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The Quiet
Woman - Earl Sterndale Our previous couple of pubs have all been part of Sheffield CAMRA's area, but we must travel much further afield to the High Peak branch for the latest in our collection of North Derbyshire pubs. The Quiet Woman at Earl Sterndale is a magnificent example of an unspoilt rural inn. Just how it has escaped the CAMRA National Inventory as a rare and unspoilt pub interior of outstanding historic interest is beyond me. Situated opposite the village green, Earl Sterndale is just off the B5053, which can be reached from the Buxton to Ashbourne road (signposted to Longnor). The famous old inn has a sign that carries the immortal adage ‘Soft Words Turneth Away Wrath’ which is below the picture of a decapitated woman, Chattering Chatteris, a former publican's wife who made his life a misery by her incessant nagging. She began ranting in her sleep as well and he could take no more, cutting her head off to everyone's eternal gratitude! The pub dates from the 16th century and is quite modest in size but retains its original exposed beams plus obligatory open fire. It has appeared in every Good Beer Guide! When our CAMRA branch visited the pub, the beer was Marston's Best and Marston's Pedigree plus Bateman's Dark Mild. Marston's Owd Rodger is occasionally available in Winter. Also available was a well-patronised line in delicious pork pies that went down very well with the non-veggies amongst our group. All in all, the pub is well worth a visit if you are in that neck of the woods. It makes a good starting point for the superb walk to Longnor, which is just over the border in Staffordshire but has a good choice of pubs around the market place. “The Shadow” The
Yellow Lion at Apperknowle The Yellow Lion at Apperknowle is again, part of Sheffield CAMRA's jurisdiction but credit to the branch, it is very much one of their flagship pubs. Apperknowle village, between Unstone and Marsh Lane, is virtually in Chesterfield's back yard and though it can be can be quickly reached by both car and public transport; it is also within range for people who prefer a country walk to a good pub during the weekend. The pub itself comprises a pleasant lounge area and a separate restaurant where good quality meals are served. There is also a beer garden which is set well back from the road and is where the charity fund-raising beer festival was held in July. Beers are hand drawn Stones, Bass and Greene King Abbot Ale, plus up to two guest ales. This summer, mine hosts Mick and Joyce Emmens, enjoyed an exchange visit with a publican from Slndelfingen, Dronfield's twin town. A good time was had by all and I understand the draught Bass went down rather well with the Germans! 1996 saw the Yellow Lion earn the notable achievement of being the first pub in Sheffield CAMRA's area to earn twenty consecutive Good Bear Guide entries and is a fine testament to a fine local pub. "The Shadow" The Valley Lodge -
Bradwell The Valley lodge is located on the right hand side of Bradwell as you leave the village, travelling towards Tideswell, and serves a multitude of real ales - not just the mass produced yawn beers like John Smiths, Boddingtons and Tetley’s either, but some obscure gems from small independent breweries all over Britain are present on the ever changing guest list of around ten different beers. Formerly known as the Shoulder of Mutton, the pub has a lively tap room and a somewhat peculiar but comfortable lounge that looks a little like the living room in a large country house. Try it and see what I mean. The pub recently held its own mini-beer festival with dozens of different guest beers (both hand drawn and gravity fed) on offer for its one week duration. This is one example of the enthusiasm that the pub has for real ales. Food is served lunchtimes and evenings. One flaw in the Good Beer Guide is that walkers and day trippers who enjoy taking their dogs with them are unable to tell if dogs ore welcome or not in a pub until they get there, but there ore no such fears at the Valley Lodge, as the pub won the 1994 Beta Petfoods Golden Bowl Award (''your dog deserves a drink too) for its hospitality to dogs. The Hope Valley is generally not too highly regarded for its choice of quality ales and a recent article on decent Hope Valley pubs (it only mentioned two and even those were generally dismissed as being only average) in Beer Matters, the mouthpiece for Sheffield CAMRA, amazingly omitted the Valley lodge altogether, despite their branch awarding it Pub of the Month' a while back and the pub itself being the 1992 East Midlands Pub of The Year!. Does this suggest that North Derbyshire is becoming the poorer relation of Sheffield CAMRA's area? "The Shadow" This webpage was last updated on Sunday, 07 October 2007 |
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