The White Hart Inn, Bargate

Of course, it was the pork pies that lured us in but we found it to be a delightful pub with fairly recently refurbished surroundings, a good range of beers and the pies in their own display case. That said, the range of pies was not as extensive as that of The Holly Bush at Makeney, but they were substantial, meaty and accompanied by Colman's mustard, delicious. There was more fodder on offer too - free, courtesy of a skittles match taking place that evening. The beers were from several breweries (Hardy Hansons, Morlands, Bass and others) and the beer was well-kept and refreshing. Not quite the style, beer range or quirky interior of the nearby Dead Poet's, Holbrook, but it did have pies!

Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley, Cumbria

Sometimes, you look for one thing and find something else just as good. So it was, as we went off in search of Wilf's Cafe on an unlikely-looking industrial estate in the bypassed village of Staveley and found the Hawkshead Brewery in the shiny new premises shown above. It was buzzing with an early-evening crowd of mostly youngish people and we were welcomed adequately. Between us, we tried a range of hawkshead's offerings (Lakeland Gold, Red, Windermere pale) and were all delighted with our choices. The food was quickly and deliciously served and, all in all, a good outcome. We'll come back for Wilf's another time, wiser for knowing it closes at 5pm.

The Newfield Inn, Seathwaite, Cumbria

The Club went on tour, this Easter, to the Lake District and, specifically, to the beautiful Duddon Valley. We stayed in this pub, renting the top flat for £45 a night, drank some lovely ale (Corby Ale and Catnap from Carlisle-based Cumberland Breweries) and ate some good food - regular pub grub at the usual prices. The welcome was very friendly and unobtrusive, as from a slightly bygone era. Co-incidentally, the top flat also seemed locked in a 1970s timewarp, with all fixtures and fittings carefully retained. Good for that, though.

The Bear, Alderwasley

 

When five customers turn up at an almost empty pub bar you might, at least, expect someone to take your order. But in our case, after waiting several minutes, we had to ask the barman to serve us. Feeling thoroughly unwelcome, despite the cosy stove and well-worn furniture and fittings, we were next shocked to be charged £3.50 per pint for perfectly ordinary, if satisfactory, beers. This price is near our all-time record for Derbyshire, and it was hard to see any justification for it. Perhaps they are only interested in catering for diners - in which case see recent reviews of the food on Tripadvisor!

Needless to say we didn't stay for a second round, but spent the rest of the evening in a decent pub - the Royal Oak in Wirksworth ....

Alexandra Hotel, Derby

Just along from the railway station and passing the temptations of the Brunswick, we popped into the Alex and were suitably impressed. Allegedly the birthplace of Derby CAMRA, the beers are listed on the wall and colour-coded for style. The high-ceilinged rooms give the pub a grand feeling and the seating was adequate without too many concessions to comfort. The beer was good and, since we all chose a pint from the Castle Rock Brewery, we're half-way now towards a free pint - always an incentive to return!

The Exeter Arms, Derby

What an outstanding pub! A warm welcoming, solicitous and knowledgeable bar staff and a good range of beers, seating and rooms all contributed to a lovely couple of pints in this rather out of the way pub. Dancing Duck beers featured strongly but there was also Pedigree and maybe others I've overlooked. The bartendress couldn't have been more helpful, advising on beers, delivering them with a smile and being prepared to change a pint drawn from the end of the barrel. An exceptionally good pub.

The Miners' Arms, Brassington

The usual destination in Brassington is The Gate, and this has not lost its appeal despite the somewhat frosty reception we often encounter, but we decided to try out the Miners' Arms and were not disappointed. There was a pleasant welcome from both landlord and regulars alike, there was food available (left over from an earlier funeral) and a good range of beers, primarily from Jennings Brewery in the Lake District. Comfortable seating, albeit in a slightly stretch-out arrangement (the pub's much longer than it is wide). Well worth another visit.