Staying Above Water in York

I offered to take Jake to the Manchester airport for his flight home, but he had a train ticket already.  So we decided to head to York for the day and he could take the train from there.  York is one of my favorite English cities, and another visit would give me a chance to check out a few other additions to the Good Beer Guide.  It was also a chance to see this town following heavy rains which resulted in the Ouse River flooding.  So after some traffic delays, I made it to my customary parking lot and we headed off through town.

There were many roads closed, so we headed up toward Tanners Moat and stopped in at the Maltings.  I was worried for this pub since it is close to the river level, but it survived just find.  I had a Brampton Jerusalem, an ESB that was originally brewed for St. George’s Day but is now available year round, while Jake had a Rooster Buckeye (what else for a guy from Ohio).  We next headed up to the Minster, and I popped into the Guy Fawkes Inn, reportedly the birth place of this revolutionary.  They had an exclusive brew from Great Heck brewing called Dark Force Treason stout which was delicious.

Jake and I went to check out the Minster, and I thought he would want to climb the tower (I had done it twice before), but he said he preferred to walk the wall.  The stroll is relaxing, with a great view of the Minster from different vantage points.  We were getting close to lunch time, so we headed over to the Minster Inn, but were disappointed to find that they were not serving lunch.  No worries, I enjoyed a Bank’s Field of Gold, a well balanced Golden Ale while exploring the establishment.  We found a table at the Lamb and Lion, an inn right inside the York wall with little rooms for folks to hang out in.  We dined on the patio, overlooking the gardens, and I enjoyed a traditional Steak Pie to go along with my beer sampler, 3 – 1/3 pints of different beers (perfect for me).  I tried the Great Heck Golden Mane (a golden ale from nearby Goole), the Copper Dragon Black Gold (brewed in Skipton from a recipe from the late 1800’s), and the Pennine Real Blonde (a blonde ale with hints of orange). The beer was good, but the conversation was better.  Nothing like beer to get some honest answers from those who are used to being politically correct.

Well sated, we decided to explore the town looking for souvenirs (beers for me, greyhound memorabilia for Jake).  We went down to the Shambles, playing a little version of pick up/put down.  I found a great Jamaican Rum raisin ice cream to savor.  There was a craft fair going on, and the usual set of street performers, but we didn’t find much to buy.  I did find the Blue Bell, a nice pub that’s in the book on Fossgate, and enjoyed a Roosters Cogburn, another local Golden Ale.  It was a good day, but Jake needed to catch his train, so I shuttled him and his luggage over to the train station and wished him safe travels.

I wasn’t quite ready to head home, so I headed down to the York Beer & Wine shop to see what bottles that I may find.  The selection was respectable, and I chose the Micklegate Wheat from York Brewing, as well as the Bristol Beer Factory Imperial Stout (aged in whiskey casks).  I tried to get some cheese, but I was advised that it wouldn’t ship well.  So I was heading out of town and saw two more pubs that were both in the book.  The first was the Swan Inn, located over at Bishopgate, where I was able to enjoy a Two Trees Country Perry.  The second was the Slip Inn, much closer to the river level, and where I got to try a Leeds Pale Ale. 

I had a couple of choices for the rest of the evening.  I could have stopped by Sheffield and hit some new places.  I could have stopped at the Ripley Rail Ale Festival, but that would require me driving home after a full day already in York.  So I went to the Holly Bush Inn in Makeney for dinner and a final pint of the evening.  The place was packed with both hikers and bikers, and families were very accommodating for this stranger.  Jenn and I had found this spot last March, and we both loved it, so it was nice just to relax for the evening and think of our time together.  I got the Ruddles Country Ale on the jug to go along with my ploughman’s.  It was a nice, relaxing way to end my dat.  I journeyed back to Derby to pick up my laundry, and call it an early evening.  I had offered to pick up two friends at the airport the next day, and I certainly could use my beauty rest. – 6119/12911

“I fear the man who drinks water and so remembers this morning what the rest of us said last night.” – Greek Proverb