Tuesday, March 5

Chip Foundation Chronicles: Walsall

Wednesday 27th February and another chapter is enshrined into Chip Foundation folklore as I bring you the tale of our gallant trio and their latest escapades in the Walsall neck of the woods. Altogether now, once upon a time...


This particular ripping yarn begins with Perry Barr and a ride on the number 51 bus, carrying us forth to the Rushall Canal for a rampage up the towpath. There were locks aplenty for me to photograph whilst Messrs SB and NW took to commenting on the various summerhouses and benches seen in the Park Hall gardens backing onto the canal.

Our first pub port of call was the King Arthur on Liskeard Road, a pub name that conjures up its own links to legendary tales. For a relatively modern estate pub this was an impressive place with some excellent Wye Valley ales for the two Mr W's to sample.

Many epic sagas have a common thread running through them and in our case it is the chip element that links everything together. Here the chaps tuck in to their spoils as obtained from the takeaway on the Liskeard Road precinct.

The action moves quickly to Brownhills where Nick is mesmerised by a magnificent miner. A couple of halves help him cope with such a sighting, so thanks are offered to The Swan (Golden Glow) and the Royal Oak (Harvest Pale). The latter pub had a decorative 1930's elegance complete with a vintage phonograph cabinet and a period fireplace.

As evening falls our brave souls venture to Aldridge, taking a chance on a 935A bus that worked very nicely for a connection to the Lazy Hill Tavern. This was a particularly homely cottage pub where rather than a wolf for company we made the acquaintance of some Blythe Staffie.

So what can we summon up by way of a fairytale ending? Well the foundation's very own customised time machine delivers us to the Turf Tavern, Bloxwich where you feel like you're stepping back at least 50 or 60 years if not a century or more. The interior is full of modest character epitomised by the simple slatted bench seating, whilst the gents toilet out the back might well have given Stephen nightmares. 
With that there's just a postscript for the 89 bus back to Wolverhampton, and hopefully they all lived happily ever after.

No comments:

Post a Comment