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Last Tuesday’s trip to Bath was probably my 5th visitto this attractive city and whilst most of the previous ones had taken place duringa fairly concentrated period, 30 or more years ago, this day out in the citywas a follow-up to the one I made back in March 2022, with a select group drawnfrom the Beer & Pubs Forum. The weather was certainly better this time around,and even though it was dull and overcast, conditions were mainly dry, and certainlymild for the time year.
Although two pubs on the itinerary, had featured on the list18 months ago, they were well worth a repeat visit. The other four though, werenew to me, although I think I’m right in saying they were familiar to themajority of my companions. Tuesday wasn't the best day of the week for me, givenmy semi-retired, part-time three-day work week, but it was certainly a betterday for travelling compared to a Friday, with plenty room on the trains, onboth outward and return journey.
My split ticket, super off-peak return ticket restrictedtravel to certain timed trains, and I'm sure it makes sense for the software toallocate tickets seats accordingly, but I did cheat slightly on the outward journeyinto London. I was supposed to have travelled on the 9:00 Tonbridge - CharingCross service, but this seemed nonsense as the ticket states “No specific seatreserved.” I actually caught the train that departed 35 minutes earlier, as at mytime of life I don't like to rush unless I absolutely have to. Also, it’salways been part of my travel plans to allow ample time for cross-London connections,such as Charing Cross to Paddington.
Fortunately, planned industrial action by TFL workers wascalled off, so there were no issues travelling between the two London terminalsvia the Bakerloo line, and after Oxford Circus I even got a seat. There was abit of time to kill at Paddington, so I inquired about switching my ticket toan earlier train. The answer was I could do so, but it would incur a rathercostly surcharge. I dropped the idea, grabbed a cup of coffee and just enjoyedsitting there, observing the comings and goings that typify a busy railwaystation. All the time I was keeping an eye on the nearby departure board,waiting for the departure platform of the 10:30 train to Bath to be indicatedon the board. Once on board there were plenty of seats to choose from, despitehaving reserved a seat it wasn't really necessary. As it happened someone wassitting in the actual seat, I'd reserved but as there was plenty of roomopposite, I didn't say anything and settled down to enjoy the journey to Bath.

Afact here for train buffs, the GWR service on this part of the network, was bimodal,as although it was powered by over-head electrified wires from Paddington forthe majority of the journey, the train switched to diesel power, once we’darrived at Chippenham. You could tell by the noise, and the vibration. Thischange in power source surprised me, as I’d assumed the GWR mainline had beenelectrified all the way to Bristol and beyond. Talking to former rail workers (Jon & Tracey), who were on the trip shed, some lighton this anomaly – difficulties in running power cables through the tunnels intoBristol Temple Meads. Despite these anomalies the train pulled into Bath Spastation on time, which allowed sufficient time to walk to the first pub on theitinerary, whilst stopping to photograph those city landmarks that I’d missedfrom the 2022 trip, as it was pouring down with rain on that occasion. .

Tucked away in the maze of narrow streets, close to theAbbey, the Roman thermal baths and other central Bath attractions, the Old GreenTree is the current local CAMRA branch pub of the year. Occupying a300-year-old building, which features three oak-panelled rooms, that include asnug at the front of the pub, a centrally located drinking lobby, and acomfortable back bar. In my search for other members of our little group, I initiallymade my way to the latter, before stopping briefly to buy myself a well-deservedpint from the lobby. I was spoilt for choice, with beers from Butcombe,Glastonbury and RCH, along with a house beer - Green Tree Bitter, which isbrewed exclusively for the pub by Blindman's micro-brewery. It was a revelationseeing the two former RCH beers on the bar, as I thought the brewery had closed along time ago, but following a rather convoluted takeover/buyout involving abrewery (Nuttycombe) that I’d never heard of until last Tuesday, PitchforkBitter and Old Slug Porter, are once again gracing select West Country bars.
I then found my way tothe cosy snug bar at the front, and it was there that I found the initial threemembers of the party – Stafford Paul, in his trademark, shirtsleeves attire, JonBenger plus his wife Tracey. Soon after we were joined by Will, aka SheffieldHatter. The arrival of Retired Martin, 15 minutes or so later, completed thegroup for the initial part of the tour, although our numbers were swelledfurther by the appearance of Mrs RM, when we reached the Bell, the last pub onthe official list, and the penultimate one on the revised tour.
With an important work meeting the following morning I hadto pace myself, which was difficult given the impressive beer section. The pale-coloured,and well-hopped, Pitchfork, an old favourite from 20 or so years ago, certainlydid the trick, although if we had stayed a little longer at the Old Green Tree,I would probably have succumbed to a swift half of Old Slug Porter – for oldtimes sake. Incidentally, Wednesday mornings SWOT analysis meeting dragged onfor three hours, so it was just as well that I took things easy, in Bath!
Next up was the Raven, a famous Bath institution, housed in a multi roombuilding, spread out over three different levels. Our group had made a briefvisit to the Raven, 18 months previously, towards the end of our March 2022tour, but this time around the pub was our almost universally agreed designatedlunch stop, something I will jokingly take credit for. I said, “almostuniversally”, because Will used the lunch break to take a bus trip out to thefamous Larkhall Inn, a pub with a two-star listing on CAMRA’s National Heritageregister.
The Raven proved a wise choice for the rest of us, with all fiveof us enjoying an excellent meat pie with mash and veg. I was under the slightlynaïve impression that the pies were made on the premises, but Martin thought(correctly as it turned out) that the pies at the Raven are bought in fromBristol-based, Pieminister Pies. Whatever its source, my steakand Raven Ale Pie was excellent, and whilst most of us chose the same option, StaffordPaul went for the classic beef and ale, Raven Stew, which was reported asequally good.
There was a nice and easy-going atmosphereat the Raven, with a largely student and young person’s crowd. That said, uscodgers certainly didn’t feel out of place, and, unlike our previous visit, whichadmittedly took place on a Friday evening, when people were out celebrating theend of the week, there were plenty of seats, as well as room to move around.The only caution I would use, is the old wooden, Victorian staircases are bothsteep and narrow, so remember that when heading down to the basement toilets.
Reluctantly, we bade farewell to theRaven, and wandered the short distance around the corner, to pub No. 3, The Salamander,where Will was waiting for us, outside. The Salamander is a Bath Ales pub - abrewery that has some sort of tie-up with St Austell, and this was evident fromthe line-up on the bar – three from St Austell (Proper Job, Autumn Bronze andAnthem). Bath Ales also had two hand pulls, but they wereboth for the same beer, the ubiquitous Gem. I went for the Anthem, which was anew one for me, a 3.8% English Pale Ale, smooth and hoppy but, as Will, who kindlybought me a half of this beer found out, it was priced at £6.50 for two halves!
The sole server behind the bar also broke off midway though serving us, to conveya plate of food to a group seated elsewhere in the pub – an act which resulted ina rebuke from Will, on one of the online beer and pub forums. It’s not goodasking me which one, but Will was well within his rights to remark on this verystrange behaviour. The Salamander was pleasant enough, andquite cosy, but Martin summed the place up nicely, as “a small-town pubrunning on upmarket food trade.” So, a disappointment, as was pub No.5, but youwill have to wait for the next installment to find out what it was about the Curfew,a former Wadworth pub that didn’t really float my boat.

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