Saturday, March 16

Hereford Happenings

Every once in a while the Chip Foundation likes to cast its horizons beyond the immediate West Midlands area by exploring somewhere a little further flung. Shrewsbury, Warwick and Ironbridge have all been graced by visits over the years, and now it is Hereford's turn to tickle our fancy...

- Arrival at Hereford -
Plans have been devised and finalised in advance of the designated date, so come Friday 15th March all we have to do is congregate at Birmingham New Street ready for the 9:50 departure. West Midlands Railway operate an hourly service from Brum to Hereford via Bromsgrove, Worcester and Great Malvern, so we commandeer a table aboard the class 170 set and keep watch on the weather. Additional entertainment comes from Mr B Senior's tales of cruiseship choirs and nosebleed dramas, then we pull into platform 1 just before quarter past eleven. 

- Edgar Street -
This is my first ever look at Hereford railway station and I have to say I rather like it, the facility having originally opened as Hereford Barr's Court in 1853 - there are four platforms and the main frontage has a provincial Tudor style with Gothic elements. We get our bearings with an initial stroll along Station Approach, passing a potential canal restoration site (the Hereford & Gloucester Canal historically terminated at a basin around here somewhere). Edgar Street soon beckons as the footballing home of Hereford FC, a phoenix club created following the sad demise of Hereford United. They currently play in the National League North having risen through the non-league pyramid. 

- Cathedral Crypt -
Trudging past atmospheric turnstiles, we ponder the former location of Hereford Cattle Market (the land now used for modern shopping malls and associated car parks) before heading into the city centre. We dodge annoying drizzle by sampling an opening half in the Lichfield Vaults although the Butcombe Original isn't quite on song, Nick's exposure to such vinegar prompting a full repertoire of disapproving facial expressions! Decorum is restored at Hereford Cathedral, an utterly majestic monument where we lap up the ecclesiastical environs of the crypt, Lady Chapel and the nave. The cathedral is said to have been founded in the year 696 and famously houses the Mappa Mundi, a Chained Library (the world's largest) and a 1217 copy of the Magna Carta.

- Windswept on Wye Bridge -
The history lesson continues with Gwynne Street, possibly the birthplace of the actress and royal mistress Nell Gwynne (1650-1687). There aren't any romantic dalliances on offer today but we do emerge opposite the Black Lion, a characterful black and white inn where my intention is to keep dry out of the rain. Alas I haven't factored in the clumsiness of a certain Stephen whereby a manoeuvre henceforth known as the 'Hereford Hurl' sends the contents of his lemonade and blackcurrant glass gushing in my direction! Having mopped up the spillage, we decamp but a very short distance to the Old Wye Bridge, an ancient river crossing that provides an ideal vantage point for admiring the breezy scenery.

- Thumbs up in the Vaga Tavern -
The river has burst its banks in places, flooding an adjacent rugby field so we have to go the long way round to our next pub. Belmont Road and Hunderton Road combine (eventually) to lead us to the Vaga Tavern, a backstreet boozer owned by the Wye Valley Brewery. The main bar here has a down-to-earth ambience with dimpled leather seating and a sporting emphasis (two dartboards, a pool table, a skittle alley and a multitude of trophies). The regulars are gearing up for the racing action at the Cheltenham Festival as we sup respective halves of Butty Bach and Wye Valley Bitter (thankfully minus any unexpected tidal waves of purple pop).

- Hunderton Bridge -
A short riverside stroll confirms the extent of the flood as we reach Hunderton Bridge, a lattice structure that spans the River Wye in carrying a leisure footpath along what used to be the Barton Station section of the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway (part of the GWR). We follow the path past a Sainsbury's supermarket and a Travelodge hotel, jink down the side of the Herefordshire Cider Museum and stumble across the Whitecross Fish Bar - that's lunch taken care of. Our chips are munched with an apple mill contraption and woodpecker sculpture for company, the nearby Bulmer's (Heineken) cider plant also being noted in dispatches. 

- Beardsmores getting Fleeced? -
Our further investigations of Hereford city centre introduce us to the Bull Statue and the Black & White House, both of which are positioned where High Town meets Commercial Street. St Peter's Street meanwhile takes us towards the Shire Hall, almost next door to which is the Golden Fleece as a narrow Marston's establishment that seems very well prepared for St Patrick's Day. Anticipation is building for the Cheltenham Gold Cup although Ken resists the urge to don a plastic jockey's cap or pose with an inflatable champagne bottle. No fizz for us, just plain old Banks's Bitter!

- Beaming in the Barrels -
What pray tell would St Owen's Street have to offer us pub-wise? Nick and I have high hopes for the Victory and its memorable galleon-inspired interior when shock horror... it's shut! Any nautical novelty value is therefore thwarted but our disappointment doesn't last long, not with the Barrels on hand to cheer us up. The Wye Valley taphouse duly lives up to its longstanding Good Beer Guide billing, the Wholesome Stout proving most praiseworthy indeed. There's just time to call into the Commercial Hotel (St Austell Tribute while watching a Didier Drogba goals montage) before we catch the 17:39 train home. A cracking day in the capital of cider - cheers!

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous6:54 pm

    I am fairly confident that this is the inaugural review anywhere in the world of the Vaga Tavern!!!! Top work..I love your off he beaten tack walks as they take in pubs not often seen...Not been for years it was all Saxtys, Gilbys and The Crystal Rooms back in the nineties!!!
    Britain Beermat

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  2. Hi Beermat, the Vaga Tavern was well worth seeking out - apparently it used to be a Marston's place and closed down for a while before Wye Valley stepped in, and on last week's evidence it is a great little community local. Hereford in general proved very interesting, I remember Edgar Street when I was much younger and the cattle market was still next door. Absolutely agree that its good to do the lesser heralded pubs - I do like the real ale gems and micropubs but important to see the other side of the coin too. All the best, Paul

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