York (last Sunday) ... pre-match

Lion & Lamb ... TT Ram Tam 4.3%
Three-Legged Mare ... York Constantine 3.9%
Cross Keys ... Long Man Brewery Old Man 4.3%
Guy Fawkes ... Rudgate Ruby Mild 4.4%
everyone a winner!

post-match (drowning sorrows) ...

Snickleway Inn ... Great Newsome Frothingham Best 4.3%
Pivni ... Okells Jiarg 4.7%
Judges ... Thwaites Hobnobbler 4.7%
Maltings ... Elephant School Red Riot 4.3%
Tap ... Saltaire New World Red 5.2% & Hardknott Infra-Red 6.2%

Rugby, what rugby

Catterick (Saturday post-Racing) ...

Bridge House Hotel ... Black Sheep Ale


Farmers Arms ... Black Sheep Bitter
Angel ... GK IPA Reserve 5.4%


Bay Horse ... Jennings Bitter x 2
Oak Tree Inn ... Sam Smiths Old Brewery Bitter x 2

back to the Bridge House for the overnight but not before 2 more Black Sheep Ale

Sunday ...

Called at the Boot & Shoe at Barkston Ash ... Black Sheep Riggwelter 5.9%

Thursday evening (after Leigh Sports Village) ...

Travellers Rest, Lowton ... Theakston River's Answer 3.7% & Theakston Best Bitter 3.8%.

Friday afternoon (pre-England v Exiles) ...

Ferry Tavern, Penketh ... Ruddles County 4.3%
Barn Owl, Agden Wharf ... Lancaster Bomber 4.4%
Rams Head, Grappenhall ... Dunham Massey Landlady 4.0%
Looking Glass, Warrington ... Batemans XXXB 4.8%

Friday (post-England v Exiles) ...

Blue Bell, Warrington ... Wells Bombardier 4.1%
Friar Penketh, Warrington ... Moorhouse's Ambler Rambler 4.8%

Whalley (between Burnley & Clitheroe) ... Yesterday evening ...

Whalley Arms ... Copper Dragon Golden Pippin 3.9%
Swan Hotel ... Bowland Hen Harrier 4.0% & Bowland Sawley Tempted 3.7%
Dog Inn ... Saltaire Triple Chocoholic 4.8%
De Lacy Arms ... Thwaites Wainwright 4.1%

Fence (later) ...

Ye Old Sparrowhawk ... Reedley Hallows Old Laund Bitter 3.6%

Bury (yesterday afternoon ... Wednesday) ...

Art Picture House ... Spitting Feathers Solstice 4.1%
Malt ... Outstanding Beers Silver Fox 4.0%
Robert Peel ... Dunscar Bridge Fathers Pride 4.4%
Trackside ...NS Hambleton Ales Nightmare 5.0%

Rawtenstall (later)

Buffer Stops ... Lancaster Black 4.6%

Thursday ...

Railway Hotel, Hebden Bridge ... (the strangely named) Ringwood Lovey Warne 4.2%
Lundhill Tavern nr Wombwell ... Black Sheep Golden Sheep 3.9%
Church House, Wath ... Acorn Old Moor Porter 4.4%
Boat, Sprotborough ... Sharps Doom Bar 4.0%

Saturday evening ...

Three Horseshoes, Wensley ... Walls County Town Brewery Gun Dog Bitter 3.8% & Yorkshire Dales Brewing Company Three Horseshoes Ale 4.0%

Buck Inn, Thornton Watlass ... Black Sheep Bitter, Theakstons Bitter and Nick Stafford Hambleton Ales Hot To Trot 4.0%.
The last-named was very nice indeed ... as was breakfast

Sunday in Skipton (pre-Keighley) ...

Devonshire Arms ...Freeminer Iron Brew 4.2%
Narrow Boat ... Okells Bitter 3.7%

Friday evening (after the rugby) ...

Salutation, Doncaster ... Pheasantry Dark Ale & Adnams Broadside.

Northwich (Saturday evening) ...

The Watermead (Lostock Gralam) ... Marstons Pedigree
Swinging Witch ... Lancaster Bomber
Penny Black ... Hawkshead Brodies Pride 4.9% & Phoenix Wobbly Bob 6.0%

Doncaster (yesterday) ...

Red Lion ... York Decade 4.1% & Thornbridge Lord Marples
Angel ... Marstons Pedigree
Goose ... GK IPA
Gatehouse ... Acorn Gorlovka & Ruddles Bitter

Returned earlier this afternoon from a couple of days in Norfolk. Highlights on the RA front ...

The Crown and Mitre in Kings Lynn had half a dozen real ales and was visited Friday evening and again Saturday evening.

The Jolly Saliors (Brancaster Staithe) had a very palatable pint of Woodfordes Wherry.

The Fox & Hounds at Heacham, home to the Fox Brewery, dispensed an excellent pint of the brewery's All Black Pale Ale.

En-route back from Norfolk, a quick visit to what the GBG describes as 'the only pub owned by the Milestone Brewery', the Crown at Normaton on Trent. Milestone Ruby red ale in excellent form.

Visited the Bridge Inn at Rotherham on Tuesday evening. 10 real ales including 5 from the nearby Chantry Brewery and 2 from Old Mill.

wow Gary how were you in the morning .

Perhaps I should qualify my statement ... The pub had 10 real ales ... I tried 5 of them (plus a quick pint in the Bluecoat).

Called at Eccleshall (Staffs) on Friday evening, came across a lovely pub owned by Joules Brewery, the Royal Oak and had one of the brewery's ales Slumbering Monk ... very nice!

Later, very decent pints of Lancaster Bomber at the Coach & Horses in Stafford.

A relaxing evening at the Gateway, East Didsbury (W'spoons) breaking the journey between Shrewsbury (Bolton fixture) and Batley (Dons fixture).

Featured brewery seemed to be Peerless (they had 3 of their ales). Tried 2 in the shape of Uncle Sam Red Ale 4.5% & Oatmeal Stout 5.0%. Also had a couple of the very nice Red Willow Sleepless 5.4%

Visited Sadlers Brewery at the Windsor Castle, Lye (nr Stourbridge) last Wednesday. Excellent tour and their Red House (Mild) & Lion Hart (Blood Orange Ale) are both lovely drinks.

Highlights of 2 nights in Stourbridge were Lancaster Red in the Edward Rutland (one of 2 Wetherspoons) and Craddocks Lions Pride in the brewery tap, the Duke William.

Stumbled on the Knights’ Table at the Travellers Rest at Quarnford Flash Bar en-route home from Stourbridge. It can be found on the A53 close to the Staffordshire / Derbyshire border ... well worth a visit if out that way. Medieval themed, spectacular views and real ale ... wonderful!

Drinks in Newton-le-Willows last night post the CC Semi-Final at LSV. The highlight of which was the Pied Bull which had Doom Bar and a Tetley's-brewed 'house ale'.

Best pint of the evening though was the Morland Original in the Lymewood Farm near the TL at Haydock / St Helens.

Jennings Sneck Lifter (Spinning Mule) & Moorhouses Barristers Brief (Barristers Bar) the highlights of an evening in Bolton last Saturday.