Four Counties Ring - Advice and suggestions

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

1 hour ago, Goliath said:

I’m very glad you won’t be back. It’s a small bar and I’m sure the convivial atmosphere would be utterly spoilt with your arrival. 

I doubt most would have a problem with @IanD in a small bar, the problem would be if he brought his troop of Morris Dancers with him with all their kit and started performing. Just have the Father Ted Caravan clip in my head.

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by BoatinglifeupNorth

[IanD]

3 minutes ago, BoatinglifeupNorth said:

I doubt most would have a problem with @IanD in a small bar, the problem would be if he brought his troop of Morris Dancers with him with all their kit and started performing. Just have the Father Ted Caravan clip in my head.

 

 

Wouldn't dream of it unless we were asked to -- and anyway we'd probably end up sitting in the bar playing crib, drinking beer, maybe singing or playing music, and talking b*ll*cks, none of that dancing rubbish... 😉

 

P.S. We did take the entire team through somebody's caravan at a very rainy Warwick FF a few years ago, they were quite surprised... 🙂

 

P.P.S. Team or side, not troop (or troupe)... 😉

Edited May 9, 2023 by IanD

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

1 hour ago, IanD said:

Anyway I'll grant you your heart's desire and never darken the door of the Anchor again -- or read any more of your abusive emails... 😉

I’ve just realised what he typed and I need to pick up on this because I don’t want people getting the wrong idea. 
 

for the record: I have never sent IanD an email, any insult or abuse has always been made openly 

I’m not the sort of person who would insult by PM either. 
 

IanD needs to retract or amend the statement. 

 

I can only assume he typed ‘email’ in error as he was multi tasking and picking his toys off the floor at the same time

And should have typed the word ‘post/s’ instead. 

On 08/05/2023 at 16:00, Pie Eater said:

See the canalplan website and put your details in with preferred daily sailing times.

 

If you go anti clockwise you could detour up the Caldon canal if you have time.

And going anti clockwise you might be more inclined to spend a bit of time around Stoke and Etruria before going through tunnel. 
There’s the Industrial Museum with the bone and flint mill at Etruria. 
And a big Tesco for stocking up. 10 min walk maybe 15min. 
 

Midland Potteries is worth a stop over too. With a mix of workshops. 
 

And Gladstone Pottery Museum where you can walk inside the kilns. 
 

 

[gabble]

I feel the need to offer some support for the Anchor. It is certainly a special place I wish I was closer to.
 

I’ve not had a bad pint in there (obviously that doesn’t mean others haven’t) but I would observe that 6x is perhaps quite a traditional tasting beer (not hop overload). Also I don’t think I’ve tasted the tang of carbon dioxide there either that many pubs now use to artificially preserve the life of beer, but at the expense of the natural flavour evolution/complexity and often the unmistakable tang of co2. Obviously taken to extreme the “natural flavour evolution” is vinegar so moderation in all things.
 

It was certainly on form last summer.
 

https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/116062-anchor-high-offley-current-opening-hours/

[gatekrash]

17 minutes ago, gabble said:

I would observe that 6x is perhaps quite a traditional tasting beer (not hop overload). 

This 100%. Don't want to get drawn into a discussion on personal tastes in beer but 6x is what I'd call an old fashioned pint. First proper beer I drank after some really rough Bass in the 80s and loved it. We stopped at the Anchor yesterday, since it was open and the 6x was as I remember from my youth, clear and bright and was definitely not off. But it was the end of a bank holiday weekend so they may well have shifted a decent amount, the campsite was certainly busy. 

[IanD]

2 hours ago, gatekrash said:

This 100%. Don't want to get drawn into a discussion on personal tastes in beer but 6x is what I'd call an old fashioned pint. First proper beer I drank after some really rough Bass in the 80s and loved it. We stopped at the Anchor yesterday, since it was open and the 6x was as I remember from my youth, clear and bright and was definitely not off. But it was the end of a bank holiday weekend so they may well have shifted a decent amount, the campsite was certainly busy. 

The debate is not over whether 6x is to people's taste or not, it's whether the 6x at the Anchor is good or not -- and it's clear that sometimes it's not, regardless of how atmospheric and unspoiled the pub is, which nobody could deny... 😉

[Guest]

1 minute ago, IanD said:

The debate is not over whether 6x is to people's taste or not, it's whether the 6x at the Anchor is good or not -- and it's clear that sometimes it's not, regardless of how atmospheric and unspoiled the pub is, which nobody could deny... 😉

 

Give it a bloody rest for gods sake.

 

You can be incredibly tiresome at times.

 

Ps yes I know I can be too but you take it to a whole new level.

[IanD]

10 minutes ago, M_JG said:

 

Give it a bloody rest for gods sake.

 

You can be incredibly tiresome at times.

 

Ps yes I know I can be too but you take it to a whole new level.

If you don't like what I post, don't read it. I'll happily do the same for you... 😉

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, IanD said:

If you don't like what I post, don't read it. I'll happily do the same for you... 😉

 

I'll read what I wish to read and will call out your repetitive tiresome posts clamoring to have the last word as I wish.

 

On the G&T's late at night is not a good look Ian.

Edited May 9, 2023 by M_JG

[IanD]

1 minute ago, M_JG said:

 

I'll read what I wish to read and will call out your repetitive tiresome posts clamoring to have the last word as I wish.

 

Good for you. I however have just had several pints of very good beer in a pub where I can guarantee this is always the case, unlike the Anchor... 😉

[Guest]

Just now, IanD said:

I however have just had several pints of very good beer  😉

 

Well yes, thats rather obvious.

 

Time maybe to step away from your keyboard?

[IanD]

16 minutes ago, M_JG said:

 

Well yes, thats rather obvious.

 

Time maybe to step away from your keyboard?

Unless you've been unexpectedly promoted to the role of CWDF policeman, you don't get to decide what is discussed on the forum... 😉

 

The Anchor at High Offley. Lovely pub. Not always lovely beer.

 

Which of these statements do you disagree with? 🙂

Edited May 9, 2023 by IanD

[Guest]

Just now, IanD said:

And the same to you. Unless you've been unexpectedly promoted to the role of CWDF policeman, you don't get to decide what is discussed on the forum... 😉

 

The Anchor at High Offley. Lovely pub. Not always lovely beer.

 

Which of these statements do you disagree with? 🙂

 

Ian, FFS go to bed.

[IanD]

Just now, M_JG said:

 

Ian, FFS go to bed.

No, you first 🙂

 

P.S. Answer the question first though... 😉

[Guest]

Just now, IanD said:

No, you first 🙂

 

P.S. Answer the question first though... 😉

 

Jesus bloody christ.

 

How many pints is 'several'?

 

Clearly too many.

[IanD]

2 minutes ago, M_JG said:

 

Jesus bloody christ.

 

How many pints is 'several'?

 

Clearly too many.

Not that many -- and it certainly hasn't affected my debating skills, though yours seem to have gone downhill.

 

Go on, answer the question, I dares you... 😉

Edited May 9, 2023 by IanD

[Guest]

Just now, IanD said:

and it certainly hasn't affected my debating skills,  

 

Well they clearly have.....

 

How many is 'several' answer the question...

[IanD]

5 minutes ago, M_JG said:

 

Well they clearly have.....

 

How many is 'several' answer the question...

No, you answer the question first -- because it's nothing to do with my state of sobriety, or even yours, and like a politician you're using distraction and diversion to avoid answering an inconvenient question.

 

Lovely pub, not always lovely beer. Which do you disagree with?

 

P.S. I'm rather enjoying this... 🙂

Edited May 9, 2023 by IanD

[Guest]

Just now, IanD said:

No, you answer the question first -- because it's nothing to do with my state of sobriety, or even yours, and like a politician you're using distraction and diversion to avoid anwering an inconvenient question.

 

Lovely pub, not always lovely beer. Which do you disagree with?

 

I'm perfectly sober, I had a pint at lunchtime in our local Marstons though.

 

I find getting into an argument with somebody pissed on the internet is rarely productive.

 

But as to the question you pose I have never been in that particular pub so dont feel able to comment.

 

Does that give you the 'win' you crave?

 

 

7 minutes ago, IanD said:

P.S. I'm rather enjoying this... 🙂

 

Well that is rather obvious too.

[IanD]

4 minutes ago, M_JG said:

 

I'm perfectly sober, I had a pint at lunchtime in our local Marstons though.

 

I find getting into an argument with somebody pissed on the internet is rarely productive.

 

But as to the question you pose I have never been in that particular pub so dont feel able to comment.

 

Does that give you the 'win' you crave?

 

 

 

Well that is rather obvious too.

So if you've never been in that pub -- and I have, several times -- why are you arguing about it, based on zero experience?

 

I'm glad you're sober -- as am I, having had four very nice pints over four hours, so you might as well leave out the "you're p*ssed" argument 'cos it's just not going to fly 🙂

 

Night night... 😉

[Guest]

1 minute ago, IanD said:

So if you've never been in that pub -- and I have, several times -- why are you arguing about it, based on zero experience?

 

I'm glad you're sober -- as am I, having had four very nice pints over four hours, so you might as well leave out the "you're p*ssed" argument 'cos it's just not going to fly 🙂

 

Night night... 😉

 

I wasnt discussing the pub.

 

I  was discussing your posts in this thread, but understandable you didnt understand this.

 

 

[gabble]

Going back to the original question, some other thoughts for this trip. Willeymoor lock tavern for a good range of well kept beers - but you probably already know this one if you are based at Grindley Brook. Turners garage canalside at Wheaton Aston for very well priced diesel. Tixall wide near Great Haywood is a very popular and unique mooring spot. Good (if expensive) farm shop canalside by the Great Haywood junction. Overall the four counties is a great route, lots of nice towns separated by glorious rural stretches even Stoke on Trent is quite a remarkable place by water. Goldstone Wharf pub on the shroppie has good moorings and great food last time we were there. Popular so might need a reservation on peak evenings. As already mentioned on the thread, the independently run chandlers at Venetian marina is excellent, bread milk etc here, very cheap Calor gas and well priced diesel & pump out.  Don’t forget shroppie wheels to deal with the shelf.

Edited May 10, 2023 by gabble

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

and Penkridge.

there’s a Great Farm Shop but of a different nature to Great Haywood’s, it has low cost quality engine oils, anti freeze and other bits and bobs.

Worth crossing the road for 👍

 

[IanD]

4 hours ago, gabble said:

Going back to the original question, some other thoughts for this trip. Willeymoor lock tavern for a good range of well kept beers - but you probably already know this one if you are based at Grindley Brook. Turners garage canalside at Wheaton Aston for very well priced diesel. Tixall wide near Great Haywood is a very popular and unique mooring spot. Good (if expensive) farm shop canalside by the Great Haywood junction. Overall the four counties is a great route, lots of nice towns separated by glorious rural stretches even Stoke on Trent is quite a remarkable place by water. Goldstone Wharf pub on the shroppie has good moorings and great food last time we were there. Popular so might need a reservation on peak evenings. As already mentioned on the thread, the independently run chandlers at Venetian marina is excellent, bread milk etc here, very cheap Calor gas and well priced diesel & pump out.  Don’t forget shroppie wheels to deal with the shelf.

 

We've found this is becoming more and more necessary with any decent/popular pub to avoid being turned away for food, we always call ahead at least a day before. If plans change (e.g. you don't get there) you can always cancel, if you ring up and explain why they're invariably fine with that -- in fact often grateful since many people just don't turn up...

Edited May 10, 2023 by IanD

[Tracy D'arth]

6 minutes ago, IanD said:

 

-- in fact often grateful since many people just don't turn up...

Probably because they have found out how awful the beer is.

 

Does beer drinking make men argumentative, petty and childish then or is it just some  (2) on this forum?  Its not what the rest of us want. 

As to the 4 counties, there are much better things to visit than  pubs stinking of beer with argumentative men as customers. And much better places to moor than near said hostelries.