Ilfracombe Pub Explorations

Our summer pub ticking in Devon finally reaches the north coast where we made Ilfracombe our base for a couple of nights.

I have a feeling it's always rained when I've visited Ilfracombe previously so it was nice to be treated to a bit of sunshine.  At least until the torrential downpours on our final night - the night that Mrs PropUptheBar decided to put my shoes outside to 'freshen up'.

We ambled up Capstone Hill, visited the chapel above the harbour which doubles as a lighthouse (reputedly the oldest lighthouse in the country), and tried to make our minds up if we actually liked the Damien Hirst statue.

Handily on the main route from our B&B to the Harbour was a pub on my radar - the Hip & Pistol: a one-time beer guide entrant, listed as selling Bass on WhatPub.
But, on approach we found it had been renamed 'The Hip @No8'.
Looking more like a bistro than a proper pub.
And surely not a very likely source of Bass.

Hip & Pistol (8 St Jame's Place, Ilfracombe, EX34 9BH)
And so it wasn't - a summery-looking creation called 'Islander' from Exmoor Brewery being the sole cask.
"What's that other one with the turned-around pump clip?", I asked after my beer had been poured.  Which opened me up to an explanation that clips turned around meant the beer was off at the moment.
But then..."It's Bass - it'll be back on tomorrow".

The Exmoor Islander was, incidentally, a fine pint on good form, enjoyed on the patio on a warm evening.

But of course we went back the next day...

It was an odd place, the Hip.  Funkily modern, with enormous TV screens and all manner of quirky decorations.  Attracting a real mix of customers, from the bar-blocking locals to returning holidaymakers proclaiming "they've changed it's name".

And to complement the Bass, there's even a bit of mild smut in the gents...

Dangerous curves ahead...

Second Stage (Wilder Road, Ilfracombe, EX34 9AJ)
The danger ahead turned out to be a skittles alley slap-bang in the middle of a pub - something I've never come across before.
"Take two steps closer," ordered the chap behind the bar.
That's nice of him, offering us to take a closer look at the pump clips.
Nope.  "You're standing on the alley and you'll soon know about it if one of them balls hits you".

Parked cars getting in the way of my pub picture, again

The pub takes its name from being across the road from the Landmark Theatre - the one that looks like a mini old school power station on the seafront.
We took our glasses of GT Ales 'Blonde Ambition' to a table tucked next to the bar, safely out of the way of the skittles and pool players.

The Second Stage was the one of two Ilfracombe pubs listed in the Good Beer Guide.
The other one involved a trek away from the seafront onto the main shopping street.
The no-nonsense signage gives it away as Cask Union.

The Wellington (66-67 High Street, Ilfracombe, EX34 9QE)
This was originally two neigbouring pubs, now combined into one.  Through the front door, the right-hand side looked a cosier option, but was taken up by the pub quiz.  Heading left we were in the main bar, with a pool room up a couple of stairs to the back.

Doom Bar, Wadworth '6X', or Coombe Brewing Co 'Beach Blonde' were the cask ales on offer.  Good value at £4.80 for a pint and a half of the local brew. 
Not a bad beer, despite the long time it took to pour ("It's a lively one").  We had the motorcycle racing to watch on a TV behind the bar as we waited - you were never far from some sort of sport on TV in the Wellington.

Whilst it was a card game keeping the folks entertained at the next table.

The George & Dragon, back near the harbour, is said to date back to 1360 and I do like to visit the oldest pub in town.

George & Dragon (4 Fore Street, EX34 9EB)
It was here, many years ago, that I ordered a pint and a Bailey's, the Bailey's causing much puzzlement to the young Spanish bar staff.  They conferred in whispers before proceeding to pour the Irish cream into a half-pint glass.  I think we stopped them before it reached the top but it was still more Bailey's than anyone sensibly needs. 

I'd guess it was the landlady who served us this time, chatting to a group of regulars, and looking like she knew what measure and type of glass to serve all drinks in. 
An Exmoor 'Gold' for me, with Sharps 'Sea Fury' being the alternative.

The George and Dragon was a pleasant place, with grand wooden beams and the feel of an unspoilt old pub, although calling in as they were winding down for the evening meant it wasn't a very exciting visit.

Just for good measure, we made an end-of-the-evening trip to the town's Wetherspoon's, the Admiral Collingwood (Wilder Road, Ilfracombe, EX34 9AR).
Where I discovered that I really didn't need a pint of 7% perry from a box in the fridge as a nightcap.

Photographed in the daytime - purpose-built and picking up an award at the National Pub Design Awards in 2015. 

On The Road to the Bell at Chittlehampton

The road being the A377, which winds its way from Exeter to Barnstaple.  Along this route I called in a several towns and villages, all coincidentally beginning with 'C'.
And featuring vintage fruit machines, finials on thatched roofs, and collections of Good Beer Guides on staircases.

First stop: Crediton
An historic market town built around the wool trade and supposedly the birthplace of Saint Boniface.  I always figure it's quite a similar place to Honiton in east Devon, but more consistent with Beer Guide entries and without a bypass to save the central street from being constantly clogged with traffic.
I'd mainly come to admire the Derby County approved door knockers...  

And to visit the Duke of York which has been the sole Beer Guide entry for the past couple of years.

Duke of York (74 High Street, Crediton, EX17 3JX)
Built in the early 19th century, the Duke of York has a pleasingly simple frontage with coaching arch to one side.  Entry is via the archway into a single room surrounding the bar.
Dart board at the rear, sport on TV, locals on the stools at the bar, an old boy doing the crossword and scowling at me every now and again.  Or perhaps he's just looking into space and trying to conjure up the answers...who can tell.

Just the one ale on offer when I visited which made picking the Dartmoor 'IPA' very easy.
You drink a lot of Dartmoor IPA and Jail Ale when exploring Devon pubs.
But I do have to commend the Duke of York on their beer as it was on really good form here.

I figured I'd pop into the Crediton Inn which seems to be the go-to real ale pub in the town despite having disappeared from the Guide for a while.

Crediton Inn (28 Mill Street, Crediton, EX17 1EZ)
I liked the Crediton Inn - a good no-nonsense wet-led pub - but the locals weren't out in force when I called in.  Just two other punters in besides myself.

So credit to the music selection which provided something to occupy myself with, Shazaming tracks whilst sinking into a sofa with my 'Thirsty Blonde'.

A quick check shows we were listening to Midival Punditz and Roy Ayers Ubiquity, which certainly isn't your average pub soundtrack..

17 miles North-West of Crediton is the Saxon hilltop market town of Chulmleigh.  Home to just over 1,000 folks, none of whom were anywhere to be seen when we rocked up to eerily quite mid-afternoon streets.
At least there were a few people in the pub.

The Old Court House (South Moulton Street, Chulmleigh, EX18 7BW - web)
"Afternoon!  How's your day going?" was the cheery welcome we received from the chap behind the bar.
"Oi.  You never ask me that", complained one of the locals.
"That's because he can tell by the miserable face you always walk in with - he don't need to ask!" came the retort from his drinking buddy.

"Are you on holiday, or are you lost?" the barman asked us.
It did occur the two are very definitely not mutually exclusive.

Having mumbled something about getting around as many Devon beer guide pubs as possible, I had the choice of a Butcombe 'Original' or Dartmoor 'IPA'.
More Dartmoor for me, not bad, but not as good as I remember that pint in Crediton being. 

You don't get any of those hi-tech complicated fruit machines with too many flashing lights here.  The one-armed bandit may possibly date back to when Charles 1 stayed in Chulmleigh in 1634 and gave the pub its name.  

Retro gaming

Six miles further north we found ourselves in the small village of Chittlehamholt.
Wiki tells me it has a population of 169 people, 26 listed buildings, 2 bridges, and 1 pub.

The Exeter Inn (Chittlehamholt, EX37 9NS - web)
This old 16th century coaching inn was looking good on a sunny afternoon.  I'm no expert on thatched roofs but even those pesky animals that have clambered on top of this one can't spoil how immaculate it looks.

The Exeter Inn was a place with plenty of character: hops hanging from the ceiling, old pictures of the village on the walls and a couple of great seats that folks had beaten me to next to the fireplace with an old bread oven.
But most of the indoor tables were ready for diners and I'd have been worried about messing the place settings by commandeering one for a drink only.  So we headed onto the terrace outside where every passing car seemed to slow down and wave to someone they knew.

Retro cash registering

Nuttycombe 'Doonicans', brewed up in Taunton, was the lesser seen cask option on the bar, with other hand pumps serving up Otter and St Austell.
A nice beer, enjoyed in the sunshine, before I popped inside and discovered another vintage fruit machine.

Just 3 more miles up the road was Chittlehampton which sits on a high ridge, St Hieritha's church standing out spectacularly as you make your approach from the south.  Wikipedia tells us that there is something special about the church bells which campanologists come from far and wide to ring.
But I suspect that's just an excuse for them to visit the Bell Inn...

The Bell Inn (The Square, Chittlehampton, EX37 9QL - web)
This is a pub I loved from the moment I stepped through the door.  The lobby has a tiled floor, there are old pump clips stuck to the walls, and there's a collection of Good Beer Guides randomly stacked on the staircase.

 

The village local has been run by the same family since 1975 and has been adorned with various awards from North Devon CAMRA whilst appearing in the beer guide continuously since 1997.
It's wonderful inside: spacious with several different areas, although all attention is initially diverted to the animal heads protruding from the wall above the bar.

Available cask ales were Butcombe 'Original', Otter 'Bitter', and Exmoor 'Ale'.  We weren't far from Exmoor, so that was my choice, although the boxed cider options were mighty tempting too.
As well as the seating in the front of the pub there is a games room on a lower level and a rear extension with plenty of interesting decorations.

And beyond this a splendidly situated garden where the views were good enough to make me forgive the astro-turf.

With those pubs in Crediton, Chulmleigh and the Chittles ticked, I'd made a nice bit of mid-Devon progress with the Beer Guide chapter.  Although I have to concede that I'm going to run out of time and fail my mission to complete it this summer.
Never mind - that won't stop me heading to Ilfracombe, which I'll write about in the next post.

Brixham Pub Explorations

Another coastal stop in Devon, this time at the old fishing port of Brixham, which may possibly be my new favourite Devonian seaside town.
Not just because it's got lots of chip shops.

Like this one...

Always trust a chip shop run by Nick - a very reputable name.

Brixham harbour was a delight, bustling with cheery tourists in the sunshine, fish markets, the eye-catching replica of the Golden Hind, and some modern bars and bistros with an Adriatic vibe to them.

 
Traditional as ever we were making our way to an old-school inn, just a few steps from the waterside, nestled between the ice cream emporium and Hans Gifts with its nautical mural.

Blue Anchor (83 Fore Street, Brixham, TQ5 8AH - web)
The doorway leads through to a pleasing no-frills drinkers bar with bench seating along two walls, small tables and proper dumpy pub stools.  Being a pub by a fishing port, there's the obligatory framed display of knots and other seafaring decorations.
This part of the pub was a sail loft in a previous life.  Through a mind-you-head gap in the wall is a second room which used to be a fisherman's cottage.

Divided by a giant fireplace in the centre, a beamed ceiling and thick whitewashed stone walls give this an olde-world feel, the effect marred a little by the fairy lights.

A not uncommon South-West cask selection was on the bar, although this was the first time I'd seen Sharp's summer concoction 'Solar Wave'.  And that's what we ordered - a beer full of tropical and citrus fruit, ideal for folks who usually say that they don't normally like that real ale stuff.

The bench seating in the bar was busy enough to make it odd if we squeezed into the remaining spaces, leaving us sitting in the quieter side room under the signage threatening to sell badly behaved children to pirates.

When we passed by an hour-and-a-half later the place was packed, a crowd spilling out onto the pavement.

We moved on, tempted into more chip shop photography by the great decorations above Rio's.

Then onwards up Fore Street as made our way to the Beer Guide listed Wetherspoons...

The Vigilance (5 Bolton Street, Brixham, TQ5 9DE - web)
This is a single level L-shaped room with the usual mix of Spoons booths, lines of dining tables and high stools for the professional drinkers by the entrance.
But not every Spoons has a glorious ship's masthead as part of the decorations... 

Nice little collection of Beer Guides next to it as well.

There's another maritime theme here, the pub being named after a 1926 sailing ketch built in a Brixton shipyard.

After a couple of uninspiring Wetherspoon ale line-ups, I was pleasantly surprised to see the usual suspects joined by guest ales from Keltek ('Grim Reaper' and 'Phoenix') and - my pick -
Bays ' Wild 100', brewed to celebrate the centenary of Paignton zoo.

Mrs Prop Up the Bar had spotted the promontory of Berry Head on the map and insisted we make the walk to it once we'd finished our drinks in Spoons.  She does like a promontory.

We headed around the southern side of the harbour, past the saltwater pool, then up a short climb to the headland which houses the remains of a fort.
Probably some great scenic picture opportunities here, all missed by me as I photographed the cold war bunker.  Cold war bunkers aren't very photogenic, are they?

Back in the town on the quay, it was time to reward ourselves for the walk to the headland with chips.
Brixham Fish (award winning) was quite busy and our order seemed to be taking some time. So I took the opportunity to sneak away and nip into the Crown and Anchor next door for a cheeky half pint.

 

Crown & Anchor (23 The Quay, Brixham, TQ5 8AW)
A handwritten 'polite' notice that toilets are for customers only; fresh crab sandwiches for £9.50; karaoke with DJ Nick at the weekend.  
Ales from Dartmoor, Bays and Red Rock on the bar.
The Scissor Sisters emanating from the speakers.

The pub is made up of one narrow room, decorated with pictures of fishing vessels, and was occupied by what seemed to be a good mix of locals and visitors.

I spent my brief visit sat by the window, supping a decent half of Red Rock 'Lighthouse IPA' and keeping my eye out for indication that my chips were ready.
A lovely little harbourside pub.

Our final stop of the day involved a walk up the steep narrow streets of Brixham.

Queen's Arms (31 Station Hill, Brixham, TQ5 8BN - web)
The Queen's Arms is the local award winner - South Devon CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2014, 2016, 2020 and 2023.
And it was somewhere that I'd very happily settle down and spend an evening. 

The single room has lots of character, with all manner of curious decorations, old brewery signage, and a good range of books about beer and Devon on the shelf next to our table.

Plenty of ciders on offer, alongside beers from Butcombe, St Austell and Teignmouth Brewery.
My pick was the St Austell 'Vista', as I was suckered in by the pump clip informing me it was part of a limited edition cask club range.

A brilliant pub which I was sorry to leave, as we reached our time to depart from Brixham.
Shame - I'd like to have stayed and watched the band who were setting up in the corner and make my way through all the ciders.
Although if I did that I'd be in danger of striking up a conversation with these folks in the window...