With an early round FA Cup fixture to watch in Dorchester the following day, I made my way down to the Isle of Portland on a Friday lunchtime, where Oxford ex-pat Graham had kindly offered to shift some of his giant record collection out the way to make space for me in his spare room.
Cup of tea; admire the views; then devise a plan for a few local pub visits plus a trip over to Weymouth.
Starting in the Royal Portland...
We bowled in through the front door with it's Covid-era directional signage still in place, narrowly avoided a collision with the rampaging pub dog, then strolled to the bar to find a choice of two cask ales. A Somerset duo of Cheddar Ales 'Crown and Glory' and Fine Tuned 'Misty Mountain Hop'.
I thought my own dog had no respect for personal space, but this pair were something else. Legs got bashed, furniture toppled, shins were barged into as the duo set out on the rampage.
The Royal Portland consists of one single room and no more than half-a-dozen tables, plenty of clutter - a 'lived-in' feel.
The Royal Portland consists of one single room and no more than half-a-dozen tables, plenty of clutter - a 'lived-in' feel.
The toilets are an experience - no pristine porcelain or posh handwash and moisturiser here.
"You're not local!" exclaimed a fella that I was politely holding the door open for on the way back from the facilities.
But to prove they're not an unfriendly bunch, the fellas at the next table got chatting about music after commenting on my t-shirt, one telling us how he'd seen Hendrix for £1 in Bridport, then proving he had the dodgy hearing to show for it.
My 'Misty Mountain Hop', a smooth 4% single hop golden ale was lovely."You're not local!" exclaimed a fella that I was politely holding the door open for on the way back from the facilities.
But to prove they're not an unfriendly bunch, the fellas at the next table got chatting about music after commenting on my t-shirt, one telling us how he'd seen Hendrix for £1 in Bridport, then proving he had the dodgy hearing to show for it.
If only we'd have stayed into the evening and knocked back half-a-dozen pints of it, I could have quoted the Led Zep lyrics...
"I didn't notice, but it had got very dark,
and I was really really out of my mind."
...but it wasn't dark yet and I was quite coherent, setting off on a route downhill to the Cove House.
Two months without a cloud in the sky, then I visit on the greyest glummest day of September. With a bit of good weather the picnic tables in front of the Cove, with their views of the sea and Chesil Beach, would be packed. As it was, the staff member behind the bar was warning folk they had to give the door a really good push to counter the gusts of wind. There's a reason the front door is tucked inside a stone porch and all the windows have shutters. Past vicious storms had seen waves crash into the pub and caused pebbles to be hurled against it.
Sea Fury would be apt, with the sea getting rougher, but I picked the Dorset Brewing Co. 'Origin' on this occasion. On decent form.
The Cove is very foodie with a good-looking menu and 'booking advisable' signs. Safe to say this is one of Portland's more touristy pubs and no-one's likely to point out you're not local on your walk back from the gents.
Our next destination was a fair trek to a pub with the island's only 3-pint-pot top score on the CAMRA website. Plus, I reckon I'm the first person to include the Green Shutters in a blog.
Heading around the north end of Portland towards the castle and marina, we passed the imposing Atlantic House...
Heading around the north end of Portland towards the castle and marina, we passed the imposing Atlantic House...
Then found ourselves on Castletown's main drag, with one-time hotels and the boarded-up Jolly Sailor pub. This is an area that I guess would have been quite different when the naval base and docks were still functioning.
There are a couple of café/bars in the vicinity catering for the visitors to the marina and D-Day museum, but the Green Shutters is the only place that calls itself a pub.
Lovely Eldridge Pope badge on the frontage, but the original name, The Albert' included in the uppermost masonry...
Lovely Eldridge Pope badge on the frontage, but the original name, The Albert' included in the uppermost masonry...
...although most will agree that the ground floor aesthetics leave a little to be desired.
I loved it - a single room with trad carpet, suspended ceiling, pool table, and a splendid wooden counter, the crests of various naval vessels adorning the canopy above the bar.
We received a friendly welcome, ordering the Sharp's Solar Wave', the sole cask option. A pint of this was pulled through before filling our own glasses which showed a bit of care taken for the ale and it did indeed turn out to be in decent condition and thoroughly enjoyable.
These three pubs had been a nice introduction to Portland, but Weymouth was calling.
We caught Bus No.1 to take us across the causeway, through Wyke Regis and into the coastal town of Weymouth.
On the southern side of the River Wey, we climbed the Chapelhay steps to a pub of the same name...
On the southern side of the River Wey, we climbed the Chapelhay steps to a pub of the same name...
A little off the regular tourist trail, this is a gem of pub.
It's been a pub since 1864 when it was converted from a couple of cottages, owned by Eldridge, Mason and Co. which later became Dorset brewing giants Eldridge Pope. In more recent years the only other pub in Chapelhay has been closed and demolished, leading the locals teamed up to purchase the lease of the Tavern to ensure it doesn't go the same way.
The naval decorations were superb, the place packed full of pictures, maps, flags, seafaring signage, and old compasses, horns and bits of boats long gone.
Ales on the bar were Butcombe 'Original' or Sharp's 'Sea Fury', with a cask cider on the third hand pull.
Sea Fury for us this time - in good condition, even if it isn't one of my favourite beers.
Here's my host and guide for the day in a corner of the pub that looks like those 'dress up' bits of museums.
Sea Fury for us this time - in good condition, even if it isn't one of my favourite beers.
Here's my host and guide for the day in a corner of the pub that looks like those 'dress up' bits of museums.
Busy signage on the gents...
What a cracking pub - somewhere I'm really glad we climbed the steps to get to.
Back down at sea level, we called in to the Good Beer Guide-listed Kings Arms on the quayside.
Back down at sea level, we called in to the Good Beer Guide-listed Kings Arms on the quayside.
Named after King George III, who made Weymouth his favoured location for a spot of sea air and bathing, the Kings Arms traces its history back to the 16th century when it would have served the sailors, dock workers and maritime folk on this bustling harbour.
Nowadays you'll find more tourists that sea captains.
The beer line-up was a familiar one with Sharp's, St Austell and Dartmoor alongside Tim Taylors. We opted for the St Austell 'Proper Job' - on 'acceptable' form, which was a let-down as I know this pub usually serves a much better pint.
Last time Graham brought me here in the dead of winter we doubled the numbers. This time was thriving and full of life, ABBA playing in the background over a cacophony of chatter.
Too busy to really be prancing around taking pictures, although I needed a shot of the fireplace..
Too busy to really be prancing around taking pictures, although I needed a shot of the fireplace..
I would have expected the Kings Arms to be rushing out plates of food to customers, but it's actually a wet led pub. Several customers were returned with bags from the neighbouring chip shop, but we decided to partake in the traditional seaside pursuit of eating ours on the bench outside and pretending it wasn't actually a little bit chilly.
Not a single seagull coveted our chips.
In fact they were noticeable by their absence all weekend - has avian flu devastated the gull population on the south coast?
Next stop, as darkness descended, was the Weymouth micro...
In fact they were noticeable by their absence all weekend - has avian flu devastated the gull population on the south coast?
Next stop, as darkness descended, was the Weymouth micro...
Tucked away in a side street, the Dog House opened in 2018 in premises that used to house a second-hand domestic appliance shop. It's a single room with a decent number of tables, narrowing to the back where the bar is, creating a pinch point which several drinkers delight in standing at.
There was a fine choice of ales here from Hop Back and Dark Revolution (Wiltshire), Bowman (Hampshire), and Neptune (the big traveller all the way from Merseyside).
I opted for the oatmeal stout 'Abyss' from Neptune - a glorious full-bodied dark brew.
My neighbour on the bench looked like he could do with one too...
I opted for the oatmeal stout 'Abyss' from Neptune - a glorious full-bodied dark brew.
My neighbour on the bench looked like he could do with one too...
After a quick diversion for a half in Wetherspoon's , we caught the bus back to Portland in time for a nightcap back in the Royal Portland Inn.
No rollicking dogs this time, but we did get The Breakout Band covering Teenage Dirtbag ("I can see a lot of dirtbags out there...not so many teenagers").
No rollicking dogs this time, but we did get The Breakout Band covering Teenage Dirtbag ("I can see a lot of dirtbags out there...not so many teenagers").
Sadly I got the windy grey version of Portland, so didn't go and stand on the tip of the island. As long as I'm invited back, I'll do that next time along with a few more pubs in this cracking bit of Dorset.
Seeing 'The Albert' up high on the front of Green Shutters kinda reminded me a little of Brighton's Hole in the Wall which has its original name, 'Queensbury Arms' emblazoned in a similar fashion.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Brighton, the gull population is thriving there. Particularly the one who stole my wife's doughnut when we down there a few weeks back. She caused a bit of a scene, cussing like a docker. I just looked away, pretending I didn't know her whilst simultaneously honking with laughter.