Beers, boats and Boozers 2018. No.14

When we left Gargrave we headed for the Glasson Branch Branch as it fitted in with our schedule. No windlass is needed as the paddle has them attached. The paddles are opened by rack and pinion on the top of the gates. All was well and we had a nice quite trip down to the basin.

As we got in the basin the wide expanse of water meant that we were exposed to the wind a far bit. After first mooring up I spun the boat round in a lull so we could get the boat round the corner when we left if the wind didn't drop. Luckily we did as it was even windier when we left so I could just let the wind do the work.

After this lock the locks were a little more sheltered but it was no place to linger for Helen.

Here we are back at the junction again. We turned right and headed back to Gargrave as we were booked in the Marina as we had to go home for a while.

Once we returned the leaves had really come out and the weather had warmed up. Basically it was to stay warm for the rest of the year too. As we once again headed north there are some beautiful stretches of canal. As you can see though, not the perfect bank for moorings.

I think this is the biggest turtle/terrapin that I have seen on the canal system, and it was in the same spot when we came back down too.

We moored up in Lancaster and later went for a pint at the nearby White Cross pub, just by the towpath as you can see. The pub was opened in 2004 in an old stores warehouse for the Storey's Oil Mill. It was built between 1854 and 1880, by three brothers that started their business in 1851, Thomas, later Sir Thomas, Edward and William Storey. They made oil cloth, leather cloth, linoleum and baize. The company finished in 1982 and the mill on this site contracted so that this building became vacant and the pub moved in. It is a large airy open space, very modern and on a couple of levels.

I tried a beer that was quite local to where I live. Rudgate Brewery was started in 1992, in an old ammunition store on the WWII Marston Moor RAF Halifax bomber base. The brewery was named after the Roman road that ran across the site. However the Vikings used it to conquer the Vale of York and they were used as the theme for the brewery and most of the beers. I'm not sure what they had against the Romans. The brewers that is, not the Vikings! In 2011 they moved into a modern new brewery on the same site.

The pub has many real ales on the bar, around 20 per week, and most are part of the Locale scheme, brewed within 40 miles of the pub, but I really fancied a stout so Settled on the York Chocolate Stout at 5%. It had a medium head on it when pulled and had a ruby colour rather than black. There was very little chocolate taste over all, and for me it was a little 'thin'. However it wasn't bad at all. It was £3-90 which stopped me going back to try another beer. Overall it seemed to be for a younger element than me. I applaud them carrying so many beers though. I must be getting old as it was a bit modern for me.