Bathams in Kinver - Epic onion slices in Caunsall

A short Staffordshire/Worcestershire post, taking in Black Country Ales, Bathams and a magnificent cob.

The large village of Kinver is home to just over 7,000 folk at the bottom of the narrow strip of Staffordshire which runs alongside the West Midlands.  Those 7,000 residents get to enjoy a miniature railway (closed) 'til Sunday, rock houses (closed 'til Friday), and a Constitution Club which scores the three-pint-pot score on the CAMRA website (closed 'til 4pm).  I suspect I may not have visited at the best time.
Here's the view of the village from St Peter's Church, the steep footpath to which left me absolutely shattered and thinking twice about a walk on Kinver Edge.

Probably best to find a footpath which would loop me back to the Cross Inn...

The Cross Inn (Church Hill, Kinver, DY7 6HZ)
A 'Guess the Pub Co.' contest using the picture of the back room probably won't take up too much of anyone's time.
Even without the TV screen listing the 10 beers and ciders...

Black Country Ales pub tick #39 for me.
This was taken over by the West Midlands brewery in 2009, their ninth pub, prior to which the 19th century inn was boarded up and falling derelict.
I ordered a 'BFG' their staple golden ale, with guests alongside the BCA fare being Oakham 'Citra', Holdens 'Golden Glow' and 'Sea Fury', which seems to be taking over from Doom Bar as the ale you're most likely to see from Sharp's. 

The beer was on good form.  England were demolishing Pakistan at Edgbaston on the telly, and Witney was hollering 'I wanna Dance with Somebody' trough the speakers.  The 12" version, I guess, as it went on for almost as long as it took me to drink my beer.

Leaving the Cross, I made the short walk to the edge of the village and the bridge over the local waterway for pub number 2...

The Vine (1 Dunsley Road, Kinver, DY7 6LJ )
This inn first opened their doors in 1863 when the Staffordshire & Worcester canal provided enough trade to keep both this and one-time neighbour and competitor the Lock Inn going.
It was originally converted from two cottages, which you get a feel for on the corner table I picked, although internal walls have been knocked through in more recent years and significant extensions added.

Cask beers on the bar came from two locals: Enville and Wye Valley.

I settled with a half of the 'HPA', news channel on the TV (doom and gloom), No Doubt playing quietly in the background.
I think I was the only customer not dining, the rest of the punters spread out over a large 'please wait to be seated' restaurant and into the canal-side garden.  Okay, it's foodie, has silly bits of foliage on the table, no beer mats, and too much olive paint.  But it was very nearly closed in the 2010s, so I'm happy to find the Vine open, serving a reasonable beer and providing a friendly welcome.

A gentle stroll along the canal next, ambling along the towpath past the moored barges on a warm sunny afternoon.

It was quite a long way around, to be fair, the canal looping northward with no route off until you reach a lane to the equestrian centre, allowing you to cross the Stour and backtrack to Kinver.
A long enough walk to warrant a Batham's beer, I reckon.

Plough & Harrow (82 High Street, Kinver, DY7 6HD)
This is nicknamed "The Steps" due to the couple of big stone steps you have to climb from the High Street to the pub's ground floor level.  Those take you to a lovely tiled corridor, the door to the right leading to a cracking front bar, all tables occupied by locals on my visit.
That's how I've only ended up with a picture of the lounge to the rear...

Not my most sociable day.  But with good value Bathams 'Bitter' and 'Mild' to sup, I was happy.
The disappointment was that - in a large cabinet of pub snacks - the cheese & onion cobs had run out.  Who runs out of cheese & onion?!  As it turns out, I'd do well with a cob later on.
Leaving me to admire the tiling in the Plough and Harrow...

Back down the pleasant High Street...

And hanging basket laden mews...

And onward 2.4 miles to the village of Caunsall, by which time I'd crossed the border into Worcestershire.

The Anchor (Caunsall Road, Caunsall, DY11 5YL)
The Anchor traces it's history back to 1840 when a local farmworker took advantage of the Beer House Act and opened his front room to sell ales.  For much of the 20th century the Anchor was run by the Barker family who brewed Worthing beers on the premises.
It's a lovely country pub with one busy bar, a small Victorian snug, and corridor leading to ample outdoor seating.

I found a trad line-up of ales on the bar from Hobson's, Ludlow and Wye Valley.
And cobs...

"We were admiring your lump of cheese," said my neighbours in the front snug.
"That would have been family rations for a week back in the war."
Never mind the cheese, look at the size of those slices of onion!

I couldn't really fault my visit to the Anchor, sat in a wonderful pub room with trad seating, old fireplace and plentiful pictures.  Good laminated menu of the table (cobs and crisps only).
And a lovely Holdens ale in tip-top condition.

A couple of weeks later, I've just about gotten rid of the taste of that onion.