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The
Victoria, Dronfield Our latest recommended drinking establishment of North Derbyshire is in Dronfield. For a town that is said to be the largest in Derbyshire population wise after Chesterfield, Dronfield is a remarkably uninspiring place for the real ale drinker. The usual mainstream brands are to be found in abundance, Wards, Stones, John Smith's, etc but the lesser-known ones are a little harder to come by. Few pubs attempt to redress the balance but the Victoria on Stubley Lane is thankfully one of them. The Victoria, a genuine local, is situated on the edge of the older part of central Dronfield, just back from the junction with Wreakes Lane. This stone built pub is very popular, boasting a comfortable L-shaped lounge and darts area. In summer, it's possible to enjoy drinking on the beer terrace The beer selection is Wolverhampton & Dudley's Bank's (mild) and Bank's Bitter, the ever-popular Marston's Pedigree plus one other guest. Morrells Graduate (5.2% ABV) has been a regular guest over recent weeks. The beer quality is consistently good and the Graduate has been in particularly fine fettle. The Vic. is thoroughly recommended and is a handy starting or finishing point for a pub crawl through Dronfield, with the Old Sidings at the opposite end of town to be featured in "Out Of Bounds" at a later date. “The Shadow” The
Plough Inn - Hathersage Our previous outings around the forbidden outposts of North Derbyshire have focussed purely on the quality beers available. A slight deviation here is that not only does our latest pub selection serve magnificently kept ales, but it has also earned a reputation for quite superb food. The pub also offers quality en-suite accommodation and the adjacent field is occasionally available for camping in the summer. Yet again, the Plough Inn is inexplicably absent from the Good Beer Guide. Sheffield CAMRA really ought to pay far more attention to our pubs around North Derbyshire. Located on the main Hathersage to Grindleford road, the Plough Inn is a converted 16th century farmhouse, situated in 9 acres of land and set on the banks of the River Derwent. The former taproom now serves as a restaurant and the split level bar area boasts a roaring open fire, which is now an obligatory fixture for a rural Derbyshire pub. In my honest opinion, I have never tasted a finer pint of Ind Coope's Burton Ale than here. The pub also serves Tetley Bitter plus one guest ale that is ever changing. The basic menu is a fairly standard one, with most traditional English pub fayre available. Where the Plough Inn excels is in its range of special dishes. The large blackboard is literally crammed with gastronomic delights from cod to kangaroo! The exact choice varies from week to week, but there is guaranteed to be something for even the most discerning of diners. Like all quality eating houses, vegetarians are amply catered for. Such is the popularity of the Plough, diners are recommended to book in advance. Although the food is first class, the Plough Inn is both idyllic in summer and cosy in winter which is a fine tribute to mine hosts Bob and Cynthia Emery. "The Shadow"
This webpage was last updated on Sunday, 07 October 2007 |
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