A double first!!
The first rays of sunshine for many weeks blessed the first beer festival in the tiny White Peak village of Warslow on Saturday 7th July.
This was an unscheduled visit to the beer festival added at late notice.
Tom and his companions upheld the finest traditions of the Greenwalks group by walking from the Cat and Fiddle pub to Buxton; others focussed on the group's other concern - the use of public transport to Buxton where all met up in Hyde's pub The Eagle (mediocre).
We then took what must be one of the most spectacular bus rides in the country - the 442 from Buxton that threads a spectacular route, providing invaluable service to the charming villages and offering wonderful views of the remarkable shapes nature has carved from the limestone.
Warslow is a tiny village above the Manifold Valley formerly based on mining; it is surrounded by the characteristic white limestone stonewall fields with a charming church boasting William Morris windows and a popular pub The Greyhound (not yet visited). It featured recently on a TV programme and the village wanted to keep the impetus going. The festival was held in the village hall and there were some 30 locally brewed beers (Leatherbritches from Fenney Bentley, Beartown from Congleton, Whim from Hartington, Storm from Macclesfield, Leek brewery etc etc) in top form. A 4-piece band provided music outside (see photographs on the link at right), a Cotswold Morris group of ladies danced and there was an exciting display of Apalachian clog dancing inside the hall. A marquee offered local produce, the hall was selling a lovely ploughmans lunch and a large barbeque was kept busy with White Peak sausages, burgers and lamb ribs.
Additionally the local bakery had an open day and we all stocked up with magnificent biscuits, crumbles and pies from the enchanting Sarah.
An interesting discussion was with the local First Response unit - this is an entirely voluntary group who provide an ambulance service for non-critical calls - they give of their time freely and even bought their own ambulance. They are usually on the scene within five minutes - and their excellent attendance figures are cynically incorporated into the statistics for the official ambulance service who do nothing to support the unit!
It was with a heavy heart that we boarded the last bus to Buxton and home but the views went some way to compensate. (Pity about the reflections!)
A superb day out.
The first rays of sunshine for many weeks blessed the first beer festival in the tiny White Peak village of Warslow on Saturday 7th July.
This was an unscheduled visit to the beer festival added at late notice.
Tom and his companions upheld the finest traditions of the Greenwalks group by walking from the Cat and Fiddle pub to Buxton; others focussed on the group's other concern - the use of public transport to Buxton where all met up in Hyde's pub The Eagle (mediocre).
We then took what must be one of the most spectacular bus rides in the country - the 442 from Buxton that threads a spectacular route, providing invaluable service to the charming villages and offering wonderful views of the remarkable shapes nature has carved from the limestone.
Warslow is a tiny village above the Manifold Valley formerly based on mining; it is surrounded by the characteristic white limestone stonewall fields with a charming church boasting William Morris windows and a popular pub The Greyhound (not yet visited). It featured recently on a TV programme and the village wanted to keep the impetus going. The festival was held in the village hall and there were some 30 locally brewed beers (Leatherbritches from Fenney Bentley, Beartown from Congleton, Whim from Hartington, Storm from Macclesfield, Leek brewery etc etc) in top form. A 4-piece band provided music outside (see photographs on the link at right), a Cotswold Morris group of ladies danced and there was an exciting display of Apalachian clog dancing inside the hall. A marquee offered local produce, the hall was selling a lovely ploughmans lunch and a large barbeque was kept busy with White Peak sausages, burgers and lamb ribs.
Additionally the local bakery had an open day and we all stocked up with magnificent biscuits, crumbles and pies from the enchanting Sarah.
An interesting discussion was with the local First Response unit - this is an entirely voluntary group who provide an ambulance service for non-critical calls - they give of their time freely and even bought their own ambulance. They are usually on the scene within five minutes - and their excellent attendance figures are cynically incorporated into the statistics for the official ambulance service who do nothing to support the unit!
It was with a heavy heart that we boarded the last bus to Buxton and home but the views went some way to compensate. (Pity about the reflections!)
A superb day out.
posted by Nick @ 11:43 PM
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