Garsington and Horspath Pubs & Beers

One result of the past couple of months is that I've explored pretty much every footpath within a three mile radius of my humble abode.

Never quite the same, of course, when the walking isn't rewarded by a pint in the pub at the end.  Or midway.  Or at the start.

So for this post, a bunch of pictures of closed pubs in a couple of villages just beyond the busy ring-road, to the east of Oxford.

The start of our route was an unspectacular trudge along the pavements on the boundary of Blackbird Leys until there's an opportunity to branch off on a footpath.

Trouble is, I'm not sure anyone other than me has tried to walk this path at any point this year.  Apart from no obvious route across the fields, there's a challenging overgrown stile at the end...

Experts only. 

But from this point on there are lovely trails leading up the small hill to the village of Garsington.

The village has a grand gated Manor House...

Impressive gates.

Some top-class knitters...

Impressive knitting.

...And the finely located St Mary's church, which boasts some great views from the churchyard across southern Oxfordshire.

Impressive village church.

But, alas, a distinct shortage of pubs.

Which is a shame, as the village was still served by a remarkable three pubs at the beginning of the last decade.
The first you would have come to, heading up the hill on your way from Oxford, would have been the Red Lion.  I managed to find a couple of pictures of it 'in action' here. 

The Red Lion closed in 2014, to be converted into private dwellings.

Private.

A little further along the road, stood the Plough, which closed it's doors a short while before the Red Lion.
Shame, because this was probably the counties Best Pub on a Hairpin Bend.  Possibly the only pub in Oxfordshire on a hairpin bend.
Now somebody gets to live there behind a big white gate and admire their own front garden pub sign frame.

No longer acceptable to turn up and ask for a Punk IPA.

Which brings us finally to The Three Horseshoes on the green. This closed in 2019, but plans were afoot for it to re-open. Initially the residents of Garsington put in a bid to make this a community pub, but it's eventually been brought by a private individual from Horspath.

Hopefully plans won't be derailed to get this back up and running. Hopefully with something more interesting that Old Specked Hen on the hand pulls?

The Three Horseshoes - fine back garden, if I remember rightly.

Heading along the Green Belt Way path, it's a mile downhill to get to nearby Horspath.

So what brings 1400 or so folks to live in the village of Horspath?  Well, they're just 3½ miles (and a wicked rush-hour traffic jam along Cowley Road) from the dreaming spires of central Oxford. They have the pleasant paths of Shotover country park on the doorstep.  

There's not one, but two fine cricket pitches.

And a brewery.

And (for the time being at least) a Lockdown Library...

Really appreciate this - kept me in some good reading material for the past couple of weeks.

 Including all your lock-down beer reading requirements...

Don't I always.

Two pubs...

The Chequers, with a fine location on the green, is predominantly the Gurkha Kitchen these days.  I've never ventured in myself, but apparently it does still retain a public bar serving fine craft beer from Wadebridge, the much sought after 'Doom Bar'.  (Please don't let that and Greene King IPA be all that's available when the pubs re-open!)

The Chequers Inn

The 'proper pub' is just around the corner.
The last time we called in to the Queens Head was a sunny Saturday evening with the place in full swing.  The chaps propping up the bar voiced their appreciation of my choice of Hook Norton 'Blackout Stout', older generations sat at the tables chatting away and watching horse racing on TV, whilst the Horspath youth hung out by the pool table.
It was doing a roaring trade - great to see, and I hope we can see it again soon.

Queens Head.

And just bringing this rambling post to a close, a mention for the village's brewery, Shotover.
They've been concocting ales in the old stable building of Manor Farm since 2009.  I'm quite a fan of their 'Scholar' best bitter, plus the porter when you can find it.

And yes, if you've seen a weird fella in a field, arsing around trying to take pictures of bottles of beers - that was me.