[News] [Features]

2002 Boat Trip

by Laurence Fryer

2002 boat trip 27/4/02

Peak Forest Cruises, Macclesfield

Our boat - Sterling 61' 6 berths

Saturday

Before getting underway we needed to lubricate the keel and where better than the puss in boots, Boddies. Almost opposite the entrance to the boat yards.

The Boddies £1.7 was in good nick and this three bar pub close to the canal must p/u a lot of boater trade. We also had lunch with most of the crew going for the mixed grill / big breakfast £4.5

With the time honoured instructions on boat handling and how it all works, ringing in our ears we head off to Congleton. Passing up the chance to visit the Queens Head; we headed for the Bear Town Brewery Tap, on Willow Street. Brightly lit and spotlessly clean. We try Kodiak Gold, Bearskinful and the seasonal India Bear Ale. Sadly, all the tasting notes and prices were lost in what was a very heavy and pleasurable session. Worthy of special mention was the IBA. Aside from the house beers Afflegem Blonde from France was also on offer. Our party was joined by Beartown, Operations Director Steve King. Steve, a London Drinker Beer Festival regular was invaluable in assisting us with potential pubs to visit later in the week. Congleton offers a good selection of pubs to cater for most tastes. Note the 15c Kings Arms. A short cut to the Bear Town if you have moored at the Aqueduct is to walk down to the main road, go under the aqueduct and cross over and continue ahead down Canal Road. Take a right into New Street and follow it round a curve (becomes Townsend Road). At the end turn left and head down to the roundabout. Take the far right hand exit (parade of shops) and the Bear Town is over and to your left.

Sunday

We leave a wet Congleton to arrive at the 2.633 Km Harecastle tunnel. A 40 min grind through the dank and dripping interior, followed by a 30 min cruise leads us to Long Port (Stoke-on-Trent). We tie up within yards of the Pack Horse and call into this friendly traditional pub to enjoy a pint of Slaters Best £1.85. The three course Sunday roast at £5.50 is excellent. The Pack Horse is appropriately enough packed. The air filled with conversation. The bric-a-brac decorating the ceiling gives a homely feel to a cheerful watering hole.

Two more adventurous, crew members head off towards Burslem to see the Red Bull, St Johns Square. A fifteen-minute uphill walk but the effort is well rewarded. The Titanic Brewery tap, with the full range of draught and bottled beers available. Of the two bars we take the right hand "public" and relax watching a game of devil among the tailors, listening to "whiskey in a jar" and reading about the exploits of the Potteries Mountaineering Group. We try the Best Bitter 3.5% £1.58 and Premium 4.1% £1.68. For me, the Premium was the better pint. A delicious hoppy aroma and a smooth palate made this a beer to contend with. Our follow up pint was White Star 4.8% £1.82; robust and full flavoured with a fruity smooth finish. A stroll through the Saloon followed; here there are cartoon prints of characters based on beers from the Shughborough brewery and Titanic brewery Polo shirts and other goodies for sale.

The evening finds us in Milton (S-o-t). Our first pub the Millstream disappoints with unused Burtonwood Best labelled handpumps. A request for real ale being met by the barmaid reaching for the nitrokeg. Bad move. We make our excuses and leave retracing our steps and crossing over the canal pausing only to report a vehicle on fire in a nearby driveway! We head into the Miners Arms. Theakston Best, Old Peculiar and Bass are on draught in what is a lively but increasingly dishevelled pub. Our third pub the Foxley Hotel is a return passing by the Millstream off to our right. This recently refurbished pub has a commanding corner view of the canal and offers several drinking areas. Draught Bass and Ruddles County £1.80 in reasonable nick on offer. Much amusement was afforded the locals by the vagaries of flooring and door gaps as entrants from the toilets who returned too briskly found the door failing to close behind them. Whereas those of a slower paced disposition had no trouble. Something about the Tortoise and Hare story springs to mind.

Monday

We arrive at the Hollybush Dentford. A delightful pub in a delightful setting. Our choice is Courage, Best, Directors and Old Speckled Hen. A popular boaters stop, loads of horse brasses and low beams. Devil amongst the tailors in full swing literally in the front area. The beer was in good nick and the food, we tried beef baguette's plentiful and reasonably priced.

Our evening stop is the wonderful town of Leek. Reached via the 1985 restored Leek tunnel on the Leek branch of the Caldon canal, this is our first (boating) visit to the town. The moorings are in a very quiet area some 15 minutes walk from the town centre. Our first pub is in Butter Market, the Red Lion is a Hyde's' house with an imaginatively restyled interior of an old pub. It's a sort of IKEA meets JD Wetherspoon affair. There's a huge sweeping high-backed settle in the back bar area. On tap was Hyde's bitter 3.8% £1.80, Jeckyll's Gold and Styrian Spring were also on but untried. Our next pub was the Swan, St Edward's St. (GBG 2002) Bass, and IPA's from Flowers and Greene King to try. A charming olde worlde feel with lots of little areas to drink what ha to be said is an uninspiring choice of beers when compared with the choice some three doors away at the Wilkes Head. A friendly and down to earth little pub with a group of musicians strumming away at the back. A selection of beers from Whim brewery including Arbour light 3.6% and Hartington bitter 4.0% for around £1.60 per pint. We adjourned to the quieter left-hand snug and admire a wall decorated with painted plates. A little gem. Across the road and a few doors further down is the Angel, (Den Engel) paradise! A single bar corner pub with four cask ales on draught complemented by eight continental beers. In addition to Titanic Premium, Tower Pale, Goldthorne Wulfrangold and Slaters Bitter, were Leffe Blonde, DeKonink, DeKonink Antoon, Westmalle Trappist, Karmeliet Tripel, Dortmunder Union Pils and Budweiser Budvar. Authentic Belgian dishes are available Wed - Sun evenings. NB lunchtime opening is Fri. - Sun only. If you are travelling to Leek by road a stop before at the Yew Tree, Cauldon Lowe is recommended.

Tuesday

We reluctantly leave Leek and retrace our journey. Unusual for us we choose not to stop for lunch. We soldier on only to miss the 3:00 PM "Northbound curfew" on access to the Harecastle tunnel. Although the tunnel closes at 5:00 p.m. it's width disallows boats to travel in both directions simultaneously. Undaunted we sit down to a large plate of seriously hot turkey curry before, reaching for our guides and taking the 10 minute walk into Tunstall. Passing the "Cottage" more later, we go to the White Hart (GBG2002) The epitome of a back street boozer with Marston bitter £1.84 and Pedigree £1.93. A single bar serves on opened out saloon and TV lounge area. Simple linoleum flooring, wooden tables and NO SWEARING allowed! The beer is good but the TV intrusive and we return via the Cottage. This pub is a bit of a TARDIS inside out. Two main bars, rear poolroom, and an upstairs function room complete the interior of the former beer-house. On pump was Gray's Best Bitter 3.6% (Findlater & Mackie Est. 1832) brewed by Mansfield. I believe it is a seasonal brew. Visitors are welcome to ring Alan the Guvnor (01782) 871916 to find out what's on the taps beforehand. There is a piece on the pub, details with Alan, by Mervyn Edwards of the Potteries Pub Preservation group (01782) 633408

Wednesday

An early 8:00 start through the Harecastle leads to a premature arrival in Congleton. Our first of the day is the Counting House, JD Wetherspoon. As the name implies a former bank. We try Hopback, Summer Lightning, Rebellion Shot-to-bits 4.2% and Taylor's Landlord. A large split level pub with a novel conversion of a strong room into a drinking area. Perhaps the first time a pub has ever actually had a Vault in it rather than the more familiar term for a snug. We depart Congleton and ascend the Bosley twelve flight of locks. Next is the hi-tech swing bridge. Replacing an old heavy swing bridge, boaters now insert a special key into a console and follow the instructions. As if by magic barriers fall. The bridge rises, twists and Sterling glides past. We moor and cross the busy road to try the Fools Nook, Boddington Bitter £2.00 (ouch!) The pub has two bars Fool's Paradise and Angler's Nook we take the right hand Nook bar and "enjoy" a pint of reasonable Boddingtons at a pricey £2.00

We find ourselves back in Macclesfield and moor up opposite our boat yard to water up. The moorings are poor and we cheekily use the water point as our moorings. Macclesfield has a deservedly good reputation for good pubs and our evenings crawl starts by heading downhill from the boatyard and taking a left into Green Street. No 40 is the Baths (I felt like I needed a bath!) so in we went. Bank's Original (nee Mild), Bitter, Adnam bitter and Boddies greet us. Pool is taken seriously here with the whole back room given over to it. We adjourn to the quaint front room that has an austere style with Laura Ashley overtones. We return to the main road and continue downhill and ahead under the railway line. Heading left past the bus station to the George and Dragon, for four pints of electrically dispensed perfect Robinsons best £1.79. The simple décor cannot detract from the universal appeal of good beer and company. There are two adjoining drinking areas served by a common bar. Reluctantly we leave returning along our route and two of us check out the Queens Hotel, Joseph Holts Mild and Bitter £1.24 (yes £1.24) on handpump. A vast house with two main bars that was quiet even for a Wednesday night. A shame as the beer's in good nick. We rejoin our crew along and left into the Waters Green Tavern, A large corner house on a bell mouth junction with four other pubs adjacent. The pubs style will be familiar to North London drinkers with it's brewers Tudor frontage. It's what's within that drives us to the bar! Despite the crowded bar. We find some seats and try Pictish Brewers Gold £1.75, Dorothy Goodbody Golden, Taylor Landlord £1.85 and Moonshine Pale Ale £1.80. The interior has the feel of having been rescued from the big brewers with a lived in feel. By now the evenings imbibing was taking it's toll. However, my memory of a superb evening out will remain with my fellow boaters and me for a long time to come. There's also a first class Kebab house across the road. I rest my case.

Thursday

After an early morning run for me, we set off for Marple junction. Marple would have entailed for us a trip down the flight of locks had our travel plans became curtailed by the landslip earlier in the year. For those crew members who had never experienced the glory of the Marple flight and Aqueduct a thirst giving walk was in order. After a photo call at the Aqueduct and a wave to the passing trains we head back to the Ring O' Bells, an appropriate name as in common with many rural pubs we just make afternoon closing time. We slack our thirst with pints of Robinson's Mild and Best and Stockport Arches 4.0%. We continue our journey and reach the terminus at Whaley Bridge, a faltering 360° turn and we moor up. We are promised some great pubs, chippies and curry houses. An early evening reconnaissance trip takes to the Shepherds Arms, a delightful compact two-bar pub with a welcome coal fire in the public. On offer are Marston Best, Pedigree and Banks Original. Prices averaged £1.65 a pint. Our next call is at the Railway a corner Robinsons house next to the station. Both mild and bitter available in what are noted across the Robinsons estate as aesthetically unchallenging environments. Nonetheless a comfortable locals pub. Forget the Jodrell Arms opposite it's gone to pub heaven. Our next pub is over the road and right for the Goyt Inn. Lots of reproduction woodwork lend this one bar pub a traditional feel. Although one couldn't help feeling this was one of the tourist trap pubs in the town. Despite the Vaux signage, we are offered Tetley Dark mild, Bitter and Greene King Abbot. We try the mild and bitter for £1.65 approx. The beer is in good nick We sit in the right hand side and watch a game of darts between a father and his enthusiastic young son. The pub gets its name from the local river. After dinner we venture out and try the Navigation, almost as sister pub to the Goyt it's one street further into town. Despite a row of impressive handpumps all that was on offer was (yawn) Theakston Best £1.65. As with the Goyt, a single bar serves a saloon to one side and a darts area to the right. Lots of canal nauticalia abound but the tourist trap gut feeling returns to me. We make our excuses and leave to revisit some of the earlier pubs and are delighted to find the saloon bar of the Shepherds was hiding a pump for Marston, Burton Cathedral 4.8%. A mobile call into the curry house, comprised from the former Charrington Coal office we think, adjacent to the station entrance to advance order some biriany curries was rewarded with some of the best curry we've ever had on a boat trip. Had time permitted we were considering a train trip into Manchester for an evening's entertainment so you may wish to schedule your arrival to do this.

Friday

A short chug back to New Mills. An early arrival gives us time to stroll into town and visit the covered market. We were just about to return to the boat via a try-also pub when we spotted the signs to take us back via the Millennium walkway crossing over the river Goyt and giving us fine views of the river and abandoned mills all of which would be missed by the motorist. The walkway completes the walkers link known as E2 which runs from Nice to Stranraer. It is worth stopping in New Mills for the views alone. However, there is the Beehive to visit. The pub is a much renovated corner house. With its tiled floor, it is clean to almost clinical standards, the beer is good. We try Ale Force 4.2% £1.90 from the Storm Brewing Co. of Macclesfield. Also available was Boddingtons at £1.60. There is separate Indian restaurant upstairs which makes the inevitable journey to the curry house a short near vertical ascent, rather than a bloated and bewildered traipse around town!

The afternoon cruise to Bollington uneventful aside from a brief stop for water at Marple. We moor close to the aqueduct and wend our way down a steep flight of steps. Our first pub is the Queens Arms, 49 High St. Robinson's Mild and Bitter £1.48 and £1.60 to be enjoyed in far more salubrious surroundings than Robbo's have thus far seen fit to offer us. Two-tone paintwork, carpeting, subdued lighting and music in your head rather than your face. A single bar house with an opened out snug to left and a pool table to the right. The bar area has a novel radiator cover that doubles as a seat! The next pub is a 10-minute walk and up a short hill to take us to the Poachers Inn. This is four cottages knocked into one long thin predominantly dining pub. Well the Friday crowd were mostly diners. We try Landlord £1.90 and Wychwood Whirlygig £1.90. Also available were Boddies and London Pride. Lots of whiskey bottle canisters (empty!) are used as decoration along with old prints of the area. Retracing our steps, we call at the Spinners Arms, undoubtedly one of the liveliest venues this week. This four-roomed pub has separate pool, darts and animated conversation coming from all corners. The front right hand area draws an older crowd with the reminder given over to the youth of Bollington in full cry. A reasonable pint of Boddies £1.62 The décor is a curious mix of traditional old prints ending up with the "Dogs playing pool" type, more "Del boy" than down boy! I nominated myself as scout and went in search of something more salubrious. My search was not in vain. Turning left and heading down the street a few yards on the right and we find the Hollybush at 75 Palmerston Street. A gem (Well I think so). Lots of 30's wood panelling and a warm cosy feel that made you feel almost like you'd come home. The single bar has been opened out to serve the left hand snug in addition to the main lounge. The walls were adorned with pencil prints. An upstairs meeting / pool room and outside gents via a part covered patio complete the picture. The patio's small size, has been put to good use with lots of plants on display. The Robinson's Mild and Bitter at £1.50 and £1.60 whilst in not as good nick as in some earlier Robbo's houses was very drinkable. The pub reminded me a lot of the many fine former Bass or Trumans houses in North London that have lost their distinctive interiors to the surgical scalpel of the narrow minded short-termism that has blighted them permanently. A great finish to a great boat trip. The next morning we made a fast exit and chugged the few miles back to Macclesfied and home. Although, not the trip we had planned originally. The truly magnificent scenery, friendly pubs and people made this a trip to remember for a long time to come.

The following guides assisted in the research of this article:
The Camra Good Beer Guide 2002
Camra's The best waterside pubs in England and Wales

Further information:
www.beartownbrewery.co.uk
www.newmills.org.uk

© Laurence Fryer 2002

Top