30th November Part II

We caught the bus back to St Mary's and walked into the Marsh to St Mary's in the Marsh and the Star Inn, cracking country pub, friendly landlord and patrons, had a good couple of hours here drinking Youngs Bitter (3.7%) and Hop Fuzz English (4%), and they also had Youngs Special (4.5%) and Shepherd Neame Kent's Best Invicta Ale (4.1%), and Skinners Ginger Tosser (3.8%) came on as a replacement whilst we were there.

The bus didn't turn up to return us to New Romney, but we received a lift from one of the many patrons who volunteered to drive us to New Romney, friendly bloke who dropped us dead opposite the Cinque Ports Arms, many thanks!  We had a half each in here of Youngs Bitter ("Ordinary" to us ex-Wandsworthians) - they also had Skinners Ginger Tosser - and then a half of Sharps Doom Bar (4%) and egg and chips (a pickled egg in a packet of crisps each) in the New Inn before catching the bus back into East Sussex.

We got off at Icklesham and dropped in at the Queens Head, nice and busy, fun to be had, the Pubmeister being more of a regular than me here, so banter with those behind the bar, who had shaved off their 'Movembers' earlier in the day. 
 

Even better, Mrs Pubmeister, the marvelous Mo, collected us from outside the pub and returned us to the Dolphin in Hastings, where we had commenced the day.  As usual, wonderful staff, great ales, music (it being a Friday evening), and interesting fellow patrons, nudge nudge...

Mark drank the Wadworth's Swordfish (5%) and I drank the excellent 5.2% Anchor Springs Black Pearl, both of which I have reported on before, then he made his way upstairs, and I wandered along the beach home; many thanks for a classic day! 

An assessment of the day? Kentish folk like medium coloured bitters, Youngs for example (I believe they are pushing hard in Kent), not a lot of variety in the choice of ales on offer, though quite a few different brewers, but similar ales, oh well...

Pub of the Day?  The Three Mariners in Hythe, cheers!

Wednesday 12th September - Kent and Romney Marsh.

The Tea-meister and I caught the 100 bus from Hastings and travelled along to Hythe, from where we walked up the Royal Military Canal, passing the giraffes again, very surreal... Crossed back over the canal and walked back towards Botolph's Bridge  and stopped for a pint at the Botolphs Bridge Inn (see website).

Like most pubs out this way, it's very food oriented, but also had a number of 'regular' old-timers, it appeared, pretty much blocking off the bar, sitting on 'high-chairs' (stools with arms), not the best way of allowing access to the bar, but probably reflects the pub itself, with outsiders most likely to come to eat, not be bar flies.

 

Anyway, a real cider on, Westons Traditional Cider at 6%, 2 regular ales, Greene King IPA and Sharp's Doom Bar, and  a guest, currently Adnams Broadside; so, not too adventurous, and no local micros ales, but we had the Doom Bar, which was pretty good, I hadn't drank it for a while, so I was pleasantly surprised!

Within Romney Marsh, and opposite the very old, historical church at St Mary's in the Marsh (see reference) is The Star Inn (see website), a crackin' pub with very friendly staff and regulars, a complete contrast to where we drank our first pint of the day.  We were served up our ale by the lovely Lucy, and chatted to very informative regulars, indeed, one of them went out of his way to supply me with the last 2 editions of the local CAMRA mag, Marsh Mash, many thanks to everyone there.

 

Oh yes, and a very local ale among the 2 guest ales, ie Hop Fuzz (see website) of West Hythe's The Goldsmith, a 4% golden bitter, presumably using American hops, and very nice too, plus they had Ringwood Fortyniner.  The 2 regular ales are Youngs Special and Ordinary (like being back in my birthplace, except it's not brewed at The Ram Brewery anymore).  The Star also sells a real cider, Thatchers Heritage.  Though it's out of the way for me, especially not living in Kent, I shall return, certainly the next time the Routemeister visits.

We then route marched to New Romney and the Cinque Ports Arms (see website) another good pub to return to, it certainly appears to be the best pub in New Romney if you want real ale, and especially local ales. 

There are 4 regularly changing ales, which, on our visit, included the excellent Hopback Summer Lightning (5%), St Austell Trelawny (3.8%), and 2 local-ish ales, Long Man of East Sussex Best Bitter (4% see website), and Old Dairy of Kent Gold Top (4.3% see website), which I drank, a slightly sweet pale-ish bitter, very tasty.

 

Of course, we then caught the bus back to Hastings from New Romney, dropping in at the Dolphin before finally heading for home, cheers!