Four Counties ring cruise

[The Drunken Duck]

We'll soon hopefully be launching our new boat at Otherton on the Staffs & Worcester . We plan to initially cruise the Four Counties Ring (Shropshire Union, Staffs & Worcester, Trent & Mersey and Middlewich Branch Canals).

 

Can anybody recommend, on this route, any pubs with good food and moorings close by?

 

Your help appreciated

[Keeping Up]

It is definitely illegal to go past High Offley (on the Shroppie a little way north of Norbury Junction) without spending a night at the Anchor. The most unspoiled pub in Britain!

[The Drunken Duck]

It is definitely illegal to go past High Offley (on the Shroppie a little way north of Norbury Junction) without spending a night at the Anchor. The most unspoiled pub in Britain!

 

That sounds very good Allan, - thankyou

 

I never do anything illegal

[carlt]

I'm afraid I'm barred form them all

[Jim]

It is definitely illegal to go past High Offley (on the Shroppie a little way north of Norbury Junction) without spending a night at the Anchor. The most unspoiled pub in Britain!

 

I agree, although in fairness to "The Drunken Duck" who did ask about "pubs with good food" I should point out that the only food you'll get in the Anchor is a bag of crisps! (and long may it remain so!)

 

On the Shroppie I'd recommend stopping at Brewood - Good food in the Admiral Rodney in the village and good beer in the Swan (both about a kilometre from the moorings); At Wheaton Aston the Hartley Arms is canalside with moorings opposite; At Gnosall - good food and beer in the Royal Oak (again about 1km from the cut); At Norbury Junction you can moor outside the Junction Inn - the beer's OK but I don't rate the food or the service; At Audlem - the Lord Combermere for good food and beer but again not quite canalside - moor outside the Shroppie Fly and walk. At Nantwich - several good pubs in the town.

 

Also: not much good for food but a good candidate for the second-most unspoilt pub in Britain is the Haberdashers Arms, Knighton. Moor at bridge 47 and walk along the (unsurfaced) road for about 2km east.

[kerching]

A couple of pubs that we tried and enjoyed a few weeks ago while doing the four counties were the Red Bull near Red Bull Wharf, Kidsgrove & The Talbot, Market Drayton. Had fish,chips & mushies in both pubs and both were excellent as were the real ales. Brewood was a good place to moor with quite a few pub doing food but seemed to stop cooking at 7 on a Sunday.

 

Cheers Steve

[The Drunken Duck]

Thankyou Jim and Steve for your information. We are looking forward to 'supping good ale' at the places you mention.

 

Beer, fish & chips and mushy peas sounds good.

[JohnEW2912]

The Blue Bell at Kidsgrove (just by Harding's Wood Junction) should not be missed, although like the Anchor, there's no food. The range of real beers and ciders is constantly changing but always good. Buy a ready meal from Tesco round the corner if you don't want to cook.

[colinjw]

The Stafford Court Hotel in Market Drayton did SUPERB breakfasts and if you can visit on market days (unknown when), it is a bonus.

 

As a pure fluke, I was needing a haircut whilst in Market Drayton and there is a barber almost opposite the Stafford Court (I can't remember how much but it was very, very cheap and a decent job done).

 

If you are into carveries, then there is the China Garden (20 seconds walk) in Stoke near Black Prince, the Romping Donkey (5 minutes walk) near Sandbach and the Raddford Bank ( 30 seconds walk) on the Staffs and Worcs. about 3 hours before Otherton.

 

Happy cruising and might see you at Otherton,

Colin

[andywatson]

The Blue Bell at Kidsgrove (just by Harding's Wood Junction) should not be missed, although like the Anchor, there's no food. The range of real beers and ciders is constantly changing but always good. Buy a ready meal from Tesco round the corner if you don't want to cook.

 

I strongly agree. Those two are not to be missed for the folllowing reasons:

 

The Blue Bell easily outclasses the other pubs around there. Wide range of real ales and proper continental lagers (ie not brewed in Reading or Northampton) and cheaper than the local competition.

 

The Anchor is another classic pub. Not surprisingly due to it's location a narrow range of beer but a genuine historical/character pub.

 

Two good hangovers!

[stewey]

The Stafford Court Hotel in Market Drayton did SUPERB breakfasts and if you can visit on market days (unknown when), it is a bonus.

Every Wednesday

 

Stewey

[The Drunken Duck]

Thanks Guys for that further info.

 

We look forward to that breakfast at the Stafford Court Hotel - thanks Colin and Stewey..

[John Orentas]

This topic must have come up a dozen times or more during the life of the forum, I am always surprised at the diversity of members we have, I recall recommending the Cheshire Cheese at Wheelock, because it is a friendly pub with good beer, food and the landlord shows a certain contempt for official closing times, someone else said it was scruffy and had a group of beerie blokes hanging around the bar.

 

Another time someone complained that a certain pub did not have a playground for their brat and another that somewhere else did not have an sufficiently extensive range of 'flavoured crisps'.. Now we seem to have someone recommending a posh hotel where you can stop for breakfast.

 

Well it takes all kinds.

[clovey]

Both the Blue Bell at Hardings Wood Juct & the Anchor at High Offley are musts for the beer both always to draw.

NB the I think the Blue Bell is closed on a Monday which may influence your direction round the ring.

[Maverick]

Not to mention the Romping Donkey at Hall Green and The China Gardens at Etruria

[Hairy-Neil]

The Titanic Brewery Tap is well worth a visit for excellent ale, The Bulls Head, St Johns Square, Burslem.....though it's perhaps 10 mins walk from the cut, up hill too.

[colinjw]

Not to mention the Romping Donkey at Hall Green and The China Gardens at Etruria

 

Sorry Maverick, but I had already mentioned them.....lol. Both good places for food though.

 

Colin

[Jim Lae]

This topic must have come up a dozen times or more during the life of the forum, I am always surprised at the diversity of members we have, I recall recommending the Cheshire Cheese at Wheelock, because it is a friendly pub with good beer, food and the landlord shows a certain contempt for official closing times, someone else said it was scruffy and had a group of beerie blokes hanging around the bar.

 

The Commercial just across the Road from the Cheshire Cheese is another excellent Pub . Marvelous Bar plus a games room with a Full Size Snooker Table . Yet crew of a boat who in conversation with me at Wheelock stated that they thought the Pub was "Seedy" obvious Chicken in the Basket and 1/2

of John Smiths Smooth , set.

[dor]

Be warned that the Badger at Church Minshull is still closed. There is nowhere between Middlewich and Barbridge Junction unless you want a walk across the fields to the Verdin Arms.

 

Not eaten in the Jolly Tar since it changed hands, but they do have live music (rock-ish) on several nights. The Barbridge is still very hit and miss - they've simplified the menu so may be more able to cope now.