A.J. Walker

ReAleLiverpool

A Macclesfield Trip

On Monday I took a trip out to Macclesfield for the first time under my own steam (well using the railway to be fair). The last time I was in Macclesfield for beers it was on one of the Liverpool CAMRA coach trips—not exactly sure when, but those trips stopped eons ago (if I look up some old photos I dare say I wont have a beard and indeed the photos will be sepia toned).

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On the way. Piccadilly for the Doncaster train

It’s not a bad distance from Liverpool and easily accessible by train with relatively regular departures from Lime Street requiring a change at Piccadilly. The whole journey takes less than 90 minutes.

Didn’t do too much research (none) into where to go at all before making the trip. I knew there were plenty of ale pubs in a short distance from the station. I could make my plans once in the town and then just go with the flow. Started in the Waters Green Tavern, which is a stones throw from the station. They had three of their hand pulls on (out of many more) because it was a Monday after all. They had Sarah Hughes’s mild on but I wasn’t going to start the day of with a 6% ale. Ended up going for an Ossett
Most instead. Checked a few webpages and maps out and picked an approximate route to go on. As it happened that was almost straight along the road parallel with the rail line (Sunderland Street).

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Waters Green Tavern

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George & Dragon (Robinsons)

Second up I headed over the road to the Old Millstone which you can’t miss as you head out of the pub (or indeed the station). It had been a recommended pub on one webpage, but it proved only to have two (currently) unused pulls, so it was a walk in and an about turn. Crossing back over the road I’d just left I head back onto Sunderland Street where there were to be several options on the day. I headed into the first open pub I got to (the Queens was shut) which was a Robinson’s pub, the George & Dragon. There were just two taps on which were both Robinson’s of course. I ended up with a
Dizzy Blonde. It had a nice feel about the place and a mix of old regulars and a couple of passers by like me.

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The Jolly Sailor

Third was straight down the road—after passing the Treacle Tap, which didn’t open to later (3pm)—and a nice old pub called the Jolly Sailor. It was all national brands (Tim Taylors, Wainwright, Black Sheep etc). Ended up with a Boltmaker and had a good chin wag with a local and the (I assume) landlord. You could see the next pub through the window, which was The Fountain. This is now a Bollington Brewery pub. They had six hand pulls and ten keg lines. I had (shock horror) a keg
Fictions-Flat White. A very drinkable coffee pale (must be the rage these days).

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The Fountain (a Bollington Bar)

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A keg up

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Redwillow (next to the Fountain). Unfortunately closed on Mondays.

I had been looking forward to going to the Redwillow bar next door. But unfortunately I discovered it is closed on Mondays. Unlucky! (maybe a wee Google search earlier would have avoided my disappointment. Then again I'd have just been disappointed earlier on instead. Anyway just up the hill a little (opposite a Wetherspoons) is Alfreds, a Hydes pub. Ended up with an
Original there—one of their two hand pulls. It’s a bright roomy place and there were a few people in there. I decided to head back to the Treacle Tap. Had a nice chinwag with the couple working there. It is a Buxton Brewery pub (Buxton is about 12 miles east of Macclesfield). Had a pint of Deepdale, a gluten free session IPA.

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A Hydes pint in Alfreds

I decided to go to just one more pub, the Castle. This is a nice old two room pub just back by the station—slightly up hill from Waters Green Tavern and the Millstone. If I’d had more inclination to have a couple more I would have headed further round to R&G’s Beer Vault or maybe back to Waters Green for a Sarah Hughes. I thought better of it this time. I’ll be back some other time (and next time not on a Monday so I can go to Redwillow).

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Treacle Tap (a Buxton Brewery bar)

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The Treacle Tap

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Last, but not least, The Castle

In summary a nice few pubs a short trip rom Liverpool. Definitely worth checking out.

The pubs I visited this time, in order, were:

Waters Green Tavern
George & Dragon
Jolly Sailor
Fountain
Alfred’s
Treacle Tap
Castle