The Flying Childers, Stanton in the Peak

The Flying Childers already appears elsewhere on this blog (under "Easter Walk") but is such a special pub that it deserves an individual entry. The attractive stone facade was festooned with a banner announcing the pub as Camra's 2012 pub of the year and it's easy to see why. A very warm welcome from an exiting regular, an open fire, a two-tiered lounge bar and a range of beers - most interestingly "Random Toss"  from the Flipside Brewery in Colwick, Nottingham - provided a great atmosphere. There was also several interesting artefacts to provide mental stimulation above and beyond the discussion we had on the universe and everything. We didn't eat anything more than crisps and nuts but the pub does provide some range of freshly-prepared food. - we'd sampled some on the Easter Walk visit. An all-round great pub and one not to be missed.

The Church Inn, Darley Dale

Spotted by a member whilst out on a bike ride, this slightly out of the way (on the original, pre-A6 road from Matlock to Bakewell) pub looked a likely propsect. An attractive stone-built pub offered more extensive accommodation than was first apparent. We went into the lounge bar and sat in a fairly brightly-lit but slightly cramped room and took delivery of some Hardy Hansons and Spotted Hen beers. All very acceptable. The landlord and regulars were friendly enough (after the initial chill had thawed) and the highlight was a mechanical doll of Louis Armstrong, which sang and chomped along to "Hello Dolly".

The Fishpond, Matlock Bath

The newly- and extensively-refurbished Fishpond provided an interesting challenge to the tastes of a group of middle-aged men. Eclectic decorations, including an elaborate (but probably fake) gold mirror and a trompe-l'oeil bookcase, and a variety of seating options in several settings both inside and out, made for an intriguing venue. From the door, it looked like the 'beer' on offer was going to be cold and fizzy but, on approaching the bar, there was, in fact, some range of beers and the one recommended was hoppy and refreshing. Other members may recall the names of the breweries. I don't know if we'll go back, as a group, but we might individually pop in, if we're caught up in the hell that Matlock Bath sometimes is at the weekends.

The Princess Victoria, Matlock Bath

This pub has had a bit of a chequered past and ownership seems to have changed hands fairly frequently, suggesting its not an easy pub to run. Our visit revealed yet another recent change with a new tenant installed (although he was previously the manager). However, our impressions were favourable. Pleasant wooden surroundings, slightly dingy lighting, a bloke on the piano contrasting with 60s classics on the sound system. It is, maybe, still a pub whose target market is young people but there was a healthy range of beers on tap (Ashover and Blue Monkey are the two I remember but there were more) and the manager was on hand to offer advice about flavours. All in all, a pleasant place and one to go back to..

The Old Bowling Green, Winster

Positioned just off the main road in this historic village is the stone built, cottage style, 15th century free house.
We visited this on a Friday evening (it only opens Fri, Sat and Sun).
First impression is that this is a popular foodie pub, with three quarters of the area dedicated to dining.
We occupied  a cosy corner alongside a few local drinkers and enjoyed several pints of well kept guest beers from the Barlow Brewery and Peak Ales, one of particular note being Heath Robinson from the former.  The beers and Pipers crisps were reasonably priced and the staff friendly.