January saw the National Winter Ales Festival come to Manchester again. This is now held in the Sheridan suite on Oldham road. It is a good venue, but I still prefer the old one which was by Victoria Station. Much easier to get to.
Last Friday, I set off to Wales for a couple of days walking and drinking with other brewers. It was going dark as I left the end of the M54, and I had a thought that, if I can't find this place I'm going to, I don't think I can spell it, and I certainly can't pronounce it. I had a good idea where it was though, and by 7:30 I arrived in Llanwrtyd Wells. We stayed in the Neuadd Arms Hotel, home to, amongst other things, The Monster Raving Loony Party HQ, The Bog Snorkelling Championships, man vs beast marathon, and the Heart of Wales Brewery.
On the first night, Johan finished the Dragons Breath curry and was given a medal.
Saturday was a great day, blue skies, sunshine and everything, so we set off walking some of these Welsh hills. After walking through a couple of miles of Welsh mud, we found a nice little property with great views, but in need of a little TLC.
There is a statue of an osprey, I think, in the town square. This must be where they have re-introduced these birds into the wild.
Sunday night is the time for the Train back down South. I book tickets in advance to get the cheapest rates, but the fares are so inconsistent you have to try some random routes. This week I am getting a train to York then the London connection because it was £20 cheaper than going direct. This means I have half an hour to spare in York.
It would be nice to get a quick pint in at York Brewery, but that would be a bit of a rush, and I dont like rushing for trains.Luckily there is a new bar at the North end of Platform 3 called the York Tap. 20 handpumps serving a great selection of mostly Yorkshire Beers.
No comments:
Post a Comment