Ribble Valley Pubs

The Green Man - Inglewhite

2011-03-12T01:07:00.000-08:00

Our visit to the Green Man was brief but enjoyable. We were passing through the Lancashire Cheese Zone of Bowland and happened upon the pub, which has a very good reputation, and stopped in for a quick pint.

It looks as though the pub has been refurbished fairly recently, and it looks spotless. The service was friendly and the beer selection was good - some real ales I'd not tried before! The menu was impressive and very good value, and I liked the fact that you could get a bacon bap for just £2 if you were in need of a late breakfast. There were lots of home-made cakes on sale too, which showed the owners enjoyed cooking.

So, just a quick visit, but very good first impressions!

The Parkers Arms - Newton in Bowland

2011-01-22T04:23:00.000-08:00

Why so long before posting a review of my favourite foodie pub? Lack of a photograph - I must have been so eager to get inside and order that I've neglected to get a snap of the pub. Anyway, that was sorted out and here we go.

Up until a couple of years ago, The Parkers Arms was an ok pub in a fantastic location. Fine for a quick pint and a sandwich if passing, but not worth a special trip due to its very rural location. It was then taken over by the owners of Weezos, who'd very quickly built up an excellent reputation in nearby Clitheroe. Fast-forward through a long period of refurbishment, and we have a pub that looks great, is in a lovely location, very friendly owners, and some of the best food you'll ever be served in a pub.

The food is the big draw at The Parkers Arms. I've yet to be served anything that wasn't top notch, and my only complaint is with the ever-changing menu, my latest favourite dish goes off the menu and I have to try something else. No great trial! Particular favourites have been the game pie, Lancashire hot pot, seafood sharing plate and the ploughmans lunch. I know - these just sound like bog-standard pub-grub, but the amount of care and detail put into them elevate these pub staples into outstanding meals. Virtually everthing is sourced locally, and very fresh. Sometimes this means things go off the menu, but this is much preferable to the usual pub practice of having a large freezer, an oven and a microwave.

This isn't a place to go if you're impatient - the food is cooked to order and during busy periods it may take a bit of time if you've ordered one of the more complicated dishes. My advice is to chill out, enjoy a Bowland Ale, and take pleasure in the food when it arrives. Those who do will be richly rewarded.

The Black Bull - Old Langho

2011-01-17T07:34:00.000-08:00

Here's a pub that was completely off my radar until I noticed a pub symbol on the ordnance survey map I'd had made that was centred on my postcode. Not only was there a pub in the Ribble Valley that I wasn't aware of, it was in walking distance!

Obviously I had to check the place out and duly put on my walking boots and set off towards the Black Bull. It's located in "Old Langho", not to be confused with "Langho", which is a few miles up the road. It's actually closer to Brockhall Village.

What I found was an old country inn situated on its own along a quiet road a short walk from the Ribble. I only stopped for a couple of pints, so can't comment on the food quality, but it semed tobe pretty good value for the area. What I did enjoy was sitting at the bar and having a chat about the pub with the staff, who were very friendly and welcoming. It turned out that the bulk of the customers came from the aforementioned Brockhall Village (A gated community where Blackburn Rovers training ground is located). I could easily have stayed the afternoon if it wasn't for the thought of the long walk back.

In respose to my last post? Some good news.

2010-02-03T01:54:00.000-08:00

I was pleasantly surprised to find The Station in Clitheroe closed for refurbishment just a few weeks after my last post. Perhaps someone from Thwaites occasionally reads this blog? This is great news as The Station has the potential to be a landmark pub in town.

Other good news is that The Castle has re-opened, as seems to have had a thorough scrub and polish. Not really my pint of lager, but all pubs help the vibrancy of a town if run well.

Finally, The Parkers Arms in Newton in Bowland has finished off its refurbishment, and is currently serving some of the best pub food in the country. Much more to follow about this cracking pub.

The Station, Clitheroe

2009-11-02T02:07:00.000-08:00

I'm loathe to give a pub a less than stellar review, but The Station is one pub where I've never left feeling anything but glad that I'm off to somewhere else in town. It's location near the railway station (of course!) lends itself as a good place to kick off a night on the town, and as a consequence, I've been there many more times that I would do under my own steam.

It's difficult to put my finger on why I'm not keen, after all, it's in a classic pub building in my favourite town. Well, the beers are at the less adventurous side of the Thwaites range, and they appear to sell more lager here than bitter. I usually opt for the mild, which is served well. It's not an unfriendly place, but it can be very quiet at times.

My guess why I'm not keen is that the subdued lighting would go well if they had retained the original decor, but combined with an ill-judged refit some decades ago give it an feeling of gloom. It's a shame, as it's not far from being a good pub. Perhaps Thwaites will see fit to do it up a bit and give it the life it needs.

The Coach and Horses, Bolton by Bowland

2009-10-19T04:40:00.000-07:00

The Coach and Horses looks like a solid coaching Inn from the outside, but it's something quite different when you walk in. Check out their website http://www.boutiquedininghouse.co.uk/
to see what I mean.

"Woah, I just want a pint and a bite to eat", I hear you say. Well, you'll be very pleasantly surprised at the Coach and Horses as they stock excellent beer (Bowland Brewery & Copper Dragon) and the food is some of the best we've had in a pub. The first time we ate there, we went straight back the next week and it was just as good. All the dishes we had were excellent, which is something that can't be said of the Three Fishes. (A little too random there - see previous review).

It's a very friendly place too and we were impressed by the fact that you could just nip in and get takeaway fish/chips if you were in a hurry. Somehow the owners seem to have pulled of the spectacularly difficult trick of combining a proper local that serves the community with an upscale eating place that doesn't cost anywhere near what it should do.

The Bay Horse, Barrow (Near Clitheroe)

2009-10-05T05:03:00.000-07:00

Just outside Clitheroe lies the tiny village of Barrow, hidden away from the A59. Built mainly along the road that connects Clitheroe with Whalley, it's the sort of place you could easily drive through in your hurry to get somewhere else. Leaving aside the quietly excellent Chinese and Itlian restaurants, Barrow is well worth popping into just to have a pint at the Bay Horse.

This to me is what a real Lancashire pub should be like - one that hasn't really changed too much over the years. It's worth just nipping in for a pint of their superb mild, which is as good as any I've ever tasted. As you sup your pint, take a look at the area behind the bar which has managed to survive passing fads and looks much like it did when it was originally installed.

It's a very friendly place too. We were once there fairly early on on a Sunday, and were delighted to be given a piece of home-made cake from one of the regulars!

Tough days for pubs in the Ribble Valley

2009-10-05T03:37:00.000-07:00

* Edit - Jan 2011 - At the time of writing, The Freemason's Arms, The Castle, and The Edisford Bridge have all re-opened and are hopefully doing well. I'll keep this post as a historical record of how the 2009 recession hit pubs hard.

It's my sad duty to re-start the blog with some pretty dismal news about pub closures in the Ribble Valley. The Craven Heiffer in Chaigley, The Freemasons Arms at Wiswell, The Castle at Clitheroe, The Bridge Inn Clitheroe, and the Edisford Bridge also in Clitheroe are all currently shut.

I'm particularly saddened by the closure of the Craven Heiffer as it had quickly become my favourite place to eat in the Ribble Valley. The food there was exceptional and it always felt like you were visiting old friends when you popped in.
The Freemasons had also turned a corner. My review on this blog criticized the unfriendly owners, but it was sold on to new proprietors who had turned it into a much more welcoming pub.
The Castle & the Edisford Bridge appear to be the victims of PubCos - venture capitalist funded companies who buy up pubs and milk them for all they are worth. Pub managers are often bullied and charged exorbitant rents and costs. These managers don't last long, hence all the signs you see about saying "You can run THIS pub!" If you see such a sign, just keep walking.
Anyway, the reasons for pubs going under are many - the smoking ban, the wider economy, the rise in home-drinking, PubCos etc etc; so all I can say is support your local pub. Instead of downing a bottle of red at home, go out and have a couple of pints of good real ale in a pub that knows how to serve it. Your money will have helped keep a real British institution open rather than have it go into the ether that is the big supermarkets' overflowing bank accounts.

Tillotson's Arms - Chipping

2007-11-04T10:57:00.000-08:00

One of the main reasons for finding ourselves in Chipping is to have a pie at the Sun Inn, but recently we've been gravitating first to The Tillotson's Arms first for a pint or two. The beers here are well served and it's a treat to have Tim Taylor's Golden Best on tap in Lancashire. The Tillotson's is a very friendly pub, and you're made to feel very welcome, but it's also a great place to sit outside, and watch as bicycles, farm vehicles, and the like try and navigate the narrow windy road that goes past the pub.

The Three Fishes Mitton Near Whalley

2007-03-18T03:07:00.000-07:00

The Three Fishes is certainly one of the best known pubs in the Ribble Valley, getting much publicity in the national press for it's food. In many ways it represents the Ribble Valley to those visiting the area, but I find it has a lot more in common with the foodie pubs you find in places like Berkshire or Oxfordshire.

Arty photos of local food producers adorn the walls and your menu has a map showing the location of the various ingredients of your food order. I always permit myself a slight chuckle at the fact that most of the fish comes from that famous nautical town Clitheroe (no sea for 50 miles?). Saying that, the Wellgate Fisheries in Clitheroe is top notch.

This being a foodie pub, you're not encouraged to hang around the bar, though you are supposed to order everything there. I'm still not 100% sure how you're supposed to order at the Three Fishes, despite having eaten there numerous times.

Beer is mainly Thwaites (and some excellent bottled beers) with a good variety of wines and some rather expensive soft drinks for the kids. The main draw is the food, though, so it's not the kind of place you'd feel comfortable in if you're dripping in sweat after a 100km cycle ride through the Ribble Valley hills.

Food, it must be said, can be a disappointment at times. On a number of occasions we've walked away thinking that this isn't really the best local food. The 'House Cured Meats' was meagre and rather bland while the 'Goosnargh Chicken in Broth' was like something you'd knock up at home when you'd run out of ingredients and had to raid the cupboard. Saying that, we've also had some excellent food there. A recent Christmas dinner was superb and their chicken liver pate is the best I've ever tasted and a meal in itself. I would make sure to read between the lines of the rather flowery descriptions, and realise the food is probably going to be a lot more basic than it sounds.

My advice is to lower your expectations slightly, get in there early as it gets packed, and realise that this is actually a Southern style gastro pub rather than a true Ribble Valley Pub.

The New Inn - Clitheroe

2006-11-05T08:46:00.000-08:00

Situated at the foot of Clitheroe Castle, The New Inn is certainly the best place in town to get a pint of beer. There are 4 real ales on during the week, with a couple more at the weekends. All are served perfectly, and so it's no surprise that it's in the 2007 Good Beer Guide. The choice of ales varies with the season, but there's always a mixture of classics and unusual beers. Coachhouse Coachman's is always on tap, and it's a great choice if low on pennies.

They have managed to avoid the urge to knock out interior walls, like so many pubs of it's age, and instead there are a number of rooms, each with individual character. They have concentrated on the beer, so there's no food available. No fruit machines or jukeboxes either.
It's usually pretty busy attracting an older crowd, including what seems to be an inordinate number of teachers. Undoubtably the best pub in Clitheroe.

Swan and Royal Hotel

2006-09-13T09:20:00.000-07:00

* Edit Jan 2011 - The Swan has re-opened again after a long period in which it was closed due to serious fire damage.

Situated bang in the middle of Clitheroe, the Swan & Royal is difficult to miss, and a typical old coaching inn. Rooms are available and the yard behind now full of small shops must have been stables in the past. It's famous for having both Winston Churchill and Ghandi stay there, which is really quite extraordinary when you know the size of the town.

It's a large building, with many of the original features. Large rooms too, with quieter ones near the front windows, a slightly more raucus one (at times) at the back near the bar. Beer is mainly by the Cumbrian brewery Jennings, and my usual 'Cumberland Ale' is found both on smoothflow or cask.

Food is decent enough - nothing particularly special, and service tends to be friendly. The Friday night disco is a bit dire, and my advice is to avoid it if you can hear music leaking out the doors!

Clitheroe Pubs

2006-09-12T23:07:00.000-07:00

Clitheroe is the largest town in the Ribble Valley with a hefty(!) population of 14,000. It's a market town full of small, but interesting independent shops including one of the best wine shops in the country (Byrnes) . Fresh food is exceptional, and only a food would get their meat & vegetables from the supermarkets rather than the market or local butchers.

Pub-wise, Clitheroe is blessed with many, though as most are large coaching inns, they can feel a little samey. A few rise to the top of the pile though, and future posts will concentrate on the various pubs individually.

Just a few observations on the pubs as a whole. Most of these pubs change character through the day as a different crowd visits. Go to the Station at lunchtime and you could be surrounded by pensioners enjoying a bargain meal. Go to the White Horse on a Friday evening and it might be rammed to the gills with drinkers of all ages. The locals like to move from pub to pub over the course of an evening too, so don't be surprised to find the pub where you were enjoying a quiet pint in suddenly being invaded by a crowd in the throes of bacchanalean revelry.

It's a friendly town, lacking the violent edge sadly found in most British towns these days. You might get a quizzical glance if you wander into one of the more 'local' (ie. out of the town centre) pubs but it's because people are genuinely wondering who you might be rather than trying to make you feel unwelcome. Stick around for a couple of pints and you'll undoubtably find yourself having a laugh with the locals.

Anyway, a closer look at the individual pubs will be scattered above.

Comments welcome!

2006-08-29T13:25:00.000-07:00

Like anyone who does a blog, I thrive on comments, so if you've somehow happened upon this site please feel free to make your views heard, even if just to say hello! I've a broad back too, so don't hold back on any criticisms. If you had a different experience at any of the pubs mentioned, I'd love to hear them and it gives other users a more balanced view.

Cheers!

The Lower Buck Inn, Waddington

2006-07-22T00:54:00.000-07:00

The Lower Buck is the easiest of the three Waddington pubs to miss, being located behind the church, rather than the main road through Waddington where the Upper Buck and Waddington Arms are located. (An old rule of thumb - where there's a church in a village, there's usually a pub nearby...)
It's well worth the visit, though, as it's a class little pub.

Outdoor seating gets the full blast of the sun in the afternoons, and they have recently added tables out front to stop people parking directly in front of the pub. A good move as there was nothing more irritating than to find a seat in front only to have the entire view removed a few minutes later when a van parked 2 feet from your nose.

As it's the Ribble Valley, a whole lot more time is going to be spent inside, and the Lower Buck is one of those old, thick walled pubs with a selection of rooms to choose from. The beer selection is always top quality, with Moorhouses & Tim Taylors seemingly always available. It's well kept too. The last time we were in there, my wife ordered a lime/soda, which is a surprisingly difficult thing to get right, and she declared it the best she'd ever had. Bar staff are top-notch, too.

Higher Buck - Waddington

2006-06-24T23:30:00.000-07:00

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

2006-06-24T23:04:00.000-07:00

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

2006-06-24T22:42:00.000-07:00

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?

Freemasons Arms Wiswell

2006-05-22T08:57:00.000-07:00

*Warning* - The following review took place in 2006 before the revamp in 2009. There are new owners now, the whole place has been utterly re-done with a completely different layout. In short, it bears no resemblence to the following...

Well, it began promisingly enough. We happened upon the Freemasons Arms tucked down a small lane in the village of Wiswell (near Clitheroe & Whalley) and thought we'd found a hidden gem. Very traditional-looking, but with decent beer on tap, an excellent wine list, and a menu that echoed the Three Fishes use of local ingredients. At this particular time, a drink was enough for us. Realising it was Mother's Day and that there may be a sudden influx of mums, we sat at the bar, leaving tables free.

The first drink was fine, but once it was established that we weren't having lunch, we were completely ignored. I sat for a while with a empty glass trying to catch the barwoman's attention, but she seemed to have a never-ending succession of small tasks to get involved with. We watched as new customers went up and ordered, & so I stood up with my empty pint glass, then waited even longer. The cook came out and muttered something to the barwoman, but it didn't look as though he was on our side either. Finally it got so obvious that we weren't getting anywhere that we walked out, never to return.

One of my pet peeves are pubs that see those who just pop in for a drink as 2nd class citizens. Surely these people are the same ones who eat in pubs? Don't they understand that if treated well, they are more than likely to return for a meal in the future?
Anyway, it's a real shame no future meals nor ales for us at the Freemason's Arms.....

The Inn at Whitewell

2005-11-12T02:01:00.000-08:00

The Inn at Whitewell is a stunning country hotel overlooking the river Hodder a few miles outside Clitheroe. It's frequently featured in the national press as being a fantastic place to stay, but being local, we're far more interested in it's worth as a pub.Happily, it doesn't disappoint, though a little of the character was lost due to recent refurbishments that increased the size of the bar area. Previously, it was almost impossible to find a table if you arrived a few minutes past 12, but now there is abundant space.

The Inn at Whitewell is where the 'smart set' go, but we've frequently turned up with muddy boots. Wear your country casuals and you'll fit in, though many tend to dress up for the occasion.
It certainly is a fine place for people watching.

The beer is always good and they have an interesting selection of bottled ciders and lagers (rather expensive). They frequently have Skipton's Copper Dragon on tap. I asked for a pint and was told it was the second best thing to come out of Yorkshire. "What's the first?" I asked. "The A59" was the reply. Food is also excellent, and locally sourced. In my eyes it beats the much-lauded 'Three Fishes' hands down for local food.

It's worth wandering out the back just to take in the view of the Hodder. It's got to have one of the finest views of any pub in the UK, but they don't seem to make the most of it. A few tables and chairs recently arrived, but there's not even a handle on the outside door to get back in again! One other minor gripe is that when a wedding is on (frequently), the music from the marquee tends to drift far and wide. And watch out, they stop serving food at 2:00pm on a Sunday.

This is our favourite pub for a bit of a treat, when we are dressed a little smarter than usual!

The Calf's Head Worston

2005-11-12T01:40:00.000-08:00

Ah, the Calf's Head, one of 4 pubs that I consider to be my 'local' despite it being a short car or bike journey away. (The other 3 being the New Inn in Clitheroe, The Waddington Arms, and the Inn at Whitewell. See above for reviews of these in the fullness of time) . Worston is a tiny village at the base of Pendle Hill, near to Clitheroe, and The Calf's Head is the most imposing building in the village - virtually impossible to miss.

http://www.calfshead.co.uk/

The Calf's Head is a vast pub, converted from a hotel a few years ago, with a large, family-friendly garden. We arrived once to find a coachload of pensioners had got there minutes before us, but the whole lot of them vanished into the vastness that is the Calf's Head. It has a couple of smaller 'pubby' rooms for drinking or eating bar snacks in, a large dining room, a popular conservatory area, a busy garden and other rooms that I've not even ventured inside.

Beers on tap at last visit were Jennings Spitfire, Cumberland bitter, and Marston Pedigree (which I suspect was the guest).

People go for the good quality (and value) food such as their famous Worston Whale, which is a vast plate of fish and chips at £7.95. We like it as it's open all day for food, busy without being hectic, and it's got the best pub garden in Lancashire.

*Edit Oct 2009*
While we often find ourselves at the Calf's Head due to the multitude of work/social events that lead us there, it's no longer a pub we tend to go to of our own accord. The plastic menus are tacky and the sheer numbers eating there can get overwhelming. Friday lunchtimes can be extraordinarily busy. It could probably do with a bit of a spruce up too. On the plus side, the food does represent good value and I don't know if anyone who's ever eaten there has left not feeling full! My tip is to go on a sunny day and sit outside in their garden with a pint or two. On a cold day, their full English breakfast comes with a pot of tea or coffee, so no need to buy a drink.

Dog & Partridge Hesketh Lane Chipping

2005-11-12T00:57:00.000-08:00

The Dog and Partridge is actually located about a mile south of Chipping itself, facing Longridge (the hill). We went on a Sunday afternoon in search of a pint and lunch, but the set menu was £15 with no bar meals available. We settled for a couple of pints of Black Sheep (Tetleys also on tap).

It's certainly a popular spot with a few families and a lot of older folks out for a Sunday treat. Dressed in our walking gear, we stuck out a bit, but were treated well by the barmaid, and were able to sup our beers without being made to feel like cheapskates. It's got that 'Hunting Lodge' feel found in a few Ribble Valley pubs, which isn't really to my taste, but seems to get those "in the winter of their years" going.

I'm never too sure what these kind of pubs are going to be like outside Sundays and perhaps it's a little unfair reviewing them on their busiest day when they get customers that aren't there 95% of the time. C'est la vie.

Bayley Arms - Hurst Green

2005-10-16T01:20:00.000-07:00

The Bayley Arms in Hurst Green seems to act as the hub of village life. It seems to act as the clubhouse for the local golf club and you trip up over piles of cricket kit left in the doorway. Once inside, the sports theme continues, with football, rugby, and cricket memorabilia all over the walls. I know many will recoil at the idea of a 'sports bar', but it's done tastefully and in keeping with the pubs interior.

The clientele range from a few of the older kids from Stonyhurst, their visiting parents, local sports teams, walkers, and others out for a drive. Not enough real ales for my liking, but good for slightly unusual lagers on tap, such as San Miguel (perhaps catering for the large numbers of visiting South American & Spanish who send their kids to Stonyhurst).

We like the laid back, friendly atmosphere, decent pub grub and strong feeling of community. I know a couple of people who stay here on a regular basis when visiting the area,so the rooms must be comfortable.

***Update*** - New owners have improved the selection of ales (We drank Bombardier last visit) and have got rid of the San Miguel.

The Shireburn Arms - Hurst Green

2005-10-15T08:32:00.000-07:00

*Edit 2009*
As 'The Silver Fox' has commented, it get's livelier at other times of the day. We had been put off by a slightly unfortunate first visit and gave the review below. This is often the danger with pubs - go one time of the day or week and it can be completely different from another time. The food is very good too, by the way.

Hurst Green seems to be visited for two things - Stonyhurst public school, and walks in areas Tolkein undoubtably found inspiration from. So, three pubs seem to thrive there, which is always a good sign for such a small village. The Shireburn Arms is actually more of a hotel than a pub, and unfortunately more of a restaurant too. After yomping along the banks of the Hodder for a couple of hours, we were disappointed to find ourselves in the middle of an old folks convention. Sunday lunchtime probably isn't the ideal time to visit any rural pub, but the Shireburn Arms definitely had the feel of an old people's home. We'd already mentioned this was the vibe we were getting when an old lady and her older mother sat down next to us, and then pretended to read the paper while listening in to everything we said. So, not comfortable vibes at all, but a grand place to take the granny.

This John Smiths pub also were selling the excellent Bowland Brewery Hen Harrier when we visited. http://www.bowlandbrewery.com/

The Dog and Partridge - Tosside

2005-09-22T04:43:00.000-07:00

Well, my definition of the Ribble Valley is shown to be somewhat elastic from my very first post. We kick off at the Dog and Partridge in Tosside, which, strictly speaking, is in Yorkshire.

As you can see from the photo, it's open, but being worked on. In fact, the whole pub has recently been renovated. I'm in two minds about renovation, but from what I understand, the D&P has been brought back from the grave, which can only be a good thing. It's divided into an eating area and a bar/pool area which was the busier when we visited.

The interior screams 'New' with a capital N, and needs some time to get a more lived in feel. If it was a garden centre statue, I'd smear it in yoghurt, and leave it outside for a couple of weeks to get it looking authentically aged.

On the plus side, the staff are very friendly, they seem to embrace the regulars (how many pubs renovate, then try to shoo off the old faithful?). There's a good range of beers including Kronenburg white beer on tap, and the food seems to be pretty good. We both had a burger, which went down well, but there are other, more upmarket meals available. Both times we've walked around Stocks reservoir, we've ended up here, so that's some recommendation. Very likeable, but needs some roughing up at the edges.