Guest Post - Martin 'Me Da' Deacy - Car free day

So after giving up alcohol for the month of January I wanted to keep the post coming in. So I've asked a few family members, friends and family friends in fact to doing me massive favour of going out...having a pint or 5 .... then writing a little bit about it! As you can imagine friends have already voiced their jealousy about my perfectly good excuse to go have a swift pint for research purposes (not that you need a reason!). So I thought I would lend the excuse about for a month, so first up my Dad's submission!  

Organising to get to Whitby on the train and taking in the wonderful Birch Hall Inn at Beck Hole sounds complicated, but in the end it was a “walk in the park “ or should I say a walk on the Moors . Leaving Middlesbrough at 10.38 and arriving at Grosmont at 11.44, then walking the 2 easy miles along the old cinder railway track gave us plenty of time to build up a thirst. A herd of 15 deer crossed our path and made a great start to the New Year. At the Birch Hall Inn we got the usual friendly welcome from the bar staff and the locals. A pint of “Beck Watter” from North Yorkshire Brewery kicked the day off. It reminded me of Cameron’s No 3 (If you can remember that far back) but with a lighter, less “darker” taste as the other half described it. Young’s Winter Warmer (5%) soon followed, a more complex and fruiter offering with a bitter aftertaste but just as distinctive and well kept. The dogs and the locals came and went and soon it was time for us to retrace our steps back to Grosmont and finish our outward journey to Whitby.

Decisions, decisions, decisions, where to drink in Whitby.? Local or tourist, new or old, off the beaten track or hidden gems? After the ubiquitous fish and chips we opted for the Award winning Black Horse on Church St and refreshed ourselves with a Whitby Abbey, a light and tasty beer from Black Dog Brewery. The easy drinking nature suited everyone till the Winter Tyne, a darkish bitter ale from the Mordue Brewery called out to be sampled. This full bodied nature didn’t suit the better half who returned to the Abbey (if only).

Over the market square to the spacious Shambles with the best view of the Esk in all of Whitby. Loads of seats as it’s out of season, so we sat with a 5 Wold Rings, from the Wold Top Brewery, an easy, citrusy drink with bags of taste.

Oops look at the time, the trains due in 25 minutes, and just enough time to visit one more pub.? Our local Sam Smith's pub doesn’t sell real ale, so when we saw Old Brewery Bitter hand pulled in the Jolly Sailors on the harbour side we had to have a go , and it was well worth it After that rarity we raced for the train making it with ease in the end. After a strange game of cards with floating rules we arrive back home, a stress free day with no driving and lots of great memories. Looks like it’s going to be a yearly fixture now.