Consummate Professionals do not consume Alcohol on Sundays, Bank Holiday Mondays excepting. However, there is this piece of English Culture called the Sunday Lunch, which apparently has to be consumed in a … Pub. The Bad Boys’ Club (BBC) was on Tour, so…
Taking full advantage of The Travelodge Non Check-out Policy, Hector did not join Les Autres for a repeat of The Wetherspoons Breakfast. This meant I was first at the Water Witch.
Iceberg at an undemanding 4.1% (Titanic Brewery, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire) kept me company until the rest trooped in. Not surprisingly the majority ordered the same. We were now minus Dr. Stan who had headed off to Brussel en route to München and some Starkbierfest or other. Jonathan had plans to drive there too but a Paraffin Budgie would speed him there from Manchester in the morning. Sister Kirstie and Simon joined us accordingly.
Fun with Cheese
By now Hector had been watching an adjacent couple tackle the Cheeseboard from Hell. I went to investigate. For £7.95, the choice of three substantial Cheese Portions from six, plus Loadsa’ Bread, Pickled Onions and Chutney. Let us not overlook the small, but perfectly arranged, Salad n the corner. Everyone watched, the Wetherspoons Breakfast may have been half the price, but this was more than twice the fun. In the end I was defeated and waved the Yellow Napkin. The leftovers, about a third of the starting volume, disappeared in seconds.
And so we moved along the Towpath to the White Cross. For the first time in three visits I found an Ale I wanted to drink. Timothy Taylor’s Landlord (Keighley, Yorkshire) at more suitable 4.3% is Mags’ Favourite Ale. She did not spot it was on such was the large array on offer. Oh how I enjoyed my Pint. Both the Water Witch and the White Cross gave CAMRA discounts. Simon told us that The Borough would give us £1.00 off an Ale on production of the CAMRA Membership Card. Craig and Yvonne were off, followed by Jonathan, Howard and Tracey.
Robin, Mags, Simon and Hector arrived at leisure passing some Lancaster Landmarks en route. The Borough was like sitting in someone’s Sitting Room. There was a bit of a wait to get served but at least a seat awaited at the large table adjacent to the bar.
Golden Sheep (Black Sheep, Masham, Yorkshire) at the lesser 3.9% had to be tried. Theakstons used to be wonderful, it was Old Peculier that got me into drinking Ale…. that well known light, hoppy… That the spin-off brewery Black Sheep were finally making a Blond Ale, well,, it had to be tried. It lacked the hoped for Hops, but was very Light and Refreshing. Simon enthused even more than Hector.
Craig and Yvonne were on the move again, ever closer to the Station. They reported back from The Tap House that Dark Star’s Revelation (Dark Star, Partridge Green, West Sussex) was available. Having warmed up somewhat, we were all now in the mood for something at 5.7%.
For £9.00, Craig and Yvonne obtained a Cheese Board which included Pate as well as a range of Cheeses. I was feeling hungry again, but had other plans for later, which did not include Curry-Heute, a first?
The Incident
Howard, Tracey and Hector were on the first of three trains back to Glasgow. Howard bought something for the journey. Tracey dropped it on the floor. Calm! Calm! The Glorious Liquid formed an ever expanding puddle on the floor – Is that the Cask Marque? – I had to ask…
The Pubs visited today:
Water Witch – Canal tow path, Aldcliffe Lane, Lancaster, LA1 1SU
White Cross – Quarry Rd, Lancaster, LA1 4XT
The Borough – 3 Dalton Square, Lancaster, Lancashire, LA1 1PP
The Tap House – 2 Gage Street, Lancaster, Lancashire, LA1 1UH