‘Station Porter' voted best winter beer in the land!

‘Station Porter' voted best winter beer in the land!

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) recently held its National Winter Ales Festival and named Wickwar Station Porter as Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2008.

The description alone in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide 2008 is intoxicating... “A rich, smooth, dark ruby-brown ale. Starts with a roast malt; coffee, chocolate and dark fruit then develops a complex, spicy, bittersweet taste and a long roast finish.” Wow, I've go to try this one!

To read more about the National Winter Ales Festival and see a complete list of the winning ales, visit Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2008.

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This Week's Free Pub Walk - The New Inn at Cropthorne, Worcestershire

This Week's Free Pub Walk - The New Inn at Cropthorne, Worcestershire

The New Inn is situated in open countryside between Evesham and Pershore where a network of footpaths and bridleways offer easy walking as long as you can manage a few stiles.

Now available as a free download from MyFavouritePubWalks.com, this is yet another pub walk featuring a pub from The Good Pub Guide 2008 with The New Inn supplementing its bar seating with a new 30-seater restaurant offering locally-sourced, good quality food and real ale.

This circular walk is mainly over open countryside with added interest of possible sightings of miniature Shetland ponies in one of the fields. Also when we walked this route one morning we had the added excitement of seeing the racehorses exercising around the gallops.

For a free download of the pub walk, click on New Inn Pub Walk.

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This Week's Pub Walk - A Sheltered Stroll to The Donkey, Charles Hill, Surrey

This Week's Pub Walk - A Sheltered Stroll to The Donkey, Charles Hill, Surrey

A new pub walk just added to MyFavouritePubWalks.com is the first on the site for the county of Surrey (although more are on the way).

Much of the walk is sheltered by trees and so is a good choice for windy winter days. The circular route is easy walking along a series of country lanes, footpaths and tracks. Starting at the pretty village of Tilford, the refreshment stop is half way around at Charles Hill where The Donkey deserves its place in The Good Pub Guide 2008.

The food is not cheap by pub standards but it has an interesting menu and is restaurant quality. It serves Abbot Ale, London Pride plus a good cup of tea.

So if its a bit blustery but you fancy a pub walk then this short sheltered walk may be a good one to try. More details can be found at the Donkey Pub Walk.

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CAMRA Announces National Pub of the Year Finalists

CAMRA Announces National Pub of the Year Finalists

The Campaign for Real Ale has announced the finalists for the prestigious title of National Pub of the Year.

CAMRA members visited thousands of pubs to select 16 regional winners which were then short-listed to the best four for the final. The overall winner will be announced on February 15th 2008, on the eve of CAMRA's Community Pubs Week (February 16th - 23rd).

I always think that award-winning pubs are always a great starting point for a new pub walk so if you want further details of the finalists visit National Pub of the Year Finalists.

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This Week's Pub Walk - A Coastal Walk to The Dolphin at Thorpeness, Suffolk

This Week's Pub Walk - A Coastal Walk to The Dolphin at Thorpeness, Suffolk

An easy circular walk starting from a quiet car park on the edge of Aldeburgh, travelling along the old railway line to Thorpeness and returning via the coast along the beach.

The Dolphin Inn features in both The Good Pub Guide 2008 and AA Pub Guide. It is a traditional village inn offering good food and Adnams ales, especially busy at lunchtimes so remember to book. Very friendly service with children and dogs welcome.

To download and enjoy today click on Dolphin Pub Walk.

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Finding the Best Children's Menus for Your Family Pub Walk

Finding the Best Children's Menus for Your Family Pub Walk

Is the quality of children's meals about to reach centre stage in pubs? That may overstate it but the recent launch of a new accreditations scheme and website Catered4thekids could certainly help.

The scheme will ask pubs to ensure their children's meals meet a set of criteria ranging from the sourcing of the meat to a healthier soft drinks range. It will include a mystery visit to test the pub's claims too before acceptance onto the scheme.

As we all know, even supposedly children-friendly pubs frequently have a children’s menu that is both uninspired and unhealthy. Chicken nuggets and chips prevail whilst fresh vegetables make rare appearances.

However recent research by him! shows we families are a free-spending bunch and families who visit pubs spend an average £5 more per person than the average pub customer. This makes the family pound an ideal target for pubs trying to make up their takings after the smoking ban, higher costs and a generally tough 2007.

To find out more about this initiative click on Catered4thekids-good-pub-food-for-kids.

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This Week's Pub Walk - Following Faversham Creek in Kent to The Albion Tavern

This Week's Pub Walk - Following Faversham Creek in Kent to The Albion Tavern

The Albion Tavern has a location to die for. It sits with commanding views over historic Faversham Creek and makes for a very appealing base for a pub walk. From here you can enjoy the creek, a walk over the marshes and visit the 850 year old Davington Priory

Owned by Britain's oldest brewery Shepherd Neame sited on the opposite bank of the creek, it features in not only the AA Pub Guide but also The Good Pub Guide 2008 so you can look forward to a memorable reward afterwards.

To download and enjoy today click on Albion Tavern Pub Walk.

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New Year Pub Walk - Axe and Compass at Hemingford Abbots, near Cambridge

New Year Pub Walk - Axe and Compass at Hemingford Abbots, near Cambridge

First of all, a very happy and healthy New Year to all those who share my passion for pub walks! For all of us with a New Year's resolution to take more regular exercise, what better way is there to achieving this goal than to combine it with some modest refreshment at a great British pub?

Why not start the New Year with this level walk from a lovely 15th century pub in the picturesque village of Hemingford Abbots. It goes along the river, around lakes and part of a disused railway line.

The food at the Axe and Compass is a real highlight and helps to make this one of my personal favourites. The pub certainly deserves its inclusion in the lucky dip section of the Good Pub Guide.

To download and enjoy today click on Axe and Compass Pub Walk.
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