From Kingswear to Kingsbridge as I continued with the mission to tick all the current Good Beer Guide pubs in Devon. I'd left a glorious section of the south coast for my final assault.
This journey starts on the eastern side of the Dart estuary at Kingswear, just a few miles from Brixham. I made a short stroll uphill from the water's edge and heritage railway station to the Ship Inn.
This journey starts on the eastern side of the Dart estuary at Kingswear, just a few miles from Brixham. I made a short stroll uphill from the water's edge and heritage railway station to the Ship Inn.
The Ship Inn (Higher Street, Kingswear, TQ6 0AG)
A big draw of the Ship is the tiny terrace in front of it - next to the church and looking out at Dartmouth on the other side of the river. Inside there is a central bar with seating areas either side, folks settling down for fish and chip lunches.
I grabbed a quick half of Salcombe 'Shingle Bay' (St Austell and Otter being the other options). No space on the terrace, so I sat on a table out of the way, watching everyone get confused placing their food orders whilst I enjoyed a decent pale ale.
I grabbed a quick half of Salcombe 'Shingle Bay' (St Austell and Otter being the other options). No space on the terrace, so I sat on a table out of the way, watching everyone get confused placing their food orders whilst I enjoyed a decent pale ale.
Dartmouth is a full-on Devon tourist destination, hordes of folk wandering the historic streets. They were desperately trying to squeeze into the Royal Castle Hotel, facing the harbour, enticed by £18 crab sandwiches and St Austell Tribute.
I made a quick visit to the very pleasant Seven Stars, which served a good ale despite dropping out of the Beer Guide this year, before making my way to the Cherub.
Cherub Inn (13 Higher Street, Dartmouth, TQ6 9RB)
This is one of the oldest buildings in town, a Grade II listed former merchants house.
I made a quick visit to the very pleasant Seven Stars, which served a good ale despite dropping out of the Beer Guide this year, before making my way to the Cherub.
Cherub Inn (13 Higher Street, Dartmouth, TQ6 9RB)
This is one of the oldest buildings in town, a Grade II listed former merchants house.
Looking great from the outside with three tiers of overhanging timber and added flower basket action. Time to test that 'good hanging basket = good beer' theory again.
I loved the ground floor room, even excusing the condiment collection surrounding the wooden post in the middle. Lots of timber, some good bench seating along the side, horse brasses as decoration, men in floral shirts examining the menu.
Cask ales were a local/national mix - Exmoor, Salcombe and South Hams representing Devon, with Proper Job, Brains Gold, and Rev James making a longer journey.
I picked the South Hams 'Stumble Bee', despite honey beer reservations (quite enough Fullers Honeydew when it was a new-fangled thing in the Euston Flyer). It was okay - but not as good as the hanging baskets.
Also, don't drink too much of it if you're going to tackle the precarious winding staircase to the second floor loos!
Also, don't drink too much of it if you're going to tackle the precarious winding staircase to the second floor loos!
Stoke Fleming is just a few miles south of Dartmouth, situated above the cliffs of Start Bay. There's not much to the village - a vicious right angle turn on the coastal road, a church, restaurant, and holiday village. I considered walking down to the splendid Blackpool Sands, but realised if I walked down I'd have to walk back up again, contenting myself with a blue sky view along the coast from up high.
The Green Dragon (Church Road, Stoke Fleming, TQ6 0PX)
The pub is tucked up a side street, near the church, as may have been expected with it being on Church Road.
Legend has it there is a tunnel from the pub to the coast, although that would be an awful long tunnel, so I'm skeptical.
Legend has it there is a tunnel from the pub to the coast, although that would be an awful long tunnel, so I'm skeptical.
Inside, there are slate stone floors, tankards hanging from wooden beams, dried hops suspended from the ceiling, darts board in the corner, and a great pub dog.
Despite the rare sighting of Pedigree in these parts, I went with the 3.4% Otter 'Oak'.
And supped it to a soundtrack of Genesis, Steve Winwood, and The Four Seasons.
And supped it to a soundtrack of Genesis, Steve Winwood, and The Four Seasons.
This is a charming trad 14th century village inn. The bar counter is to the right of the front door, with seating to the left, a proper busy pub carpet, wooden beams, lots of brass implements on display.
Head out the back door and there is a wonderful garden with views of the village rooftops and the neighbouring church.
I stayed inside in the window seat, enjoying a well-kept 'Jail Ale'.
Interesting choice of artwork in the toilets, too - would that be Pink Floyd-orientated mild smut...
Just a little further along the coast, past Torcross, and around the end of Slapton Ley, I opted to call into the South Hams Brewery tap.
South Hams Brewery Tap (Stokeley Barton, TQ7 2SE)
This is part of Stokeley Farm Shop complex - Devon tourists do like a good farm shop. There are lots of cars in the gravel car park, although I wasn't quite sure where everyone was. Pass the decorative retro tractor and you're able to buy jewellery, metal art, and cashmere, get your hair done, and load up on shrubs and bedding plants.
The last metal shed has housed South Hams Brewery since 2019, seating and the bar in the one half of the unit, the 22 barrel brewery in the other.
Beers 1-6 are the keg, 7-12 are the cask...
And took this out to where all the other custom was, on outside benches in the sunshine. It did feel a bit like drinking in a garden centre, but the porter was superb.
Just a few miles further on was Kingsbridge, the location of my final Devon Good Beer Guide tick. This South Hams market town is located six miles inland, at the northern end of the twisty-turny creeks that make up the estuary. Beyond the quay, Fore Street is the highlight with some great old buildings alongside cafes and shops.
I could probably have spent a lot more time exploring the pubs of town but, after popping into the King Of Prussia to check if they had Bass on (nope😞), I only visited the Hermitage on this occasion.
The Hermitage (8 Mill Street, Kingsbridge, TQ7 1ED)
Basking in the sunshine in a quiet side street, the Hermitage is a spacious open-plan pub with parquet floors, a seventies-style faux timber framed bar, and lots of old pump clips displayed around the top of the walls throughout.
The giant dog, sitting on the windowsill in the picture below, came to check me out and managed to deposit roughly a half-pint of drool over my trousers. Cheers.
There were two cask ales on offer: Exeter 'Avocet' or South Hams 'Stumble Bee'.
I went for another Stumble Bee here - in much better condition than it had been at the Cherub Inn - a superb pint.
You'll notice there wasn't a party in full swing to greet me in the Hermitage...
A couple of those criminal cocktail bar rotating high chairs on the corner of the bar, later occupied by some locals who at least added some life to the bar beyond me and the dozing dog. Conversation topics ranged from dubious views on hot current affairs to (much more important) the difficulty of opening the crisps from the Asian supermarket in Plymouth.
I celebrated completion of the 124 Devon Beer Guide 2024 pubs with an ice cream.
Double scoop.
I stayed inside in the window seat, enjoying a well-kept 'Jail Ale'.
Interesting choice of artwork in the toilets, too - would that be Pink Floyd-orientated mild smut...
This is part of Stokeley Farm Shop complex - Devon tourists do like a good farm shop. There are lots of cars in the gravel car park, although I wasn't quite sure where everyone was. Pass the decorative retro tractor and you're able to buy jewellery, metal art, and cashmere, get your hair done, and load up on shrubs and bedding plants.
The last metal shed has housed South Hams Brewery since 2019, seating and the bar in the one half of the unit, the 22 barrel brewery in the other.
Beers 1-6 are the keg, 7-12 are the cask...
I really like the South Hams beers, so was happy to have one of these at source, even though it involved a patient wait behind someone having several growlers filled up painfully slowly.
I eventually procured a 'Devon Porter'.
I eventually procured a 'Devon Porter'.
Just a few miles further on was Kingsbridge, the location of my final Devon Good Beer Guide tick. This South Hams market town is located six miles inland, at the northern end of the twisty-turny creeks that make up the estuary. Beyond the quay, Fore Street is the highlight with some great old buildings alongside cafes and shops.
The Hermitage (8 Mill Street, Kingsbridge, TQ7 1ED)
Basking in the sunshine in a quiet side street, the Hermitage is a spacious open-plan pub with parquet floors, a seventies-style faux timber framed bar, and lots of old pump clips displayed around the top of the walls throughout.
I went for another Stumble Bee here - in much better condition than it had been at the Cherub Inn - a superb pint.
You'll notice there wasn't a party in full swing to greet me in the Hermitage...
I celebrated completion of the 124 Devon Beer Guide 2024 pubs with an ice cream.
Double scoop.
Right, now what about Somerset?
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| Yes, I've pencil crayoned my beer guide. There's more to life than Stabilo highlighters!!! |
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