Calderdale Meanderings.
The train tickets had been purchased, the itinerary for the Fox & Goose Beer Festival
at Hebden Bridge planned and then a few days before disaster struck -
So what to do now ?. Under his guise as Ted Bovis, Entertainments Officer, Ian came
up with plan B -
After a hearty breakfast at Wetherspoons in Leeds Station we set off to Mirfield to visit the Navigation Tavern, pictured, which is next to the Calder & Hebble navigation and adjacent to a marina. The pub is a registered ambassador for Theakstons and along with four guest beers had a total of eight ales on sale. Pints of Empire Valour, Phoenix Flash Flood and Snow Bound were enjoyed in front of a roaring coal fire in the small bar before we ventured back to the station in the fog for a train onto Brighouse.
On arriving at Brighouse, we walked towards the town centre and according to Ian’s map, we could take one of his legendary ‘short cuts’ along the Calder and Hebble Navigation to our next pub, the Red Rooster, which meant walking along the towpath on the wrong side of the canal until we could find a crossing point !. Eventually we found a road bridge and doubled back and finally arrived at the Red Rooster which is situated on a sharp bend on the Brighouse to Elland Road. The bar, pictured, had nine beers on sale, and we both chose a pint of RCH Gold.
We left the Red Rooster avoiding the ‘short cut’ this time, heading along the main road back into the town to the Olde Ship Inn on Bethel Street which is Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA’s Pub of the Year for 2010, and had seven beers on offer from which
On arriving at Brighouse, we walked towards the town centre and according to Ian’s map, we could take one of his legendary ‘short cuts’ along the Calder and Hebble Navigation to our next pub, the Red Rooster, which meant walking along the towpath on the wrong side of the canal until we could find a crossing point !. Eventually we found a road bridge and doubled back and finally arrived at the Red Rooster which is situated on a sharp bend on the Brighouse to Elland Road. The bar, pictured, had nine beers on sale, and we both chose a pint of RCH Gold.
We left the Red Rooster avoiding the ‘short cut’ this time, heading along the main road back into the town to the Olde Ship Inn on Bethel Street which is Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA’s Pub of the Year for 2010, and had seven beers on offer from which
we both chose Rossendale Glen Top Bitter.
Whilst sitting in the bar Ian nudged me and said, “Look who’s just come in !” and stood at the bar was the one and only Geoff Williams aka ‘The Beer Stalker’ with his pal ‘Tricky Ricky’. After the usual “What are you doing here ?‟ we had a ‘beers and breweries’ related conversation before leaving and heading back up the hill to catch the train to Sowerby Bridge.
Whilst sitting in the bar Ian nudged me and said, “Look who’s just come in !” and stood at the bar was the one and only Geoff Williams aka ‘The Beer Stalker’ with his pal ‘Tricky Ricky’. After the usual “What are you doing here ?‟ we had a ‘beers and breweries’ related conversation before leaving and heading back up the hill to catch the train to Sowerby Bridge.
On our arrival at Sowerby Bridge, we walked into town crossing the river Calder and turned into Hollins Mill Lane passing The Works up to the Puzzle Hall, pictured left, a former brew pub but now owned by Timothy Taylor Brewery in Keighley.
Along with the Timothy Taylor beers, there were altogether a range of five ales and we sat down with pints of Goose Eye Chinook Blonde in front of a welcoming log fire. We had a long conversation with members of a Bolton and Manchester drinking group who were in town for the beer festival at The Works.
We then headed back down the lane to The Works, pictured. A past winner of CAMRA’s pub design award for Conversion to Pub Use, The Works is a former joinery shop with exposed brickwork and beams, and had eight beers for sale on the ground floor from which Ian chose Old Bear Sam’s and I had the house beer, Work’s Bitter, before heading upstairs to the festival venue. There were plenty of beers on handpump and gravity but there were very few customers at the time so we decided to head back to the railway station to the Jubilee Refreshment Rooms.
Along with the Timothy Taylor beers, there were altogether a range of five ales and we sat down with pints of Goose Eye Chinook Blonde in front of a welcoming log fire. We had a long conversation with members of a Bolton and Manchester drinking group who were in town for the beer festival at The Works.
We then headed back down the lane to The Works, pictured. A past winner of CAMRA’s pub design award for Conversion to Pub Use, The Works is a former joinery shop with exposed brickwork and beams, and had eight beers for sale on the ground floor from which Ian chose Old Bear Sam’s and I had the house beer, Work’s Bitter, before heading upstairs to the festival venue. There were plenty of beers on handpump and gravity but there were very few customers at the time so we decided to head back to the railway station to the Jubilee Refreshment Rooms.
Run by CAMRA member Andrew Wright and brother Chris, the Jubilee Refreshment Rooms have been refurbished into a cafe bar in a building which dates back to 1876. The cafe serves excellent fayre daily and also features a “Whistle Stop Window” which opens for takeaways for the early morning rush hour commuters. The refreshment rooms have now become a stop on the Calder Valley Rail Ale Trail and up to six beers are available from local micros, we sampled some of Huddersfield’s finest in Mallinsons Best Bitter.
A train back to Leeds found us staying away from the usual drinking establishments to drop into a Leeds gem, The Victoria Family and Commercial Hotel, pictured, hidden away behind Leeds Town Hall. The pub was built in 1865 to serve people attending the assize courts held in the town hall and has splendid Victorian features. The last beer of the day from a range of six available was fittingly CAMRA’s Champion Beer Of Britain 2010, Castle Rock Harvest Pale which brought to a close a very satisfactory day.
John Magson & Ian Jackson
John Magson & Ian Jackson
(Photo: Adrian Bell)