3 pubs in the Chilterns, Buckinghamshire.

On Saturday 22nd June, my brother Dan, the Routemeister, and I walked a rather long pub crawl in Bucks, a roundabout overland route from Chesham to Amersham; more than 20 miles, so I slept well that night. Our first port of call was the Cock & Rabbit in The Lee, a hamlet near to Great Missenden; at the bar of which this photograph of Steve the Beermeister was taken ;-)

The Cock & Rabbit has been run by an Italian Landlord for getting on for 30 years now, and featured regularly in John Nettles' television series, apparently, Midsomer Murders and is well known for its good Italian food. This is a lovely multi-roomed building that has been licenced since the mid-19th century, has food, of course, and this includes a large bowl of olives (gratis) in front of the ale handpumps.  

Not too exciting regarding the ales, though, just the 2, Greene King IPA (3.6%) and the house ale, brewed by Morlands (now Green King too), ie Cock & Rabbit Original, a not too bad, actually, 3.6% medium coloured bitter. Decent ale, nice food, an interesting building and garden, though it was a bit damp to use the garden on Saturday, I liked the place!

We walked onto Little Missenden and the Red Lion, a 17th century pub that has also featured in Midsomer Murders, see website.  More traditional English pub food sold here, you can see the menu at the website, and 3 ales served up. There were a couple you'll see anywhere in the country, true of most ales now anyway, ie Skinners Betty Stoggs (4%) and Wadworth 6X (4.3%), an ale I used to love many years ago, still nice, but my tastes have moved on a bit since I first tried it. We had the third choice, Tring Sidepocket for a Toad, a nice refreshing 3.6% light bitter, oh yes, and the nicest Kiwi (the warm and friendly, Lyn the barmaid) since I drank Dark Star's version in September last! The Red Lion is another very good local with history too...

Finally, we reached Amersham, a reyt old town, and the Kings Arms, a 15th century inn with 34 bedrooms to let, and, oh yes, history (see website). Also featured in Midsomer Murders, of course, plus Four Weddings and a Funeral and Miss Marples, the history? Previous guests include Oliver Cromwell, whose troops were stationed in Amersham during the English Civil War/Revolution, and the pub part, to the left of my photograph, is still an old wooden beamed 15th century pub, though the clientele wasn't that old, but mostly people waiting to eat in the restaurant.  

So, a hotel, restaurant, and 3 ales too: Adnams Lighthouse (3.4%), Skinners Lions Pride (4.3%), presumably a one-off to celebrate the current British and Irish Lions rugby union tour down under, and we drank the (Marlow Brewery) Rebellion Mutiny (4.5%). The Mutiny has a deep red colour, with plenty of body, a rich, but still fresh and fruity, and a slightly roasted malt flavour that comes from the crystal malt used, I'd imagine.  The High Street here is full of 15th and 16th century buildings, and there's an even older road round the corner!

A return could visit well be on the cards, cheers!