Surrey Pub Explorations

The first of a trio of posts from the county of Surrey, somewhere that I recently discovered I have a grand total of 1 Good Beer Guide pub tick.
I'm not quite sure why I've been avoiding a county that's not far away from Oxford.

Perhaps it's because I'm wary of the richest county in the UK.
Or suspicious of anywhere this size that doesn't have a football league team.

So I set out on a midweek trip, catching the train to Reading, then onward to Guildford.  A quick scoot through the shopping centre, then onto Bus 53.  After all that travelling, my first pub was coming into sight 20 minutes later at next to the bus stop...

Red Lion Inn (The Green, Shamley Green, GU5 0UB)
This is a pub in a great location, with benches out front overlooking one of Shamley Green's glorious grassy open spaces.
Step through the front door and the bar is straight in front of you.  Nice welcome from the landlord, happily giving me details of the three real ales on offer: Crafty Brewing 'Blindside', Surrey Hills 'Shere Drop' or Timothy Taylor 'Boltmaker'.
I picked the local Crafty Brewing amber ale, at a hefty £5.10 a pint.

There were a couple of locals propping up the bar, a restaurant area to the right, and a few tables to the left side of the bar, the best spot by the window taken by coffee-drinking gossiping ladies of the village.  My gripe was that I just couldn't find a spot that I liked.  It wasn't the most cosy of village pubs and I ended up tucked away in a quiet corner where I wasn't particularly comfortable.

I timed my exit to coincide with the next bus passing through the village, back in the direction I'd come from, to Wonersh.
Here's the attempted arty pic of the pub through the shelter...

Grantley Arms (The Street, Wonersh, GU5 0PE)
There is no denying this is a good-looking half-timbered beast of a pub, dating back to the late 16th century in its oldest parts.
But...I just didn't warm to it.
It's one of those places where you're served by smartly dressed staff who greet you with "Can I help you?", rather than "what'll it be, duck", or something similarly pub-like.

 

Cask on offer was Youngs 'Original', Surrey Hills 'Shere Drop', or Hogsback 'TEA'.
You've got to have some of local Surrey Hills beer when in this part of the country, so that's what I did.  Priced at a gentlefolk's dining pub rate of £5.50 a pint.

Scoring 65% 5-star reviews on Trip Advisor, I'm sure if I was reviewing pub food, or ideal inns to sit in an armchair by the fireplace reading The Telegraph, I'd be rating the Grantley Arms highly.
But I wanted less flower displays on the tables and more pub clutter.  For that, I made the short stroll to neighbouring Bramley. 

Past the train station, which hasn't seen a train in many a year.

And onward to the A-road that runs through the village, ridiculously busy with traffic, where you'll find two pubs to chose from.
But only one of them has a pub sign with a farmer riding his pig...

Jolly Farmer (High Street, Bramley, GU5 0HB)

Here's the view as you step through the front door.
Lots going on: nice trad well worn carpet; plates, pewter tankards; pump clips; and a pub museum's worth of old signs, breweriana, and random ephemera covering the walls.

There was an impressive real ale range on offer: breweries included Goldmark from Sussex; Hopstar from Lancashire, Magpie from Nottingham, 4T's from Cheshire, and two from the local Crafty Brewing.  I stuck local with a 'Hop Tipple', on really good form.

Mid-afternoon, there were just a handful of folks spread throughout the sections of the pub, so this wasn't a visit enhanced by a crowd of tipsy folk.  But the pub was still a delight to sit in, with a great chatty member of staff at the bar, and such characterful surroundings.

With the amount of things on display on the walls, I was hopeful for a bit of mild smut in the gents.  But it was decorated with Belgian brewery posters instead...

Then, returning to my seat, I realised the mild smut was out on display in the pub and I was sat right under it

I'd entertained a notion of calling in to the other village pub, a couple of doors along the same road.  But I liked the Jolly Farmers so much that I stayed for a second - the other Crafty Brewing ale this time: 'Grumpsters', a malty, biscuity, best bitter.

The Jolly Farmer was an excellent pub - easily my favourite of the day.
I timed my departure for the next bus back into Guildford from the stop just up the road.

 

Guildford has a population of just over 78,000, and 25 pubs, depending on how you're counting pubs.  Just two make it into the current Good Beer Guide, and I'd run out of energy and time to make it to one in the suburbs.
It was the Royal Oak I headed to, not really standing out due to being lower than street level.  The builders detritus in the driveway isn't doing the pub any favours in the picture, either.

Royal Oak (15 Trinity Churchyard, Guildford, GU1 3RR)
This building was previously an extension to the rectory, which was once located next door.  It became a pub around 145 years ago.

Steps lead down from the pavement, past a couple of outdoor tables, and into a heavily beamed main room.  It was a pleasingly comfortable place with armchairs surrounding a grand fireplace for colder months, and more conventional tables around the sides of the room.

There were a couple of cheery young bar staff, but the two residential terriers were clearly in charge of things...

 

Real ales available were Fullers 'ESB', 'Pride', Dark Star 'Revelation', and Arbor 'Mosaic'.  I opted for the always reliable Arbor, raising an eyebrow once again at the £5.50 price tag.

Then settled myself in a comfy seat, Tipping Point on the telly, Bryan Adams 'Run to me' kicking off the soundtrack, then making way for a bit of Fratelli's and Frannz Ferdinand. 
I guess the playlist had reached the F's.

Just on the other side of the church was the Three Pigeons, which seemed like it may serve a decent range of ales, and certainly looked the part when it comes to photogenic town inns.

Three Pigeons (169 High Street, Guildford, GU1 3AJ)
Its appearance isn't quite as historic as it looks - the building is listed and dates back to 1755, but the facade was rebuilt in Jacobean style in 1916 following a fire.  Apparently the design was inspired by a 17th century building on Oxford's High Street (I'm guessing one a few doors down from the Chequers?)

It's got a bit of a modern feel inside, perhaps due to the spiral staircase, high tables, and TVs.
But it's a decent enough bar, with Landlord, Pride, Doom Bar, and Surrey Hills 'Shere Drop' available at the bar when I visited.
I ordered a second pint of the day of the local Surrey Hills brew, planning to see if it was better here than in Wonersh, except comparing 2nd and 6th pints of the day is way beyond me.

And that was probably my cue to call it a day and head back to the train station to make my way home.  Although maybe there'd be time for a quick half in Spoons on the way.

My first proper pub excursion into Surrey had gone quite well, so I set about planning some return visits.