It has been nearly a year since I last met up with Mr WME. After a long gap we finally met up again to visit a few hostelries in Wordsley, or so we thought.
It was arranged that we would meet at the Red House Glass Cone in Wordsley and visit a few of the public houses around that area, so I make my way up to Wollaston to catch National Express West Midlands Service X96 into Stourbridge before interchanging onto Hanson's Service 267 bus which dropped me off at the bus stop virtually opposite the previously mentioned Wordsley's Red House Glass Cone, a local landmark. I arrive with a few minutes ahead of the prearranged time and wait at the Glass Cone. Mr WME seems to be running late and after a couple of Stourbridge bound buses go past, I send a text to Mr WME, a couple of minutes after I receive a phone call (with a lot of hyperactive sounding children in the background) and Mr WME says he is just getting off a bus in Kingswinford as the Service 256 he originally planned to catch had been taken out of service. Luckily I spot a Kingswinford bound National Express West Midlands service 257 bus coming along from Stourbridge and I make a mad dash across the road and sprint towards the next bus stop and luckily with a second to spare board the bus and catch my breath back as the bus makes its way to Kingswinford.
Nearly recovered I arrive in Kingswinford and alight just opposite The Cross where Mr WME is waiting and after saying our hello's and me still a little bit out of breath we make our way for some much need refreshment. We walk along Summer Hill and make a left turn along Cot Lane, where we arrive at "The Park Tavern", a pub that I have visited on several occasions before, its here that we have a catch up and a look ahead to this seasons Formula One over a pint of Enville Ale.
After leaving The Park Tavern a short walk was taken Barnett Lane and then Barnett Street to "The Glass Cutters Arms" where a pint of Ma Pardoes Bumblehole was sampled, see picture above. After sampling this pub we left and came back out on Barnett Street, I was lost and as we literally around the corner, I knew where we were, up until now, I didn't realise that The Glassmakers Arms was there, I'm pretty sure I have heard about it over the years, so know I know where it is situated.
As we turn the corner from The Glassmakers, we are at the back of "The Queens Head" in High Street Wordsley, which is now part of the Black Country Ales Brewery Portfolio. We enter via the tradesman's entrance and Mr WME had a pork pie, with loads of mustard, he calmed his taste buds down with a pint of Lancashire Stout. I went all strange whilst sampling a pint of Voodoo Dawn. After snacks and drinks were finished, we went past The New Inn, somehow resisting the urge of a pint of Bathams and then it was all downhill literally as we walk past the church to sample our next public house.
We stop by the traffic lights and turn left into the bar area of "The Rose and Crown" and whilst watching a bit of Six Nations Rugby Mr WME samples another Enville Ale, see picture above. I decide to watch something else instead, the barmaid who served me my pint of Holden's Golden Glow, I'm sure she could look after me, see picture below. After drinks are finished, we reluctantly leave and have a short walk up Brierley Hill Road and sample another pub that I have never been in before and visit Marston's "The Samson and Lion", both of us sampling a good old fashioned pint of Banks's Mild. We gatecrash a party before it has even started, we were allowed to stay though as they were only setting up the room for the festivities later that evening.
The Rose and Crown offer a crèche service!
After The Samson and Lion we retrace our steps and head back down Brierley Hill Road and head towards Stourbridge along the main road. We are getting a bit peckish now, so we decide to pop into "The Vine", or what was once The Vine, but is now Ocean Basket, a Chip Shop / Fish and Chip Restaurant where we sample a cone of chips. I opt for the good old fashioned style whilst Mr WME decides to have a battering with the battered chips. We carry on our walk to Amblecote eating our chips along the way and up Brettell Lane to a newly refurbished "Red Lion".
I have been in since the refurbishment and this is Mr WME's first visit since the refurbishment. From what was once a run down dark public house with not too many customers, it was nice to see the pub regenerated into a bright airy and actually full public house. Here we have to stand to drink our pints as there are no tables left, we both opt for the Salopian Brewery's Lemon Dream and after finishing them we have time for one more public house to visit. We make our way back down the short distance down Brettell Lane.
Our last pub and drink of the day is an old favourite, "The Maverick", now early evening, the pub, as The Red Lion is starting to get busy and we get a spot in the Wild West Saloon where Mr WME decides to go all Mexican, even though we are having a typically British named pint of "Dodgy Banker" to round off our day. After we finish our pints we leave the pub and say our goodbyes, with Mr WME heading in one direction for his National Express West Midlands service 256 and myself back up Brettell Lane to catch my National Express West Midlands service 246 buses back home.
Nearly recovered I arrive in Kingswinford and alight just opposite The Cross where Mr WME is waiting and after saying our hello's and me still a little bit out of breath we make our way for some much need refreshment. We walk along Summer Hill and make a left turn along Cot Lane, where we arrive at "The Park Tavern", a pub that I have visited on several occasions before, its here that we have a catch up and a look ahead to this seasons Formula One over a pint of Enville Ale.
A pint of Ma Pardoes Bumblehole!
After leaving The Park Tavern a short walk was taken Barnett Lane and then Barnett Street to "The Glass Cutters Arms" where a pint of Ma Pardoes Bumblehole was sampled, see picture above. After sampling this pub we left and came back out on Barnett Street, I was lost and as we literally around the corner, I knew where we were, up until now, I didn't realise that The Glassmakers Arms was there, I'm pretty sure I have heard about it over the years, so know I know where it is situated.
As we turn the corner from The Glassmakers, we are at the back of "The Queens Head" in High Street Wordsley, which is now part of the Black Country Ales Brewery Portfolio. We enter via the tradesman's entrance and Mr WME had a pork pie, with loads of mustard, he calmed his taste buds down with a pint of Lancashire Stout. I went all strange whilst sampling a pint of Voodoo Dawn. After snacks and drinks were finished, we went past The New Inn, somehow resisting the urge of a pint of Bathams and then it was all downhill literally as we walk past the church to sample our next public house.
Cheers from The Rose and Crown!
We stop by the traffic lights and turn left into the bar area of "The Rose and Crown" and whilst watching a bit of Six Nations Rugby Mr WME samples another Enville Ale, see picture above. I decide to watch something else instead, the barmaid who served me my pint of Holden's Golden Glow, I'm sure she could look after me, see picture below. After drinks are finished, we reluctantly leave and have a short walk up Brierley Hill Road and sample another pub that I have never been in before and visit Marston's "The Samson and Lion", both of us sampling a good old fashioned pint of Banks's Mild. We gatecrash a party before it has even started, we were allowed to stay though as they were only setting up the room for the festivities later that evening.
The Rose and Crown offer a crèche service!
After The Samson and Lion we retrace our steps and head back down Brierley Hill Road and head towards Stourbridge along the main road. We are getting a bit peckish now, so we decide to pop into "The Vine", or what was once The Vine, but is now Ocean Basket, a Chip Shop / Fish and Chip Restaurant where we sample a cone of chips. I opt for the good old fashioned style whilst Mr WME decides to have a battering with the battered chips. We carry on our walk to Amblecote eating our chips along the way and up Brettell Lane to a newly refurbished "Red Lion".
I have been in since the refurbishment and this is Mr WME's first visit since the refurbishment. From what was once a run down dark public house with not too many customers, it was nice to see the pub regenerated into a bright airy and actually full public house. Here we have to stand to drink our pints as there are no tables left, we both opt for the Salopian Brewery's Lemon Dream and after finishing them we have time for one more public house to visit. We make our way back down the short distance down Brettell Lane.
Our last pub and drink of the day is an old favourite, "The Maverick", now early evening, the pub, as The Red Lion is starting to get busy and we get a spot in the Wild West Saloon where Mr WME decides to go all Mexican, even though we are having a typically British named pint of "Dodgy Banker" to round off our day. After we finish our pints we leave the pub and say our goodbyes, with Mr WME heading in one direction for his National Express West Midlands service 256 and myself back up Brettell Lane to catch my National Express West Midlands service 246 buses back home.
A good afternoon was had and a couple of new hostelries were visited, a meeting should not have as long a gap next time.
