The Holly Bush, Makeney

The Holly Bush claims to be one of the oldest pubs in Derbyshire, which may or may not be true, but it's certainly one of the most characterful. It has a huddle of small bars, decent food, and pretty good beers, so the only real problems are a) finding it and b) parking when you get there, as it's off the back road between Milford and Duffield. My only regret is that you can't sit out and admire the nearby Derwent. Walkers should note that this pub lies bang on the route of the ancient Portway, which runs down the hillside from Holbrook heading for a long-gone ford over the river below the pub. Who knows - pilgims may have stopped here for a pint before the Reformation.

The Jug and Glass, Lea

Now I may be alone in liking this pub but it's my local and there's not much to dislike. The stone facade is attractive, it's got some interesting rooms, two with fires, it offers fat chips on quiz night (Wed) and 3/4 beers with the odd guest ale. The landlord is friendly enough, though he's by nature a quiet man, and, by now, the regular bar staff know what I drink (Landlord). There's also a range of events throughout the year - skittles, morris dancing, barrel race - and the restaurant offers good quality food. Not cheap but I like it.

The Nelson, Middleton by Wirksworth

After having been shut for some time The Nelson re-opened last October (2011). It's curious in this land-locked county how many pubs are named for the great sea captain: there's one at Bullbridge, another (closed) in Eastwood and doubtless lots more.
The Nelson has one large room with a welcoming fire and a cheerful barmaid. The walls are hung with a curious mixture of pictures and objects, so the overall atmosphere is homely. Our in-house expert assessed the pork pies as fair to good, while we all felt that the beer (or at least the one we tried) was nicely kept. Worth visiting again.

The Patternmaker's Arms, Duffield

Took a bit of finding on an icy January night but worth it for two reasons. Firstly, it compared very favourably with the kinderpub we'd just been in on the main road. Secondly, it had a pleasing shape - bar in the middle and seating in opened-out rooms all around. Unspoilt by progress, I'd say, but the welcome was warm and the beer was good. As a bonus on the walk back, we had the opportunity to explore the back streets of Duffield - quaint. Worth a return visit, sometime but no rush..

Shoulder of Mutton, Shirland

It's curious how many pubs you can enter without any kind of acknowledgement, let alone a proper welcome. All too often the bar staff seem to be doing you a favour by serving you at all. Things are quite different at the Shoulder of Mutton. The landlady, Wendy, has stamped her character on this pub and wants you to enjoy it. When we arrived for a quick pint last night she offered, unasked, a tasting of all three beers on offer. They were all excellent, though not cheap. The car park at the back is a bit tricky to get in and out of - but a visit here is highly recommended.

Royal Oak, Wirksworth

The Royal Oak in North Street, Wirksworth can be picked out from the rest of the stone terrace by the fairy lights hanging on the facade. Only opening at eight, by nine it is usually busy, though it's rare not to be able to find a seat. This is a pub for beer drinkers, and the landlord is happy to discuss the qualities of the (normally three) beers on offer. Music tends to be minimal, and well-filled cobs are available. In summer you can sit in the courtyard at the back - what more could you ask for?

The Dead Poets' Inn, Holbrook

It takes a bit of finding but it's worth pressing on beyond Belper to uncover a pub high on atmosphere and beer. Apparently, it's been refurbished but done in a way that's preserved a sense of authenticity and quirkiness. Various alcoves have been created and there's a lovely open fire. Vast range of beers and others available on request from the cellar. There's also the Wheel Inn nearby but the Club hasn't visited - might be a bit of an anti-climax.

The Black's Head, Wirksworth

Now it's probably very un-PC to go into the Black's Head (and the picture even re-creates Powell's 'Rivers of Blood' speech, using water), but it's a very nice town centre boozer, with regulars but also a welcome for passing club members. There's always three or four real ales on offer and all are well kept. The room is quite cramped or quite cosy so not much seating but it's all warm and comfortable. On summer evenings, it's nice to sit outside and look down over the Market Place and pity anyone going into The Hope and Anchor with its range of sour beers and cold comfort. Not spectacular but, when in Wirksworth, it's either here or the Royal Oak.

The Rising Sun, Middleton-by-Wirksworth

Now the story of this pub will be forever linked with Beer Fiend's quest for the pork pie. We visited on a busy evening - strangely screened quiz going on at one end, football on the big screen at the other and plenty of folk dotted around, drawn in by the meat raffle that had just taken place. Perhaps the landlady still had meat in mind when she offered to get some pork pies in for our next visit.. and, sure enough, a follow-up visit yielded the promised fare, small but nicely pink and not over-stuffed with horse-hoof jelly. The beer I forget but probably OK. Maybe other members have better memories..? The landlord (generally happier than he looks in the picture above) has been in recent dispute with Punch Taverns over a hike in his rent. Maybe we need to go back soon, before the pies go off..

The Abbey, Darley Abbey

What a pub! Good for two very persuasive reasons - you couldn't find quainter surroundings than a 12th Century Augustian abbey with bars on two levels and you can't find beer anywhere at £1.71 a pint. The pub is situated on a narrow back street but only a few hundred yards from the Derwent in a very leafy part of Derby's North East fringe. We turned up on a snowy Tuesday to find a smattering of folk, moderately-comfortable quirky seating, recesses in the walls which didn't quite match the former location of beams and the afore-mentioned cheap beer. The beer was well-kept Sam Smiths and, if you want to be picky, there wasn't much choice - but there were no complaints from us. Definitely one to return to..

The Thorn Tree, Matlock

If you want a boozer full of locals (well, not so full that we couldn't find a seat), this is it. Get through the door and the bar's straight in front of you, burgeoning with handpumps. There were six different offerings and, between club members, several were sampled together with the Bass which had to be retrieved from the cellar. Friendly and informative barman. Prices were reasonable, though not cheap £3pp or thereabouts. The decor was work in progress, moving in the direction of the 60s, boxing in fireplaces and artexing walls. Still, it's the conversation that counts. The outside is reasonable (see picture above) and it's a bit tricky to find, high up above most of the Bank Road side of Matlock. Terrace giving lovely views so a good pub for summer. The Club will be back.

The Plough Inn, Two Dales

A bit of a disappointment, this one, with its wall-to-wall TV screen and chirpy locals offering alternative football matches on their laptops. The room was rectangular and brightly lit and the tables arranged along the flanks. A shame cos the outside made it look promising - tucked away down an unmade road and a pleasant stone-built exterior (see picture above). The beer was good, though. Landlord at over £3 a pint. We decamped after one pint.

The Red Lion, Hognaston

This was a pub I'd been trying to visit for a while and it was worth it. -  low beamed ceilings, open fires, quirky wooden tables of various shapes and sizes and a range of three beers. The only downside was that it was clearly a pub that has put a lot of effort into developing its food side and, perhaps as a consequence, there weren't many folk in (it was a Tuesday evening) and those that were left as soon as we arrived. So despite the potential, there was little or no atmosphere. The beers were well-kept and provided a range of flavours. One for the list - but not top of it.

The Barley Mow, Kirk Ireton

The Barley Mow at Kirk Ireton is an easy pub to miss. You could drive past without knowing it was there. There's no car park or strings of fairy lights. It's a tall stone house with a large, beamed and fairly plain room. There are half a dozen tables, some of which are made from chunks of slate - ex-billiard table. At the small bar the landlady will serve you one of half a dozen beers from the barrels behind her - a pretty comprehensive selection. This is clearly a pub that doesn't aspire to be anything else - night club, restaurant - other than a place for drinking well-kept beer. It's warm, cheap and comfortable - what else could you want?