Two October Outings

Back-to-back trips to report on now as a daring double sees me join the Beardsmores in Cannock Chase District - hello Hednesford! - before Nick acts as my Leamington tour guide for a circuit of Whitnash and Woodloes. Here is my summary from a terrific if breathless couple of days...

- The Family Firm? -

Let's start with Friday 8th October 2021 and what we've since christened 'The Chaserider Challenge' - I'm slightly out of the loop on bus operator developments these days and hadn't twigged that the D&G Group had taken over Arriva's Cannock and Stafford network, I must try harder! The number 70 conveys us from Heath Town to Cannock via New Cross Hospital, Featherstone, Cheslyn Hay and the Longford Estate (sadly with a Co-op where the Ascot Tavern used to stand). A street market is bringing some welcome life to Cannock town centre as we spot an ornamental elephant statue and Beardsmore Lighting, a long-standing family business that apparently has no connection whatsoever to my two accomplices. 

- JB on the John Smith's -

As commendable as Cannock is, the main focus of Friday revolves around Hednesford so we catch the 26 Circular across through Chadsmoor and alight by the railway station. Coal mining was historically the major industry in the Cannock Chase area so a Davy lamp-style sculpture outside Hednesford Library remembers the local pits, while over 3,500 miners' names are recorded among the bricks that encircle the town clock flowerbeds. Initial refreshment is sought from the Hen House on Eskrett Street but I'm not particularly keen on the house pale ale; my pint of Gravitas in the Hedgeford Lodge Wetherspoons is altogether better and Mr B Senior does enjoy his John Smith's even if the picture above suggests otherwise!

- Serious about Sausage Rolls -

Stephen and John seem to be engaged in their own private battle to outscowl each other on the blog pictures, and in this case we see Beardsmore Junior studiously contemplating his sausage roll lunch. We needed that snack when waiting for the Heddins Ford to open at 2pm; situated in a former bank building that also served as a bookmakers for a while, this is now a micropub overseen by the Backyard Brewhouse from Brownhills. The 1898 Dark Mild is very much my kind of tipple - deep, malty and in excellent condition - as the barmaid joins in our discussion about the dialect differences between Willenhall, Walsall and Wednesbury. 

- The Duck, Chadsmoor -

Our homeward bus is at twenty past four which leaves us a brief window of Chadsmoor opportunity. The Duck is the obvious candidate due to its off yellow appearance and proximity to the Moss Street bus stops. We weren't expecting much in here but it does us fine for a quick slurp of Boddingtons in a no-nonsense local, plus I can snaffle cheeky snaps of the nearby doctors surgery and a Methodist chapel. The return 70 behaves itself so Stephen and I can fulfill our evening fixture at the Tettenhall Cricket Club Quiz. Team Bears put in a sterling performance but a cautious approach to the final 'Wipeout' round sees us pipped to the victory by the Scrambled Eggheads - we'd still have taken second place at the start. 

- Leamington's Stagecoach Depot -

Ordinarily Friday's antics would have provided more than enough fun and frivolity but no, this is a special week and Saturday 9th October is on standby to continue the fun. Leamington Larks are thus on the agenda as I meet Nick outside the spa town's Art Deco-fronted railway station, and the U1A is then on hand to whisk us off to Warwick Gates for a glimpse of the relocated Stagecoach bus depot. Having admired some of the parked-up fleet through the mesh railings, we nip into the adjacent Royal Horse for an Abbot Ale aperitif. Although this is very much your standard Hungry Horse chain experience, they have made an effort with their Halloween decorations hence a multitude of cobwebs, witches faces and comedy spiders. 

- A Portuguese Pose? -

The pubs come thick and fast along the Tachbrook Road as a Heathcote - Windmill - Urban Fox combination keeps us very busy. The former is preparing for a 50th birthday celebration so we refrain from helping ourselves to the Swiss rolls; the middle of the three has a traditional bar room with two dartboards; and the latter used to be called the Wheatsheaf prior to a craft makeover - the Napton Blackcurrant Cider makes for a refreshing change. Halves are the way to go when you've got so many watering holes close together and we hadn't even factored in the Joiners Arms on Shrubland Street, a boozer that turns out to be a little pocket of Portugal complete with its own community shop selling rice, Filipinos chocolate bars and mystery meat.

- A Hodcarrier Half -

Every once in a while I suspect Nick gets possessed by the restless spirit of Mr D9, and the sight of the Brunswick Hub must have stirred an unexpected liking for dives. The Jet on Brunswick Street attempts to deafen us with hip hop at high decibels although a drop of Guinness in the borstal-like beer garden is perfectly acceptable. Nick then exceeds even that when the number 1 bus connects us to the South Farm estate for the Hodcarrier, a 1970s hulk of a building on Coppice Road. The regulars form something of a barfly barricade but it's friendly enough in principle and the cask ale offering is appreciated, as indeed is a soundtrack featuring Mott the Hoople ('Roll Away The Stone') and John Kongos. 

- St Margaret's, Whitnash -

Bit by bit we've inched our way into the heart of Whitnash where St Margaret's Church was founded in Saxon times and boasts a C15th sandstone tower. Also conjuring up a sense of the old village is the Plough & Harrow, a building that harks back to agricultural days (as indeed do some nearby thatched cottages). Leeds Pale Ale and a doorstep dog statue are the defining elements of our visit, and the canine theme continues at the Bulldog on St Margaret's Road - this is a sports-centric establishment with several screens to keep us more than up to date with the Saturday football scores. The parade of shops across the road meanwhile include Whitnash Carpets, the Orchard Corner and Johnny's Plaice.

- The Woodloes Tavern -

We save our takeaway indulgences until we've traversed Leamington town centre on the 1, pitching into Woodloes on the northern fringes of Warwick. The Woodloes Park Fish Saloon supplies the requisite roe and battered sausage, sustaining us for our raid on the Woodloes Tavern which ably adds to our estate establishment collection. The basic external appearance can be deceptive as this is nicely furnished and we can't fault the quality of the Timothy Taylor's Landlord. Intercepting another 1, we finish off at Leamington's Boiler Room which counts as a newer venue that launched last year. Halves of Affinity accompany Nick's inspections of a pizza menu where every dish is name after a different artist, and the whole town centre feels abuzz with activity. A nice way to round off an epic double header!