Real Ale Walks

See:

Pub walks covering the Cotswolds, Snowdonia, Peak District, Cheshire, Lake District etc.

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"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves." (William Pitt, 1783)

The AA's 'The Pub Guide 2004' contains pub walks ("available from all good bookshops") as well as being a reasonably good pub (as distinct from beer) guide.

I've found these walks to be very good:

It might be worth looking at a number of CAMRA branch websites and a few have put together some good walks. Go to

and select "CAMRA Near You".

Perhaps I should clarify what I'm looking to do. Back in 2000 we went to Oxfordshire and stayed at a very nice GBG pub (The Royal Oak in Ramsden). The owner lent us a walking map and we headed out on the Public Footpath. The walk was cicular and at about the halfway point we entered a village and found a pub. We had lunch and a few pints and then resumed our walk. I'm looking to do something similiar in a different part of England.

Cheers, Bruce CAMRA member from New Jersey

Bruce wrote

No problem there are plenty of books printed giving a circular route with a pub as part of the equation in most parts of England In fact one doesn't really need the books just look on an Ordinance Survey (Land ranger series) map for the PH sign or inn (it is just that PH against a block or the new Explorer maps issued there is a symbol a blue beer glass) and plan a route that takes in a pub couldn't be simpler. The Ordinance Survey maps wont as a rule show pubs in a town or city centre just on the outskirts but all village pubs should be indicated. The only potential problem is custom and practice regards opening hours in that neck of the woods.

That's _Ordnance_ Survey.

Have a look at;

These publish a number of pub walk books covering many areas of the country. The one's I have tried have been pretty accurate.

Enjoy your visit.

John B

In message , ted wrote

You do need a guide because a million + people from the hunting and farmers Countryside Alliance doesn't want outsiders to visit country pubs.

That comment has a distinct whiff of prejudiced bollocks about it.

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"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves." (William Pitt, 1783)

Well that depends on whether one gets too near a military range while out walking doesn't it.

Perhaps.

But it is true that a number of pubs do not make outsiders welcome and treat them as 'intruders'. This often applies to walkers. One would hope that a good pub guide would be aware of such prejudices before recommending them.

John B

Starting with the million+ I think (Irrespective of CA)

I can think of a number of pubs (town and country) where the locals don't want outsiders.

The maps are one part of the equation, the other part would be something like the Good Beer Guide and any local pub guide produced by the local CAMRA branch(es) The Good Beer Guide (if you don't have it) is available via the CAMRA web site and so are a number of local guides. Unfortunately not all branches notify HQ of their latest productions so it may be a case of finding contact details and asking the branches that cover the area(s) you are interested in visiting.

I'd say that most branches would probably offer assistance and possible personal guides to beer tourists like Bruce.

JohnB writes

But that statement could apply to a city or town pub (not welcoming) so its a bit rich to just tar country pubs that seem in your eyes to dislike walkers as an example. One could take football supporters or travellers or hells angels just as a brief example of groups who may/might not be overly welcome at a hostelry for a variety of reasons.

Many of our branch members do this sort of thing regularly. Park up - walk - drink - and one drives home! We also have bus and rail leaflets organised around pubs and public transport.

If you intend to come to the western side of the lake district, email me for more details!

Hey hey hold on a minute.

*I'm* certainly not restricting the comment to country pubs or to walkers.

Exactly. And again one would expect any good pub guide to make that point clear if their target readership included such groups.

I think you missed the point.

John B

It may still happen occasionally, but I can't say I've encountered the "here be strangers" attitude in country pubs for many years - nowadays they need to be glad of any custom they can get.

A more common problem is "pubs" that make non-diners unwelcome.

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"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves." (William Pitt, 1783)

I would agree - it is not a pleasant experience to enter a pub simply for a pint, to be confronted with a sea of laid tables and a snooty waiter in dickie asking if you have booked.

However there are a number of pubs - at least in this area - which do discourage certain customer 'types' (for want of a better word).

They seem to fall into two categories, those out-of-town country 'pubs' that have pretentions of being high-class restaurants, and those at the other end of the scale where the landlord doesn't wish to upset and lose the few customers he has however much he dislikes their behaviour towards visitors.

IMO very best pubs make themselves attractive to all types of user.

John B

Ah, yes... Local pubs for local people...

You're my wife now.