- Station Sign -
Birmingham New Street is our rendezvous location on this occasion, the station fast approaching its official reopening following a complete overhaul - it'll be fascinating to see the finished facility in due course. I find Nick Turpin poised on platform 12A in readiness for our 09:52 Cross Country train towards Leicester, which calls at Coleshill Parkway and Nuneaton before bringing us neatly into Hinckley.
- Crescent Construction -
Hinckley Station meets with our approval (particularly the old station building) as we arrive just on half past ten. Station Road provides a direct route into the town centre where construction of The Crescent is well underway - the project will create a brand new leisure and retail destination complete with Sainsbury's, TK Maxx and Cineworld. The whole scheme is due to open in the autumn and sits adjacent to the town's bus station, where the dated brown shelters are familiar from my previous visits to Hinckley.
- Hansom Heritage -
Continuing via Regent Street and The Borough, there is evidence of Hinckley's heritage as a hosiery town whereby the High Cross Building still bears signs for knitwear and underwear. Another claim to fame is the creation of the Hansom Cab as designed by the architect Joseph Hansom when he was based locally.
- Hinckley War Memorial -
Our tour of the town centre also takes in St Mary's parish church (hosting a Women's Institute market) and the adjacent Argents Mead park with its jubilee bandstand. A mound within the park grounds was historically the site of Hinckley Castle, a motte and bailey fortress built in Norman times. These days the bailey area is home to the town's war memorial as we look out to see where a new leisure centre is being built nearby.
- Quality Quiche -
Castle Street is arguably Hinckley's principal outdoor shopping street and is a lively affair with a multitude of market stalls in full swing. The time is now approaching midday so our thoughts turn to all things ale, and after a bit of random navigation we eventually happen across the Atkins Building where the beer festival is taking place (next door to the college as it turns out). Collecting glasses, programme and token cards we brace ourselves for beer and I immediately savour delectable brews including a Light Irish Stout and Elliswood's Jolly Jack Tar. For his part Nick Turpin avails himself of Ashover Elderflower followed by Nene Valley's Bible Black before proudly posing with a cheese and mushroom quiche!
- A Dragon Detour -
Sitting outside in the sunshine by the tapas stand we are soon joined by fellow ale enthusiast Mike as the supping and sampling continues. I was very impressed by Berry Dangerous (infused with berries from the Chatsworth estate) while Nick gets embroiled in a Banana Drama but thankfully emerges relatively unscathed. Our ultimate favourite of all the ales tasted was however the Chocolate Guerrilla from Blue Monkey, a lovely stout with an intense chocolatey aroma - heavenly! With tokens spent we prepare to peruse the local pubs but not before Nick Turpin tries out some dragon-taming in the college foyer.
- Triple Chocoholic -
Hinckley has two pubs listed in the newly-published 2016 Good Beer Guide so we made sure to try out both. The New Plough Inn is a Marston's pub on Leicester Road where some Burton Bitter hit the spot among the framed rugby shirts, whereas the Queens Head on Upper Bond Street is a free house of Victorian vintage with an enticing interior. Here we strike gold in the form of Saltaire's Triple Chocoholic, a thoroughly indulgent speciality ale brimful of cocoa and chocolate wonderment.
- Pestle & Mortar Micropub -
A couple of further Hinckley alehouses also had us intrigued. The Pestle and Mortar is a recent arrival on the scene, a Castle Street micropub that only opened a couple of weeks ago. Named to reflect a previous use as a chemist's shop we enjoyed some Church Farm Brown's Porter before making our way to the Railway, a Steamin' Billy establishment back by the station where a half of 1485 primes us nicely for our train.
- The Hoot Highwayman -
Our journey back to Birmingham is punctuated by a pause in Nuneaton where the Crown is handily located a few yards from the railway station. The CAMRA members price of £2.25 a pint is certainly tempting as we select Black Country Chain Ale and Potbelly Beijing Black respectively; we then get chatting to a chap from Coventry CAMRA who was most informative about happenings in Godiva's fair city. Brum now awaits, and with darkness falling we have ideal conditions for an owl spotting session, hence making the acquaintance of The Big Hoot specimens in Victoria Square and round by the cathedral.
- An Owl Delivery -
Among the sculptures sighted were Alf the Penguin Owl (with goggles and a snorkel), Priceless Owl (celebrating the 250th anniversary of Lloyds Bank), Tick Tock (with a clockwork heart) and Owl By Night (shimmering in the flashlight with mirrored mosaic) as the event continues to capture many imaginations including ours!
- Doctor Whoot -
A final artistic treat awaits us in the foyer of Snow Hill Station where Doctor Whoot can be found paying homage to the legendary TV series and its tardis. With that we catch our corresponding trains home, thus bringing to a close this Turpin tale of owls and ales. Cheers!
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