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Road Trip: English Pub Crawl

Locations in this article:  London, England San Francisco, CA

Butchers Arms Pub Interior - English Pub CrawlIt used to be said that people in the England were never more than 5 miles away from a local pub. Yet for various reasons many of England’s venerable pubs have gone the way of the dodo.

However legions of historic, curious, homey, tasty and otherwise excellent pubs remain throughout the country and are definitely worth a visit for a pint or two.

Bob Ecker reports on some of the notable finds he discovered while navigating England’s tricky roads.

First up, finding reliable transportation to transport me through England’s winding roads and roundabouts, particularly in unpredictable weather. Attractive, reliable and ubiquitous on English roads, my rented Audi A6 TDI diesel, with all-wheel drive would prove quite handy.

Next up, navigation assistance: I got the vehicle’s navigation system up and running and the disembodied voice (I named her Prudence) had a pleasing, yet slightly pedantic, British accent. Driving on the left side isn’t much of a bother, but instant roundabouts getting out of Heathrow are confusing, particularly following an 11-hour Virgin America flight from San Francisco, and a bit of drizzle.

Nonetheless I made it out of Heathrow without incident and headed north and a bit east toward my first stop, the very old and important Medieval trading town of St. Albans.

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RECORD BREAKERS

Ye Olde Fighting Cocks – St. Albans, Hertfordshire

Located down and across a park from the large St. Albans Cathedral about 20 miles north of London, the Ye Olde Fighting Cocks really is ancient and considered the oldest pub in Britain. Ye Olde Fighting Cocks PubEven though it has reportedly been a pub since 1129, there is also some documentation that states that alcohol was sold at this very site in the 700s. Monks apparently dug tunnels connecting the nearby Cathedral and the pub’s beer cellar. The octagonal building may have been originally been constructed as a pigeon enclosure and cock fighting did take place here up until the mid-1800s. The low ceilings (people were shorter then) help make it a very neighborhood-y tavern; when I visited there were seven dogs and five people each enjoying conversation or a book, and a pint of frothy Sussex Ale. This charming pub is definitely worth visiting.

Now dusk I programmed into the GPS my hotel in Bury St. Edmunds in East Anglia. It was about 75 miles away and virtually due east. How hard could it be? The rain was now falling; I was genuinely tired and must have hit 50 or so roundabouts.

Eventually I discovered the key to these traffic circles always stick to the outside (left) lane so that wherever you have to exit you aren’t cutting across any traffic. Enjoying any bucolic English countryside would have to wait since I could only see headlights and roundabouts, mingled with the occasional confusing sign.

Prudence was usually correct but occasionally steered me wrong. Sometimes the command was, “Turn left at the third exit” when we had only two exits to choose from. I made a few incorrect turns and missteps on that drive but finally found Bury St. Edmunds and limped into a charming B & B. Happily, people in England especially outside of London are very friendly and accommodating. The owner, Neil made me feel right at home and the warm fire was a godsend. But I had a pub to visit so soon walked into town.

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The Nutshell – Bury St. Edmunds, SuffolkDark beer made with love - English Pub Crawl

Recognized as the smallest pub in England by Guinness World Records, The Nutshell is but 15 feet wide by 7 feet deep. That’s it. And it’s been functioning this way in Bury St. Edmunds since 1867. When I visited it was nearly packed with 11 people plus the bartender. With The Clash playing in the background and conversations you couldn’t help but overhear, it was like being at a small private party. They once stuffed the place with 102 people and a Jack Russell, and have pictures to prove it. The Nutshell serves the local Green King Brewery IPA and Abbott Ale, both excellent brews. In fact I found these and other Green King ales offered at pubs all over England. This is one quirky pub.

GASTRONOMIC FINDS

The One Bull – Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk

The One Bull GastroPub I curiously stumbled upon this posh pub after The Nutshell and it couldn’t have been more of a contrast. What had once been a rough and tumble bar has been recently refurbished into a modern gastropub featuring distinct separate areas offering elegant dining in the back, a living room-like lounge with couches in the middle and an open accessible bar in front. A large modern beer selection includes local Greene King Ales. Attractive the One Bull serves appetizing home smoked salmon and gastro duck tacos. This pub sports quite a wine list, too.

I then headed north, through the English Midlands to Yorkshire. The English skies were clear for the moment and the airwaves (I always try and listen to local radio when driving) were generally filled with Europop, dance music and local chatter. To my chagrin, I never heard one song by The Stones, Beatles, Who or any other classic British band. The BBC at least had various regional stations offering national and well as international news to keep my brain occupied as the trip north on the big motorway was a bit boring. It sort of reminded me of traveling through Indiana and southern Illinois relatively flat with distant hills. Except for the occasional castle, of course.

Yorkshire is where I hit the gastropub jackpot.

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The Butchers Arms – Hepworth, Yorkshire

The Butchers Arms Gastropub“We changed everything,” said Timothy Bilton. A celebrated television chef who has cooked with Gordon Ramsay among others, Chef Timothy Bilton took an old pub in small Yorkshire hamlet and created perhaps the finest Gastropub in England.

The Butchers Arms has some 15th century beams but the cuisine and vibe is positively English modern. From elegant stemware and an extensive international wine list to eclectic artwork and china, this is what every gastropub aspires a home of culinary excellence rooted in an English country pub.

Bilton acknowledges that his place isn’t for everyone. A certain clientele comes in here and appreciates the finer cuisine. Offering fresh oysters with meunière sauce, delicious venison pie and succulent lamb en croute, this pub delivers the gastro. Fortunately locals still come to the pub portion to enjoy local real ales. “Do what you do and do it well,” said Bilton. He does.

Now driving through lightly blowing snow, I drove on small West Yorkshire roads past and through small industrial cities and towns. The car expertly handled the snow without bother, however many other drivers seemed positively kerfuffled. Even Prudence got confused and led me down a desolate reservoir road nearly into the water itself. She didn’t seem to recognize that no path bisected the water. Ignoring her bleating manifestations, I used common sense and drove toward a road to the north which circumvented the reservoir, leading to my West Yorkshire destination. Prudence never even said, “I’m sorry.”

OLD-FASHIONED TRADITION

Old Silent Inn – Stanbury, Haworth, West Yorkshire

Located in rugged Bronte country of West Yorkshire, the Old Silent Inn is a fine example of what a country pub (and inn) does best. Old Silent Inn PubIt offers friendly service, moderate prices, good pub cuisine and many excellent local cask ales including Theakstons Old Peculier and Pride of Pendle. My favorite was West Yorkshires Landlord by Timothy Taylor, a classic strong pale ale. Locals and a few inn guests mingled in the pub with the roaring fire accompanied by Roxy, the owners English springer spaniel. “If you only have two pints you can still drive,” said nearby Yorkshire resident Steve (Waggy) Wagstaffe, getting ready to head out. If you’re around these haunting moors, the Old Silent Inn is a great spot for a pint or lunch.

West Yorkshires Bronte country was very pretty, with thousands of sheep, little farms and the occasional ruin but I had a Brewery Center to visit down in Burton-On-Trent so retraced some steps then headed south.

A PINT OF EDUCATION

National Brewery Center – Burton-upon-Trent

Yorkshire MoorsThe Museum/Tap Room/working brewery in Burton-upon-Trent used to be the center of the Bass Brewery kingdom and reopened last summer as a new working English beer museum. Long ago it was discovered that deep wells of hard water of Burton-upon-Trent (water with large concentrations of calcium sulfate and magnesium) is perfect for brewing ales. That is one reason why William Bass began his famous Bass brewery on this site in 1777. The Museum showcases an impressive collection of classic brewery transport vehicles that were horse drawn, steam or gas. The Brewery Centers Tap Room dishes up a variety of local products, an old beer, Worthington Ales and a brand new microbrew, White Shield Ale brewed onsite.

Now it was off to Rutland, the tiniest county in England. An anachronism, travelers don’t normally go through Rutland on the way to anyplace else.

Fortunately the English chill, which can cut to the bone, wasn’t an issue in the warm car as I made my way back east and a bit south. Arriving in the incomparable Hambleton Hall, an English country retreat home to fox hunting (now banned) and fine dining, I settled in for some upscale banter. “Rutland is an undiscovered county,” said Tim Hart, owner of Hambleton Hall. Landlocked, this pretty county’s main feature is Rutland Water a large Midlands watershed project, a few small towns and fewer people.

For more on traveling in the area: British Isles Travel section

The Grainstore Brewery – Oakham, RutlandThe Grainstore Brewery

This microbrewery in the small Rutland town of Oakham used to be a railroad granary depot (hence the name) until reopening as a microbrewery in 1995. In what was a three-story grain warehouse a working brewery/brewpub showcases one of the best British examples of the breed.

Grainstore is unlike most British pubs, it’s a modern yet relaxed place to sample and enjoy these local beers. My favorite was the Ten Fifty, a hearty yet balanced caramel-colored ale. This would be a great spot to catch a soccer match.

The Olive Branch – Clipsham, Rutland

This small Inn and gastropub is more French bistro than pub, and wears its Michelin star without pretension.

It offers some fine international beers like Leffe blonde, but the star is the wine list, and the excellent culinary gems such as: fresh partridge with game chips and root vegetables, poached fillet of sea bass with crab and scallop mousse and twice-baked cheese souffles with pear and walnut salad. Intrepid foodies come out to Rutland to visit The Olive Branch and experience this unique country pub.

Coeur De Lion Pub – Bath, SomersetCouer De Lion Pub - Bath, England

When visiting the historic town of Bath, a trip to Coeur De Lion Pub for a fresh Bellringer Cask Ale is a must. Owned by Bath’s only Brewery, Abbey Ales I found this beer to be a bright and hoppy ale, clean and very well-balanced.

Around since 1860 and the smallest in Bath, the Coeur De Lion (Heart of a Lion) is an intimate and very accommodating place to visit. Grab a stool if you can and settle in.

Countless pubs across England still delight visitors and local residents but the modern culinary scene as well as real ales offered are bringing in a new generation of English pub devotees.

Stop in for a meal, some local color and pint or two.

By Bob Ecker for PeterGreenberg.com. Bob Ecker is a Napa, California-based writer covering travel, wine, culinary, sport, film and feature content for magazines and newspapers worldwide.

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