The Black Country Birthday Beer Tour

I've often thought there's something timeless about a cosy, traditional pub where you can enjoy good conversation and a decent pint. Today Dad and I put this to the test with a circuit of some of my favourite Black Country boozers as part of Dad's belated birthday celebrations...

Catching the 254 from Wolverhampton, we make our way to Brierley Hill where we join the Dudley No. 1 Canal at Delph Locks. The crisp, frosty morning lent itself to some nice scenic photos of the locks as we strolled down to Black Delph Bridge, and I also added in some handy views of a couple of the local pubs, the Tenth Lock and the Dock & Iron. The walk provided a fine aperitif but now it was time for the main event to commence.

And what a way to start. The Vine, or Bull and Bladder, has gained legendary status as the home of Batham's Brewery, and once again it fully lived up to my expectations. An open fire, a welcoming ambience and a cracking pint of Batham's Mild set the scene just nicely, Dad particularly enjoying the beer which he thought was easy drinking with a hint of chocolate. The food wasn't bad either, a ham salad crusty roll and a tasty pork pie for £2 seemed good value to me.

If the Vine is a beer mecca, Ma Pardoe's at Netherton is equally worthy of such a status. After a brief collision with the Merry Hill Centre, where Dad introduced me to the delights of the Decathlon store, we hop on the 283 bus with much anticipation. Once again we weren't to be disappointed, and the pub seemed very busy with a mix of regulars and ale tourists. We found a seat in the restaurant section next to an organ and the Christmas tree, a nice festive setting in which to sample the Bumblehole - another pint that quickly received the Dad seal of approval.

We had planned to visit the Beacon Hotel next, but it would have been a rush trying to get there before the 3pm closing. Instead I decided to introduce Dad to one of my favourites that he hadn't heard of, the Waterfall at Cradley Heath. It's fair to say he was probably a bit sceptical as we caught the 244 bus down through Old Hill, even more so when we alighted at the station then walked along the canal, but it seemed that once inside he felt right at home. That timeless quality was very much in evidence here, and we couldn't think of any better way to pass a Saturday afternoon. The place had a really warm, welcoming vibe, lots of chatter and conversation washed down with a Golden Glow for Dad and a Goat's Leap for myself.

It seemed a shame to end the outing early, so we thought we'd squeeze in a final pint on the way home. The 242 from Old Hill therefore led us to the Lamp Tavern in Dudley for another chance to sample some Batham's Mild. The Lamp had certainly got into the Christmas spirit with plenty of festive decorations - the streamers on the ceiling reminded me of the ones we used to have at home when I was a kid. Rog only introduced me to the pub in November, but its already become a firm favourite. We conclude matters with a walk through Dudley Marketplace, where the town Christmas tree twinkled away prettily in the dark, and a ride back home on the 558.

In these days of recession and pub closures, it was heartwarming to do an outing such as this to remind ourselves that great pubs do still exist. I certainly enjoyed the trip, and I think Dad had fun rolling back the years a bit and reminiscing about his younger days in Bloxwich. The beer was great, the hospitality excellent and it all sets us up for Christmas very nicely indeed...