Higher Buck - Waddington

I'd not visited The Higher Buck in Waddington for some time, preferring the excellent ales of the Lower Buck and the fact that we virtually have a timeshare in the Waddington Arms, we're there so often. The Scarecrow festival was in full force, so it was as good an opportunity as any to see what I'd been missing. Lancaster Bomber & Kaltenburg Hell on tap (a bit of a treat for lager drinkers). I'd been assurred that the food was good, but had already eaten. A vague memory of an article in the Clitheroe Advertiser tells me that the cook was from Ireland and eager to make a name for himself, so it could well be worth a try.

Unfortunately there were a few things that were off-putting and reminded me why I'd always go to either of the other Waddington pubs. Firstly the piped music drove me half-nuts. Having to listen to "I will always Love You" while supping your pint sucks all the pleasure out of it. The decor is all over the place, as if they had received a job lot of cheap furniture. New high-backed pine pseudo MacIntosh chairs are next to old pub tables, and the whole place feels cluttered. It looks like they have been to different pubs, got decorating ideas from each one, then stuck them together.

So, if you are planning a Waddington pub crawl, this is the one to start in, rather than finish in.

Crowtrees Inn - Tosside

We found this pub purely by chance as we were planning a walk, then noticed a pub in the middle of nowhere on the Ordnance Survey map. We planned our route accordingly, and it soon became obvious that we were headed towards a caravan site. Our expectation was that this was going to be some awful purpose-built pub with one stale beer on tap, so we were surprised to find an ancient inn sandwiched between the chalets and the site shop & offices.

It was deserted on the bank holiday monday that we arrived, but we were assurred that it had been packed at the weekend with holidaymakers. I think we probably preferred it deserted, but it was good to hear that it was being successfully run. The choice of beers wasn't brilliant - (a bland selection of the usual mass-produced stuff) but it was welcome enough after a short walk.

It's a shame this pub is located where it is, as it looks like it's been lifted from the Cotswolds and could easily be the kind of place people travel miles to if the food and drink were top notch. Still, it does it's job of keeping caravanners happy and is an interesting diversion for the rest of us.

Swan with Two Necks - Pendleton

First off, I'm sure I've got a better photo of The Swan With Two Necks somewhere. This one's taken on a (not uncommon) drizzly day, missing out any of the nearby buildings that give Pendleton such character. It's the kind of place you have to dodge art groups painting the rural idyll. Anyway, despite this photo, the Swan is one of those great places to sit outside on a warm day.

Inside, the decor is slightly twee - lots of ornamental teapots line the walls, but it's a friendly place and you soon feel at home. The beer selection is excellent and unusual. There's usually 4 real ales on tap, and often I've not heard of a couple of them. These are rotated pretty regularly and are always well kept. The food is home-cooked with care and is excellent value.

So, a pub in an idyllic village undiscovered by tourists, serving great beer & food. What are you waiting for?