, it depends which way the boat is facing when we get there, is as follows :-

Barleston-The Plume of Feathers. I know nothing about this place or the pub but in Nicholsons waterways guide it says it does real ale so I will give it a try.

Denford-The Holly Bush. We used this pub the last time we did the Four Counties + Caldon and it did 3-4 good real ales iirc.

Consall Forge-The Black Lion. Not used this pub before but it is well spoken of in the boating world for its beer and food.

Hardingswood, Kidsgrove- The Blue Bell. GBG listed and more CAMRA awards than you can shake a sausage at.

Wheelock-?????????. Not sure which pub to use here. Nicholsons lists 3 pubs doing real ale so will probably try all 3. Advice welcome.

Middlewich-????????. A few pubs in town but none really to my liking. We usually end up in British Legion which has Hydes and a guest on.

Barbridge-The Jolly Tar. It looks to do a few real ales according to its website and as the alternative is the Barbridge Inn which is a pub chain outlet the Jolly Tar looks favourite.

Audlem. Three pubs in the village all do real ale iirc.

Market Drayton-The Talbot or JDW. Talbot does 3-4 ales and good grub and JDWs are JDWs. So we will make our mind up when we get there.

High Offley-The Anchor. More than likely our only lunchtime drink due to timings but it would be rude to pass this apparently “unspoilt hostelry miles from anywhere”.

Brewood. Again several pubs in the village so a mooch about will be called for.

Penkridge. Looking for advice here.

Great Heywood. Same as Penkridge.

Stone-The Swan Inn, The Star Inn & JDWs plus whatever anyone can recommend.

These overnight stops are pretty much where we want to be each night but there is one spare night to allow for hold ups or if the occasion arises somewhere to stay 2 nights, we like the look of somewhere not listed or God forbid a night without the beer if the kidneys are yelping.

I know some of these areas are a bit off the beaten track but please feel free to recommend any pubs which are worth a visit if you are familiar with the places we will be travelling too.

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Originally Posted by Crossste

Right folks. At the end of the month we will be embarking on a 14 day holiday on what is known in the narrow boating world as the Four Counties Ring, plus the Caldon canal. This comprises of Staffs, Cheshire, Salop and West Mids. Our itinerary in no particular order as we are not sure if we will be going clock or anti-clockwise yet, it depends which way the boat is facing when we get there, is as follows :-

Barleston-The Plume of Feathers. I know nothing about this place or the pub but in Nicholsons waterways guide it says it does real ale so I will give it a try.

Denford-The Holly Bush. We used this pub the last time we did the Four Counties + Caldon and it did 3-4 good real ales iirc.

Consall Forge-The Black Lion. Not used this pub before but it is well spoken of in the boating world for its beer and food.

Hardingswood, Kidsgrove- The Blue Bell. GBG listed and more CAMRA awards than you can shake a sausage at.

Wheelock-?????????. Not sure which pub to use here. Nicholsons lists 3 pubs doing real ale so will probably try all 3. Advice welcome.

Middlewich-????????. A few pubs in town but none really to my liking. We usually end up in British Legion which has Hydes and a guest on.

Barbridge-The Jolly Tar. It looks to do a few real ales according to its website and as the alternative is the Barbridge Inn which is a pub chain outlet the Jolly Tar looks favourite.

Audlem. Three pubs in the village all do real ale iirc.

Market Drayton-The Talbot or JDW. Talbot does 3-4 ales and good grub and JDWs are JDWs. So we will make our mind up when we get there.

High Offley-The Anchor. More than likely our only lunchtime drink due to timings but it would be rude to pass this apparently “unspoilt hostelry miles from anywhere”.

Brewood. Again several pubs in the village so a mooch about will be called for.

Penkridge. Looking for advice here.

Great Heywood. Same as Penkridge.

Stone-The Swan Inn, The Star Inn & JDWs plus whatever anyone can recommend.

These overnight stops are pretty much where we want to be each night but there is one spare night to allow for hold ups or if the occasion arises somewhere to stay 2 nights, we like the look of somewhere not listed or God forbid a night without the beer if the kidneys are yelping.

I know some of these areas are a bit off the beaten track but please feel free to recommend any pubs which are worth a visit if you are familiar with the places we will be travelling too.

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I've done the 4 counties ring twice including the detour up to Llangollen so I'll get my thinking hat on and get back to you. :cheers: Don't miss The Anchor though, it's a classic.

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Originally Posted by ROBCamra

I've done the 4 counties ring twice including the detour up to Llangollen so I'll get my thinking hat on and get back to you. :cheers: Don't miss The Anchor though, it's a classic.

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Cheers Rob. Funnily enough the last time we did the Four Counties we set off from Ellsemere half way up the Llangollen.

In Market Drayton try the Red Lion , its the Joules Brewery HQ , around the square are around 12 pubs all about 2 mins from each other , better still jump in a taxi (or moor up nearer, Goldstone Wharf maybe?) and go 5 mins down the road to Cheswardine , 2 pubs , the Fox and Hounds is Joules brewery , recently restored and highly rated , the other is the Red Lion home of Lions Tail Brewery a real gem of a pub . A bit further out is the 3 Horseshoes at Sambrook another hidden gem .

I know little of the pubs en route but it sounds like it will be a fantastic fortnight.:cheers:

At Audlem, you'll be 5 miles from my current national number one unvisited random mission pub - The Bhurtpore Inn (Aston), closer still if you stop anywhere North of there...

And, if you ended up there with a bit of slack in the schedule, a 25min train to Yorton's Railway sounds like it would be rewarding too. (nb request stops...)

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Originally Posted by trainman

At Audlem, you'll be 5 miles from my current national number one unvisited random mission pub - The Bhurtpore Inn (Aston), closer still if you stop anywhere North of there...

And, if you ended up there with a bit of slack in the schedule, a 25min train to Yorton's Railway sounds like it would be rewarding too. (nb request stops...)

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The Bhurtpore is a cracker and well worth a visit though its a fair old trek to the railway station(Wrenbury) down country lanes with no footpaths , half way between Audlem and Aston is the Combemere Arms at Burleydam another very good pub.
In Audlem recent reports say that the Shroppiefly has gone downhill , the Bridge is now very foody with a large conservatory dining room extension

When we do the Bhurtpore beer festivals we take the caravan and pitch on the site behind the Cotton Arms alongside the canal, and walk down to the Bhurtpore. There is also a pub opposite called the Dusty Miller on the canalside. It is a Robinsons pub, and we had Chocolate Tom there last time we went. Upset the locals by winning the quiz in Cotton Arms.

As you walk down there is a Workmans Club that sold real ale too.

First thoughts in no particular order.

Barbridge – The Olde Barbridge Inn is pretty much canalside and is a bit foody, we’ve eaten there a couple of times, they used to have a couple of real ales on. But, there is a rumour that it’s closed down recently. See http://www.justcanals.com/forum/view...hp?f=36&t=4968 . The Jolly Tar used to be more of a drinkers pub, with a bit of a biker thing going on. It’s about ½ a mile away from the Olde Barbridge Inn.

Audlem – Don’t moor up outside the Shroppie Fly, it can get a bit raucous especially at weekend. Depending on which way you’re going there’s a decent bit of mooring 2 or 3 locks up (or 2 or 3 from the bottom) of the Audlem flight. The Fly is still worth a visit though to look at the bar made from an old narrowboat, it sells the real stuff but it’s a bit touristy.

The Bridge used to be a traditional pub with a table football etc. It’s had a serious refurbishment in the last year and we haven’t been since. It’s definitely more foody though.

The Lord Combermere is a traditional village local just down the road. Worth a look.

Coven – not on your list but there’s a decent canalside pub called the Rainbow if you want a swift pint or something to eat on the way past.

Willeymoor Lock – also not on your list. Near Whitchurch, but by canal it’s very isolated. There’s nothing pubwise in either direction for about 3 hours by boat. It sells good food and has a good range of ales often with a couple from nearby Titanic. If it’s getting late then stop here and have a good session, we did. :drinkup::drinkup:

More thoughts to follow on Penkridge, Brewood etc if you're interested.

I was in the Willeymoor a few days ago and was shocked to see GK IPA and Abbot Ale as i walked through the door , i was relieved when i walked round the corner to see Boggarts , Spitting Feathers and Oakham beers on , Graham the landlord says GK are so desperate for sales they are virtually giving him the beer

The Olde Barbridge was open a few weeks ago