Bewdley pubs - June 2021

 

While staying at Kidderminster Travelodge we used local buses and walked to Bewdley via the Severn Way on successive days from Arley to the north and from Stourport-on-Severn to the south.

On a previous visit to Bewdley in March 2014, a visit to the Little Pack Horse Inn marked the end of a day in Bridgnorth and Bewdley with CAMRA volunteers from Oxford Beer Festival. For more details see my Bridgnorth & Bewdley post.

Thursday 10 June 2021

The 297 bus from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth via Arley passed the Bellmans Cross Inn at Shatterford before descending via Arley Lane to the river Severn where we got off.

The Severn Way, on the east bank, was quiet, except for the occasional passing Severn Valley Railway steam train. It goes through woods, around a reservoir and along empty lanes before reaching our destination - Bewdley.

The George Hotel

The George Hotel, a large Wetherspoon pub, was our first call and it was nice to find an outside table in a wide paved passageway where we ordered drinks using an app. 

The only local beer was Wood's Shropshire Hills Beauty which was served chilled.

The Mug House Inn

After a sandwich by the riverside we managed to gain admittance to the Mug House Inn and after signing in were led to a free table in the attractive patio garden which was busy with diners.

It was good to find Worcestershire Way by Bewdley Brewery served in the correct glass here. The pale 3.6% abv session beer was refreshing with citrus notes. Meg enjoyed a pot of tea.

With an interval before the bus to Kidderminster we headed east back over the bridge and then past the Black Boy Inn, under the Severn Valley Railway bridge and the Great Western to find a bus stop on the Kidderminster Road.

Friday 11 June 2021

Stourport-on-Severn

The 3 bus to Astley Cross dropped us at York Street in Stourport-on-Severn. The Severn Way on the east bank of the river provides a pleasant route along mainly flat ground, through a park, caravan sites, narrow stretches of footpath and wider tracks to reach Bewdley.

The Black Boy

Located at the top of the steep Wyre Hill, it was worth the climb to reach the historic Black Boy.

We were shown to a table in the large beer garden passing blackboards with details of drinks and food.

My first pint of Three Tuns XXX The Pale Ale was so good that a second one was necessary! Brewed in Bishops Castle, Shropshire, the 4.3% abv pale ale is 'a straw-coloured bitter with a light malty sweetness, the taste is completed with delicate floral flavours to release its earthy character.'

The Black Boy, Wyre Hill

Meg remembers staying a night at a Black Boy hotel in Bewdley as a girl when her parents took her on holiday. We had climbed the hill to see if this was the one but as the staff advised that it has not been a hotel in recent times then it must have been the Black Boy Inn, Kidderminster Road, that we passed on Thursday despite its changed outward appearance.

Kidderminster pubs - June 2021

 

A three night stay at the Travelodge in Kidderminster provided an opportunity for a towpath walk along the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal (Wednesday) to Stourport and (after bus journeys) footpath walks from Arley to Bewdley (Thursday) and from Stourport to Bewdley (Friday).

Severn Valley Railway bridge over Staffs & Worcs canal

Once a centre of carpet making, Kidderminster still retains steam and diesel hauled Severn Valley Railway services to Bridgnorth via Bewdley and Arley. 

Wednesday 9 June 2021

The Travelodge is located facing the Watermill 2-for-1 pub by the canal and near the busy A451 to Stourport-on-Severn. 

We passed a few pubs on the late afternoon walk as we approached Stourport but they were either uninviting or closed.

The Castle Inn

After a bus ride back to Kidderminster's Travelodge hotel, it was soon time to head out again, this time walking north along Park Lane until we reached the Castle Inn. We went inside, after putting on our face masks and received a friendly welcome. We decided to sit outside where there are tiered patio areas leading down to the canal, with the towpath on the opposite bank. 

We enjoyed pints of the pale Wye Valley Brewery HPA with table service for £3.10 pint. 

The Weavers at Park Lane

The Weavers at Park Lane is only 50 metres further north. This is one of the two pubs named Weavers in Kidderminster.

On this occasion there was just time to sneak a quick photo of the pumpclips at the bar before we were ushered to a table outdoors, overlooking the canal. 

We enjoyed pints of Bromsgrove's Woodcote Brewing SPA here. Also spotted at the bar, Squires Gold is another beer supplied by this brewery.

From here, we crossed the bridge over the canal and followed the towpath opposite the Weavers towards the bus station and visited Tappeto Lounge, near the bus station for a meal. We returned to the hotel by walking along the towpath, passing The Weavers again and resting ducks.

By 9.30pm, when we reached the Watermill, the light was fading.

Thursday 10 June 2021

A fine day was spent walking along the Severn Valley Way footpath from Arley to Bewdley with several sightings of steam hauled SVR trains. Local buses provided the links from / to Kidderminster. 

Later, walking from the Kidderminster Travelodge to the station via Green Street, we passed the Museum of Carpet situated in Stour Vale Mill but it was too late to visit. We also passed the Weavers Real Ale House at 98 Comberton Hill.

The King and Castle 

The King and Castle is the pub located on the left side of Kidderminster Town station which is the Southern terminus of the Severn Valley Railway. 

The King and Castle was awarded Wyre Forest CAMRA 2019 Pub of the Year. 

There are eight handpumps on the bar and a choice of filled cobs (rolls / baps) in a display case.  The beer choice included beers from Bathams, Bewdley, Hobsons, Hop Shed and Purity breweries.

Having only recently enjoyed a couple of pints of Bathams Best Bitter at the Swan, Chaddesley Corbett, on Wednesday lunchtime, my choice of Hobsons Old Prickly, brewed in Cleobury Mortimer, proved to be another good one - pale and smooth with a thick head. Meg enjoyed her pint of Bathams Bitter after missing out on Wednesday.

The Station Inn

We were especially keen to visit the Station Inn as it has a large garden area. It was only a short walk away, in a quiet residential street on the east side of the Birmingham - Worcester railway line. 

We were ushered to a table in the pretty patio garden area. We could hear trains on the Birmingham - Worcester line passing but not see them.

Two pints of local beer served in the correct glass, looking and tasting cool and fresh, could not have been better anywhere this evening!

Based in Stourbridge since 1993, Enville Brewery advise that Enville Ale is 'based on a 19th century recipe, this traditional beekeepers ale is light in colour with fruity notes and a hint of sweetness to complement the dry hoppy taste. Brewed using our own natural well water, Maris Otter floor malted barley, specially selected honeys and pure English hops ...'. 

Butty Bach is Welsh for 'little friend'. Wye Valley Brewery advise 'We brew it using Maris Otter and Crystal malts together with locally grown Fuggles, Goldings and Bramling Cross hops'.  

Friday 11 June 2021

After a bus ride from a stop near the hotel to Stourport-on-Severn we had breakfast in the sunny and sheltered courtyard garden of The Windlass Cafe. We then walked north following the quiet Severn Valley Way to Bewdley and a pub break before catching a bus back to Kidderminster. 

The Castle Inn

Our Friday evening in Kidderminster would be an earlier and shorter version of Thursday's in order to be back at the hotel for the 8pm kick off of the opening fixture of the postponed Euro 2020 football competition (Turkey v Italy at Stadio Olimpico, Rome).

We arrived just too late to claim the last free table at the King and Castle but were relieved when we were again able to claim a table in the patio garden of the Station Inn, without a reservation. 

This time our first beers were Wye Valley HPA, brewed with Target and Celeia hops. Later a pint of Enville Ale would provide a slightly sweeter finish.

Although we only visited a few of Kidderminster's wide variety of pubs, in an era when drinking outside was preferable and the weather favourable, we think that we found the best places.

Bridgnorth & Bewdley

One of the benefits of volunteer work at Oxford CAMRA beer festival is a place on a coach trip some months after the festival. The trip for 2013 helpers was to Bridgnorth and Bewdley on Saturday 15 March, 2014.

Arriving at the Severn Valley Railway station, Bridgnorth

 

White Lion, Bridgnorth

We eventually arrived in Bridgnorth just before 1pm, having departed Oxford at 10am. Most of the party set off for the Railwaymans Arms but Steve and I walked quickly up the steep hill of Railway Street to reach the High Town.

The first pub we visited was the White Lion in West Castle Street. We made the mistake of entering by the front door and having to push a way through to the bar as the pub was packed with rugby fans watching a Six Nations game on TV.

From the choice of six cask ales, I ordered a Twisted Spire by Hobsons Brewery of Cleobury Mortimer, a distance of about twelve miles.

Hobsons - Twisted Spire

This is a refreshing pale (3.6% ABV) beer with hop flavours and some sweetness. It is named after the twisted spire of St Mary the Virgin church in Cleobury Mortimer. We had taken our beers outside to a sheltered courtyard area with a view of murals of Bridgnorth and the surrounding countryside.

We could also see the door to the Hop & Stagger Brewery, set up by the Hayes family who took over the pub in 2007. Steve had already sampled their Simpson's Special Edition so I ordered a half pint of Hop & Stagger Golden Wander (4.1% ABV) from the brewery tap.

The Old Castle, Bridgnorth

It was only a few yards walk south along West Castle Street to reach a second pub featured in the 2014 Good Beer Guide - the Old Castle.

I was pleased to find another beer from Hobsons Brewery available here and ordered a Town Crier (4.5% ABV), a full flavoured golden ale.

We headed out to the pub's sizeable garden which has elevated views to the west of the town from a platform at its far end.

Garden of the Old Castle, Bridgnorth

The delayed arrival of our coach meant there was less time to explore the town than we had hoped. It was now time to return downhill to Bridgnorth station where I would catch the 3pm coach to Bewdley and Steve would travel there by train.

The Railwaymans Arms, Bridgnorth

 However, there was still time for a beer at the Railwaymans Arms, housed in the refreshment rooms of the Severn Valley Railway station at Bridgnorth.

The well stocked bar offered a good variety of beers including a Black Country ale that I had been eager to taste - Bathams Best Bitter.

Batham's Best Bitter - 2nd handpump from left. Railwaymans Arms, Bridgnorth

Bathams Brewery is based in Brierley Hill. Their best bitter (4.3% ABV) is 'a straw-coloured bitter which initially seems sweet, but a complex dry, hoppy taste soon predominates' and it is deservedly popular.

The interior of the pub features an impressive collection of railway signs and framed posters.
We took our beers outside on the station platform to enjoy the view of working steam and diesel locomotives.

Steve would have more of this view of Bridgnorth station as his train was delayed while I was travelling to Bewdley by coach.

There were fine westward views from the coach towards Ludlow on the way to Bewdley, another town on the river Severn. After a coffee break, I walked to the High Street passing St Anne's parish church.

The Little Pack Horse Inn, Bewdley

Some way along the High Street, is the Little Pack Horse Inn which has a painted sign on the front of the building instead of a hanging sign.

Little Pack Horse Inn, Bewdley

The Little Pack Horse Inn is in the 2014 Good Beer Guide and is a cosy, traditional pub.

Golden ales and 'Ullage' at the Little Pack Horse Inn

This was a chance to catch up with a group from the Oxford CAMRA party and hand out remaining copies of 'Ullage', the West Berkshire CAMRA newsletter. 

As it is brewed nearby, I ordered a Worcestershire Way (3.6% ABV) from Bewdley Brewery. A lovely pale straw colour, it is brewed with First Gold, Celeia  and Fuggles hops. Steve arrived soon afterwards, having  walked from Bewdley railway station, on the other side of the river Severn. It would soon be time to catch the coach at 6pm for the return journey to Oxford. Walking back to Load Street, there were some lovely skies to be seen over the town.

Bewdley, Worcestershire

Thanks to everyone involved for a great day out in Bridgnorth and Bewdley. It's days like these that make volunteer work for the Campaign for Real Ale especially worthwhile.