Stirchley Saturday, Showground Sunday

A weekend double-header with Bookworm Bygrave sees us spending Saturday evening on the Stirchley Beer Mile in the company of Zoe and Mike, before Sunday takes us to the Three Counties Showground for the Malvern Autumn Show...

- The Stirchley Gorilla -

The Stirchley district of Birmingham has become a real hotspot for up-and-coming venues specialising in craft beer, street food and good times. There must be a dozen or more places we could sample strung out either side of the Pershore Road but we have a hitlist in mind, starting with The Den which I think used to be a card shop. Several Deya beers are being showcased here, including my pick of a New England pale ale called 'Magazine Cover'. We settle in under a 'Make Time For Pints' smoking frog poster and try to outdo each other over a game of Anomia, requiring quick recall of jazz musician names or palindromes - would the Stirchley gorilla approve?

- Glasshouse Beer Co. -

The Waterside Business Park alone is home to at least three drinking establishments, of which the Glasshouse Beer Co. taproom is definitely our top target. Looking out over the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, it has a few beer benches inside and the familiar sight of Crispmalt sacks piled up by the brewing equipment. From the extensive range, my liking for real ale results in a cracking pint of Aoraki as their main cask offering, tasting as fresh and clean as I could wish for; Zoe really likes the Anemones provided we pronounce it correctly (this is a crushable orange peach beer apparently) then Mike entertains us with Donald Trump impressions. We're also briefly joined by Hannah and Alex for a quick pint prior to a gig they're attending, hence chatting about university welcome weeks, Black Country Type photobooks and the philosophical stroking of beards.

- Trying Trillium -

 A few units further along is the Brew Export Beer Cave specialising in American craft lines, the physical space being similar to Glasshouse. Trillium Brewing's 'Boat Under Train Under Car Under Plane' is a total mouthful in more ways than one but I rather like it for a fruity brew. We then amble over to Mary Vale Road and make Attic our second brewery tap of the evening but it is absolutely heaving with folks watching the England vs Spain football match; we just about squeeze in for a standing perch while accounting for beers such as Quarter and Clasp, hearing rather than seeing the goals flying in. Deadbeat looks very interesting as a dive bar concept but our collective craving for curry means we will finish off at the Kolkata restaurant where the usually spice-averse Bookworm Bygrave braves the Butter Chicken - I think Emily's tastebuds lived to tell the tale. We might only have scratched the surface of Stirchley this time around but that's all the more reason to go back - watch this space...

- The Wheatsheaf Vintage Pub -

Sunday's action takes us to the Three Counties Showground on the outskirts of Malvern where the Autumn Show has been in full swing all weekend. The remit is to celebrate the produce of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire as well as being a primary showcase for the best in local agriculture and horticulture. The Bygravemobile is ushered into car park N8, positioning us handily by the North Gate entrance close to a vintage fairground. We've not long arrived when we spot the Wheatsheaf as a 1940's themed pub based in a repurposed portakabin. It aims to raise money for veterans charities - a most worthy cause - and serves up a cracking drop of Teme Valley's T'other amber ale. The period vibe is evoked through pre-decimal coins, a rotary dial telephone and an Edith Piaf soundtrack emanating from an old wireless set.

- Googly-eyed Vegetables -

The Harvest Pavilion awaits next for googly eyed pumpkins and long stringy carrots - these aren't even the giant specimens, just standard produce but are clearly grown with much love. The Floral Art section has lots of imaginative installations depicting Christmas dining tables, choral music stands, graffiti and other themes where you have to admire the creative thinking involved. Cards beside each exhibit indicate which ones are the main prizewinners, from Show Champions to Gold, Silver Gilt and Bronze medallists through to the lower placings.

- Snuffling among the Cider Apples -

Continuing by way of the Orchard & Hop Tent, this celebrates everything related to local apples, pears, quinces and beer ingredients. Several regional producers have their own stalls so I'm spoiled for choice in terms of whose wares I'm most keen to sample. Ultimately I opt for the Ross on Wye Autumn Cider, a 7.2% heavyweight half which gets supped whilst watching a scratting machine demo using the ‘Norman’ variety; the ripened cider apples are converted to a mash or pulp similar to porridge in order to better extract their juice for fermenting. This is a time honoured process which requires much skill for recognising when the apples are at their harvesting peak. A cheeky straw pig seems to be enjoying any leftover windfall specimens!

- A Pastry Pause -

Unsurprisingly busy irrespective of a sudden shower, the Food Hall presents a full range of gourmet goodies so there are pies, cakes and pastry products at every turn. I spot a craft beer flag and duly investigate for half of Copper Beech's Dog Days, the name of the beer sealing the deal in reference to Mabel and Hank - Emily seemed to appreciate the gesture. We keep out of the worsening rain by checking out the Giant Vegetable Championship Hall, some of the exhibits are ridiculous!! Massive marrows and ginormous pumpkins need to be seen to be believed, they must weigh a tonne (well several tonnes actually). The Craft Hall however is where Emily's heart really lies, finding greetings cards and coasters galore. One artist has a machine for dispensing prints at £1 a go - we initially get double badgers but exchange one for a frog design. A quick stroll back past the classic tractors seals the deal, and something tells me we might be back in spring for further Three Counties fun. Cheers!

A Telford Town Park Tour

Covering over 450 acres, Telford Town Park is one of the jewels within the Telford and Wrekin Borough area and has even won national titles to go with its Green Flag status. I've been visiting the park on and off since childhood, when we used to have family days out clambering over Malinslee Fort or testing our balance on the adventure play equipment. With plenty of industrial heritage to investigate, I summon Stephen for a leisurely stroll towards Stirchley and Hinkshay...

- Commemorating the Coalbrookdale Coalfield -

It's Friday 18th October 2024 and I meet Mr Beardsmore aboard the number 891 bus, a route which nowadays is operated by Banga Buses but was historically a Midland Red concern until Arriva withdrew their service. The £2 single fare price cap applies for a bargain journey via Albrighton, Cosford and Shifnal before we set down at the revamped Telford Bus Station circa quarter past eleven. Ignoring the charms of the New Look or H&M stores, we sashay through Southwater and pitch straight into Town Park proper, eyeing up a bright red pitwheel designed to remember those who worked on the Coalbrookdale Coalfield. 

- Telford Veterans Trail -

More moments of reflection can be gleaned over by the Queen Elizabeth II Arena (itself a sunken grassy bowl which can host open air events for up to 12,000 people). The Telford Veterans Trail comprises a series of mounted plaques snaking their way out from the town's War Memorial; together they aim to record the active service records of local personnel across all of the Armed Forces, both in the First and Second World Wars and more recent conflicts. After pausing for pictures and to pay our respects, we venture out near the Amphitheatre which seems to be in urgent need of running repairs overlooking Randlay Pool.

- Stirchley Chimney -

Accompanied by disconcertingly ghostly groaning noises emanating from the Wonderland themed attraction, we pick out the path passing between bodies of water on the eastern flank of the park. Randlay Pool is the largest of the constituent pools and was constructed to supply water to a former brickworks, whilst nearby Blue Pool has a similarly industrial origin having been the quarrying site used by the same firm (gaining its name from the underlying clay minerals which give the pool a distinctive blue colour, especially in summer). Probably the most obvious clue to the area's manufacturing past is the towering presence of Stirchley Chimney, although Stephen and I don't spot it until the very last second because it is well screened by surrounding foliage. Erected in 1873, the chimney along with associated blast furnace remains are currently opened for occasional educational visits.

- St James's Church -

Beyond the chimney, we pass the scarrings of disused slag heaps to reach Grange Pool in Town Park's south-eastern corner. At this point we detour off to investigate Stirchley Village (an older settlement which considerably predates the New Town estate which also holds the Stirchley name). A cluster of amenities would have seen a post office, butchers shop, pub - the Rose & Crown, still seemingly trading but not open on this Friday lunchtime - and St James's Church all bunched together. The latter landmark is cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust and has some 12th century Norman architectural elements. 

- Stephen at Stirchley Platform -

Continuing along Stirchley Lane, we reach the Silkin Way leisure footpath which follows the course of a disused railway line (namely the branch that connected Wellington with Coalport) and is named in tribute to Lewis Silkin, the Minister responsible for the New Towns Act in the 1960s Labour Government. Evidence of the route's transport provenance is apparent in the form of Dawley and Stirchley Station where the platform remains have been restored with the help of community grant funding. Passenger services ceased here in May/June 1952 although freight operations (mainly involving coal) persisted until 1964 after which the line closed.

- The Three Crowns -

The lack of activity at the aforementioned Rose & Crown means our next best option for a refreshment stop is the Three Crowns on Hinkshay Road, flirting with the edges of Dawley. This is a long-time Marston's boozer standing side-on to the lane and presumably given the brewery's wet-led marketing makeover blueprint - cue barrel emblems and tiled diagrams of the beer-making process. My hopes of a quality pint of cask ale are thwarted when all of the handpulls are out of use so a Thatcher's Gold cider has to suffice instead. Parking ourselves on a tall table, we natter about cricketing capitulations (a theme of the entire summer) while keeping half an eye on some ladies tennis from the Ningbo Open. One amusing feature is the parade of rubber ducks lining the bartop, from mermaid specimens to sailors, Scottish saltires and even a black punk rubber duck with a well-styled mohican - what splendid fun!

- Telford Hornets Rugby Club -

Resuming our Town Park trail, more of Hinkshay Road has us heading northwards in the general direction of Dark Lane car park. I walked this section back in June 2008 when the White Hart pub was just about still standing (albeit in a very tumbledown condition) but that old hostelry has long since vacated the scene, replaced by the new housing of Jerry Rails Avenue and Ever Ready Crescent. The next notable feature for our attention is the Telford Hornets rugby ground complete with well-appointed clubhouse and several training pitches; the club competes in the Counties 1 Midlands West (North) Division - quite a mouthful! 

- A Wonderland Welcome -

Our loop has almost come full circle back to Meeting Point House although we are briefly lured across to the Exotic Zoo and Wonderland main entrance by the combined presence of the startled White Rabbit and grinning Cheshire Cat. We're a little too old for either attraction's target audience so we instead convene in the Wrekin Giant (a Hungry Horse establishment over at Southwater) for a gammon lunch with bonus puddings. Further cricketing discussions are interspersed with previewing the Wolves vs Manchester City match - we don't hold out much hope of a home win - and that's our Town Park trip done and dusted. The whole walk was around four miles in total, giving us a great insight into Telford's past - cheers!