August seemed strangely autumnal where the weather was concerned, but no sooner has the calendar clicked over into September than we're suddenly blessed with sultry heatwave conditions. Keen to put the sunshine to good use, I stage a Staffs & Worcs canal walk in lovely Penkridge followed up with a couple of pub visits...
- Penkridge Market Entrance -
Friday 8th September 2023 then, and I say sunshine but it's actually fairly overcast, at least to begin with. The 10:26 Crewe London Northwestern train takes all of eight minutes to convey me north of Wolverhampton, reaching Penkridge on time at 10:34 and pitching me into repeat pictures of the Hatherton Hotel (which has a very grotty rear elevation) and the Monckton Rec rugby pitches. Penkridge Market doesn't trade on Fridays but still carries adverts for the D&R Meats van while Ken Price & Sons garage has a recovery car on standby for any breakdowns.
- Park Gate Lock Sign -
Passing the White Hart pub and the ever-busy Jasper's Bakery, I take Teddesley Road so as to track down the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal. Woodbank Lane is where I access the towpath this time around, bearing north-easterly towards Acton Trussell. Longford Bridge declares itself just before the M6 Motorway crossing, and although you can hear the constant hum of traffic it isn't too much of an imposition. Teddesley Park Bridge (No. 89) then precedes Park Gate Lock, a sleepy location I remember passing on many a childhood family ride out. The small basin here plays host to Park Gate Leisure and Georgie's Cruises, complete with moorings, minor boat repair facilities and a chandlery.
- Longford Lock -
Park Gate will be the outer limit of my northward navigation so I retrace my steps back into Penkridge Village, pausing to take in the scene at Longford Lock as guarded by Broom Bridge (No. 87). There are a number of narrowboats out on the cut today so there's plenty of scope for a friendly wave or a quick chat as they merrily chug along. Penkridge Lock is overlooked by the Boat, a canalside boozer I remember visiting with Dad many moons ago, while the mobile homes of Little Marsh Farm have a notable presence on the opposite bank.
- The Horse & Jockey -
As temptingly traditional as the Boat may be, I have other watering holes in mind and the first of those has to be the Horse & Jockey at the bottom end of Market Street. I'd only been here once previously and that was long before Black Country Ales took it over, hence I'm intrigued to see what they've done with the place. Tartan upholstery and a rambling interior make an immediate impression while I'm so besotted with the snacks cabinet that I almost forget to order my beer! Oakham's Chaos Engine is the pint in question (and very drinkable) but my huge cheese and onion cob is the star of the show, loaded with cheddar slices and further enhanced by a piquant dollop of piccalilli. A small pork pie with mustard adds to the feast as some knowledgeable regulars debate the fishing prospects at Stourport-on-Severn.
- The Bridge House -
Even though I feel thoroughly well-fed, I'm at serious risk of succumbing to sausage rolls or samosas so I'd best move on for the sake of my own stomach! One Penkridge establishment I'd never sampled until now is the Bridge House on the main A449 (Stone Cross), close to the River Penk and opposite the aforementioned Price's Garage. Although more of a restaurant than an out-and-out drinking den, it does have a public bar with its fair share of workmen knocking off for an afternoon pint. Three handpulls give me a choice between Proper Job, Wainwright and Jaipur IPA so I throw caution to the wind by opting for the Thornbridge, a classic of its type and loaded with hoppy power at 5.9% abv. It's very relaxing to sit in a window recess, supping ale as the temperatures inch up to 29 degrees. - this is the life!
- A Penkridge Platform Sign -
Last but not least will be the Littleton Arms, a historic coaching inn below St Michael's Church. It continues to offer hotel accommodation as well as priding itself on locally sourced food; of their five cask contenders I lean towards the Ludlow Blonde for a very acceptable pale tipple. Davenport's sympathetically renovated the building relatively recently but it retains much C18th charm as befits its Grade II listed status, and I even catch glimpse of some practice shots being undertaken at the bowling club across the road. Come half past three it's time to head to the railway station, catch the 15:46 train home and bid farewell to sunny Staffordshire. Penkridge you've been a pleasure to visit - cheers!
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