1 post tagged “caravan.”
Real Ale. w/c 19.11.07. Black Country – Dudley – Newport – Cardiff What a great real ale week this turned out to be. We started out on Thursday going to the Dudley beer festival, but went early so that we could take in a few pubs first. We caught the Metro to Bilston, and had a look in the McSpoons Henry Newbolt, but there were no new beers there for us so we left as we knew it would be a heavy day. We went into the Trumpet, a Holdens pub. It is like a time warp with the décor. Very interesting to walk round looking round the walls and the musical instruments, old tickets round the bar and marvellous drawings. The pub has musical events most nights. We had a couple of beers here while looking round and reading various write ups of the history of the pub. On to the Old White Rose where we had one of their wonderful carvery dinners along with a couple of beers. From there we found our way to Great Bridge where we visited the Port n Ale. We had a look round the pub and chatted to the landlord while enjoying 3 old beers. It was still too early to go to Dudley for the festival, so we caught a bus to the Fountain in Lower Gornal where we had 3 beers, one of them a Good Beer Guide tick. We got to Dudley before the festival opened, so were able to secure a table for the evening session. We had a lovely session on 12 new beers for us, two of them being Good Beer Guide ticks from Empire and Tigertops breweries. We were joined by friends, and also enjoyed the food provided at the venue. Friday we took our caravan down to Wales, a Caravan Club site at Tredegar just outside Newport. We set up on a lovely pitch where we could get out bird feeders out, and when our friends arrived and set up, we went out in the bus to Newport. We had a meal in the Mc Spoons – Tom Toya Lewis and had a new Wyre Piddle beer there, Piddle over Transporter. I only knew of the Transporter at Middlesborough so it was great to see one at Newport. It was all lit up too. We walked up to the Red Lion but there was a large screen with sport on, and the pub was really hot from extra heaters. Two old beers were had here. We called in another large pub, the Pen and Wig and found a new Sharps beer here. We finished the night off at Ye Olde Murenger House where we had excellent Sam Smith Old Brewery Bitter. Saturday we went to Cardiff, and soon found out a Rugby match was on. We looked into the McSpoons – Prince of Wales. It was brill inside and had retained a lot of the old theatre boxes and decor. There were 16 handpumps, all displaying Brains SA clips as Brains sponsor the rugby. We had a wander round till the festival opened, and found ourselves a table. The beers were brilliant, and there were so many for us to aim for. A lot of the newer breweries had gone, but we enjoyed 25 different beers over the course of the day along with a smashing meal. There were loads of Good Beer Guide ticks too. Before catching the bus back we popped into the Cottage, but there were no new beers for us, and we were pretty full! A great day. Sunday we had a walk round Tredegar Park before heading home. There were lovely walks, a lake and woods and I would love to spend more time there to look round. It was a smashing site and a great weekend. My new beer total this month now amounts to 104.
