Hector has been passing through Appleby with increasing regularity over the last few years. The Railway may connect Carlisle to Settle, but for Hector it goes on to Bradford. On Craig’s 50th Birthday Bash, some of the Chaps alighted here for two hours so as to visit the Midland Hotel. It was time for Hector to take advantage of a lengthy drive south and make this a Friday night stopover. This was a new venue for Marg too.
The Bongate House proved to be an excellent choice of B&B, although Mein Host’s recommended Curry House turned out to be a major disappointment. He did know his Ale and so had warned me that the Midland Hotel had now changed hands. Other venues would therefore be sampled too.
The Royal Oak was only minutes away from the Bongate. More of a dining facility in the evening we were crammed into the relatively small bar with a crowd of Bikers – as in Cyclists. Three Taps only – two of them Black Sheep. Hector spotted the Hawkshead (Staveley, Cumbria) Bitter at 3.7%. On pouring the pint, it immediately went off. Somehow my pint was then deemed fit to drink. A Friday night, no Ale since last Saturday… this was bland, too thin, and nothing like as impressive as the new Hawkshead Pale which should really kick this into touch. Nothing over 4%, time to go.
Walking the loop around the Castle, we took in the sights of Appleby. The Bridge over the river is a planning disaster. The Castle is hardly visible, from anywhere. What is going on?
The Golden Ball was next door to the Curry House we should have gone to. Banks’s Sunbeam (Wolverhampton, Staffordshire) was a refreshing change at 4.2%. This had oodles of flavour compared to the predecessor. A Golden, Hoppy Ale, things were looking up.
Alas things took a turn for the worse when we went for the Curry. Thereafter we climbed the hill to the Midlands Hotel opposite the Station. Could a May evening be any colder? Not knowing how it had been before refurbishment one can only conclude that the choice of Ale was better. Two Ale Taps and a Cider Tap does not a party make. The Eden Gold at 4.2% (Penrith, Cumbria) should have made a better impression, unfortunately this was as bland as the Curry. So Marg and Hector rolled back down to the best place in town, the Golden Ball.
The Golden ball is currently the local CAMRA POTY, and why not. Dave behind the bar became more welcoming when I flashed my CAMRA membership to claim the 10% discount. There was Live Music by now, a Birthday. The Sunbeam had gone off, well of course it would.
Old Hooky at 4.6% (Hook Norton, Oxfordshire) came to the rescue. An Amber Ale may not be my first choice but at last I had something to savour. On the sweet side of the ideal, this turned out to be the companion Ale for the final part of the evening.
So, Appleby has been visited, perhaps Staveley across the M6 may be the next local attraction.
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