Southport - June 2022

The Merseyrail train from Liverpool Central, stops at Moorfields, Bootle, Crosby, Formby, Ainsdale and Birkdale before arriving in Southport. 

After views of docks and tower blocks in Liverpool and Bootle, there are golf courses and flat expanses of countryside between Crosby and Birkdale. 

An original plan to revisit the Liverpool Pigeon in Crosby, the first micropub in Merseyside, was changed after finding, on its Facebook page, that my dates coincided with a holiday closure. See the Liverpool / Crosby 2019 post for photos and details of the Liverpool Pigeon.

Southport has its own micropub, Tap and Bottles, near the station, but as my train arrived before noon opening time, it was not visited. 

view towards Blackpool from Southport Pier

Instead a long walk to the end of Southport pier provided views towards North Wales and Blackpool where the tower was faintly visible on the horizon.

At the end of the pier, there are information boards about the history of Southport pier (opened 1860) and the sea wildlife and birds in the vicinity.

The pier's current length is 3650 feet making it the second longest pier in the UK, after Southend. There are tram rails down the centre but the 'tram' that now operates has rubber tyres and does not need rails. Back over dry land, rather than sand, the closest pub is the Guelder Rose, a large Marston's pub.

Continuing above ground to the pier's entrance, at the junction of Promenade and Nevill Street, The Windmill is about a third of the pier's length away. This was the pub where I had planned to have lunch but with only two cask ales having no local appeal, plan C came into effect.

My route back towards the station passed a Peaky Blinders bar at 589 Lord Street, that was also worth a photo. Tree-lined Lord Street has wide pavements and shops with Victorian canopied frontages.

The Masons Arms

Turning off Lord Street, The Masons Arms 'Southport's Hidden Gem' can be found at 4 Anchor Street. There was smoke coming out of the chimney and inside a fire was being lit in the fireplace of the room on the left of the entrance.

This Robinsons (Stockport) pub had been decorated for HM the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. A group of local regulars was chatting at the back of the pub but the front was quiet on a Tuesday lunchtime.

Following a popular rule, spotting that Titanic Plum Porter was served made this an obligatory first pint of the day (£3.80). The music soundtrack was full of tunes from the  1960s /1970's and it was nice to hear Lola by The Kinks (1970) as I ordered. On the Road Again by Canned Heat (1968) would be another appropriate favourite tune heard here. There is a rooftop terrace at the Masons Arms but it was closed on this occasion. This would have been a good pub to spend more time at but after a pint it was time to visit some local micropubs easily accessible from stations just south of Southport.

Birkdale is a pleasant leafy neighbourhood with a main street (Liverpool Road) that crosses the railway line. Musicians were playing on the patio of the community building beside the station.

The Barrel House

The Barrel House micropub opened in May 2014. Previously a newsagents, it still sells newspapers. It is only a short walk away from the station, on the south side of the road. I resisted the temptation to buy a pork pie at Broughs Butchers on the way.

With the Plum Porter rule to follow, it made sense to order a half pint this time (£2.20). Unfortunately, the condition was not quite as good as the pint at the Masons Arms. 

A copy of the latest Ale & Hearty, the magazine of Southport & West Lancs CAMRA, made interesting reading and in exchange I would insert a copy of Ullage magazine into the holder before leaving.

There is an impressive display of bottled beers on the shelves and fridges including many from Belgium. Responding to my comment about this, the barperson mentioned that the Barrel House owner had lived for many years in the Netherlands. 

Having resisted the temptation to order a cheese platter at the Barrel House, a stop at Lathams the Bakers, to buy a 'diddy' pork pie, was needed on the way back to Birkdale station.

The Golden Monkey

Ainsdale is two stations south of Birkdale and marks the southern extent of Southport. In a similar fashion to Birkdale, the tree lined main street (Station Road) also crosses the railway line at a level crossing. 

The Golden Monkey, a short walk east from Ainsdale station, is on the north side of the road and the pavement patio area catches the afternoon sunshine. The real ale bar opened in June 2021 in premises that were formerly a dental laboratory.

My choice, from a selection of pale and golden ales, was Fuzzy Duck (Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancs.) Summit, a 3.8% ABV pale ale showcasing Summit hops, tasting dry and bitter. (£2, 1/2 pint). This was enjoyed on the pavement patio which does not have much passing road traffic on a Tuesday afternoon.

A companion post - Liverpool (Moorfields) - documents visits to the Lion Tavern and Denbigh Castle, after taking the train from Ainsdale to Moorfields.

NB All prices shown are from Tim's visit in June 2022 and are subject to change.

Liverpool / Crosby 2019 - Saturday 12 January

A dull and windy day on Saturday 12 January again started with breakfast at the Lime Kiln with a group of CAMRA friends drawn mainly from Surrey and Sussex.

Breakfast at the Lime Kiln (Wetherspoon)

We took over the same front area of the ground floor as on Friday. Most of the group would follow Jon Gadd's plan to travel by train to Southport and work back towards Liverpool in stages visiting mainly micropubs.

However, my day would only need a one area Saveaway day ticket (£4) loaded on my Walrus card as Blundellsands & Crosby would be the furthest north for my travels on the railway line to Southport.

Liverpool Mountain (Ugo Rondinone) sculpture outside Tate Liverpool

Before heading to Crosby a return to the Pier Head area was involved for a visit to Tate Liverpool between the river Mersey and the Albert Dock.

Supermarket trolley outside Peter Kavanagh's - featured in 'Anomaly Strolls'

A highlight of this visit was a bizarre video by South Korean artists Moon Kyungwon and Jeon Joonho - 'Anomaly Strolls' - that features a supermarket wire trolley propelling itself along the pavements of Liverpool and includes exterior and interior film of Peter Kavanagh's pub in Egerton Street.

My next destination, Crosby beach, can be reached by Merseyrail train from Liverpool to Waterloo. However, to see a bit more of dockside Liverpool first, I caught a 500 bus south, past the Baltic Fleet pub and Brunswick dock, to Brunswick station in Toxteth before catching a northbound Southport train via Liverpool Central and Bootle to Waterloo.

The walking route along South Road to Crosby beach from Waterloo station passes The Queen's Picture House, a Wetherspoon pub in a former cinema.

A footpath leads to the beach past a marine lake and through sand dunes.

A strong wind was blowing grains of sand from the beach towards me and few people braved these conditions unless they had a dog to walk or an interest in seeing Anthony Gormley's Another Place installation of multiple identical cast-iron life size naked figures spaced out across the beach and into the approaching sea.

Back in the shelter of local streets, my route heading north towards Blundellsands & Crosby station passed the Corner Post Micro Pub, 25 Bridge Road, which was shuttered and closed at 1pm.

Stamps bar

To save time I caught a bus inland to Great Crosby to find Stamps bar / brewpub.

My first half pint of the day was Stamps Brewery Flying Cloud, economically priced at £1.50.

As it was busy downstairs I carried my beer upstairs to the spacious and light room with a variety of mirrors on one wall. The montage of musicians faces next to the window reflects the regular live music events held at Stamps bar.

Liverpool Pigeon

A five minute walk south on Liverpool Road leads to the Liverpool Pigeon micro pub at 14 Endbutt Lane. Blackboards in the window give details of beers available and forthcoming. Another blackboard includes the text of Proverbs 31.7 'Let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his misery no more'. A green band across the windows shows that German and Belgian beers are available here as well as real ale and cider.

A Double Diamond 'works wonders' tray, in the left of the front window, is one of a larger collection of tin trays displayed on a wall inside.

At the rear bar a blackboard gives full details of the available cask ales with the ABV clearly displayed. My first half pint was 4% ABV Mallinsons Rakau Nelson which was pale and dry.
Before leaving I enjoyed my second half pint, also £1.60, even more. The hoppy Blackjack Beers Pale Ale from Manchester's Green Quarter was again 4% ABV.

With a knowledgeable landlord, a well chosen beer range plenty of seating and no music system, Merseyside's first micro pub would turn out to be my favourite on the day.
A one mile bus ride further south down Liverpool Road took me back to South Road for Waterloo station.

Trap & Hatch

The Trap & Hatch at 130 South Road opened in October 2016.

The pub dog greeted me on arrival and appeared to have a favoured resting place in between greeting new arrivals!

I enjoyed a half pint of Cross Bay Brewing Co Sunset Blonde (4.2% ABV £1.70).

The upmarket micropub with craft beers and two cask ales has a flat screen showing a video loop of a blazing fire. Tables are made from chunky planks of wood and timber planks also features in the bar front. Music on the sound system included Jimmy Cliff's The Harder They Come and the Doobie Brothers Long Train Runnin'. The Trap & Hatch is big enough to host live music on Saturdays.

Stamps too / The Waterpudlian

Stamps too in Waterloo is a sister pub to Stamps in Crosby. (In February 2019 the name was changed to The Waterpudlian). It is situated almost opposite Waterloo railway station at 99 South Road. A blackboard outside lists live music acts for Thursday - Sunday nights.

The free table I found inside, near the window, had a view of the low stage.

My half pint here was Liverpool Pale Ale from Liverpool Organic Brewery. A customer at the bar was listening to a football commentary which was audible to all nearby. Pop music was also playing on the sound system. Mark Geeson texted me from the Grasshoppper micropub in Stockport to say that the barman there had recommended a visit to the Volunteer Canteen near Waterloo and Crosby beach.

The Volunteer Canteen

This meant that my third and final pub stop in Waterloo was the Volunteer Canteen. It was in a residential area, half a mile away at 41 East Street, three streets inland from the coast. The light was fading as 5pm approached.

The Volunteer Canteen is a multi room community pub with plenty of interesting features inside. From the central bar with stained glass panels, I ordered Rock the Boat Brewery Dazzle, brewed in a 16th century wheelwright's workshop in Little Crosby village.

There is no fruit machine, pool table or juke box. Dogs are welcome at the pub and there were several in the dimly lit main room where I found a free table. Horse brasses adorn the top level of the dark wooden panelling. Table service was available in this bar.

A blue plaque records that the Volunteer Canteen is included on CAMRA's National Inventory of historic pub interiors. There are plenty of posters and old pictures, including some of the Liverpool Overhead Railway, in the rooms and passageways of the traditional pub.
Mark texted me again to say his group was on the way to the Volunteer Canteen so I replied that I would rendezvous with them briefly at Waterloo station on my way back to Liverpool. There would just be time for me to greet them before boarding the 17.40 train towards Liverpool and Hunts Cross.

The Welkin, Cavern Quarter, Liverpool

Jeff Evans had recommended a visit to the White Star pub in Liverpool's Cavern Quarter. After walking there from Moorfields station via Stanley Street I would delay my visit until after coffee at the Welkin, the nearby two storey, glass-fronted Wetherspoon pub.

The White Star

Brass plaques on the exterior of the White Star mention that the pub is twinned with bars in Norway (Skien and Grimstad).

Inside, I ordered a pint of Bass from the island bar, a choice that GBG pub blogger Martin Taylor would surely approve of! Unfortunately it was served in a John Smith's glass and was relatively costly (£3.80).

The White Star was busy but there was a table free in the back room and more tables became free later when the above photo was taken.

This room is famed for its 'Beatles seats' marked with individual brass plaques and with framed Beatles memorabilia above. The story is that this is where the Beatles would meet their first manager Allan Williams 'The man who gave the Beatles away' to receive their payments for playing at the nearby Cavern Club.

There are many interesting items relating to the White Star Line on display in the pub.
While I had been 'nursing' my pint of Bass waiting for Mark and others to join me, a text informed me that the group had split with some going from Moorfields station to the Ship and Mitre and others to the Lion Tavern. Mark and Trevor eventually arrived at the White Star at 8.45pm.

The Head of Steam

After a walk of a third of a mile we ended the evening at Liverpool's Head of Steam, Hanover Street, conveniently close to our hotel.

The beer I enjoyed here was Jester from Neptune Brewery of Maghull, Merseyside, with its distinctive trident logo. Neptune Brewery beers are unfined and brewed for cask, keg and 440ml cans.

The Head of Steam is spacious inside and some internal walls are decorated with industrial scenes to make the space appear even larger. We would return to the Head of Steam the next evening.