FRIDAY THE 8TH FEBRUARY WAS THE MONTHLY DARLINGTON CAMRA BEER BUS TRIP, COVERING SOUTH EAST OF SCOTCH CORNER.
THE FIRST PUB ON THE TRIP WAS THE HEIFER AT SCORTON. THE HEIFER HAS AN EXCELLENT REPUTATION FOR FOOD - BUT ALSO CATERS FOR THOSE WHO WANT A DRINK ONLY. IT HAS A GOOD SIZED RELAXING BAR AREA. THERE WERE THREE ALES ON WHEN WE VISITED.
A SHORT WALK ACROSS THE VILLAGE AND WE WERE AT THE FARMERS ARMS, A NICE COSY REAL FIRE WAS BLAZING.THEY ALSO HAD THREE REAL ALES ON.
FOR THOSE ON DIETS, THE PUBS DOES A MENU THAT HAS WEIGHTWATCHERS POINT ALLOCATED TO IT.
THE ARDEN ARMS, HAD BARELY STANDING ROOM. THERE WAS A CHARITY 'DO' EVENT, ATTENDED BY I THINK I HEARD ABOUT 160 LOCAL FARMER'S. THERE WERE FOUR REAL ALES ON THE BAR.
IT WAS AT THIS PUB WE LOST A CAMRA MEMBER, THE BUS SET OFF WE TURNED ROUND, A SEARCH PARTY WENT BACK IN BUT WE COULDN'T FIND THEM.
THE BUS HEADED OFF TO THE BEESWING AT EAST COWTON. DROPPING OFF THE PARTY, THE SOCIAL SECRETARY CONDUCTED A SEARCH OF THE LOCAL AREA TO TRY AND FIND THE ESCAPEE.
AS WELL AS THREE REAL ALES, THE PUB ALSO DOES A LINE IN 1970'S SWEETS - DIB DABS, REFRESHERS AND SWIZZLE STICK DIPS. WHICH A NUMBER OF CAMRA PARTAKED .
THE ESCAPEE WAS FOUND, AT THE BLACKSMITHS ARMS, NORTH COWTON - HAVING REALISED THE BUS HAD GONE. THEY HAD DECIDED TO WALK TO THE NEAREST PUB ON THE TRIP AND WERE FOUND QUITE CHILLED AND RELAXED HAVING A PINT.
SO IT WAS ONTO THE BLACKSMITHS ARMS FOR THE REST OF US. WHERE A QUIZ WAS TAKING PLACE, AND WE MANAGED TO BUY TICKETS FOR THE MEAT DRAW - WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO WIN AS IT LOOKED TASTY.
THE LANDLADY WAS COOKING SOME SAUSAGES FOR THE PUB, BUT WE WERE NOW RUNNING LATE FOR OUR NEXT STOP (AS A RESULT OF TRYING TO FIND THE LOST CAMRA MEMBER) SO LITERALLY GRABBED ONE, AND RAN FOR THE BUS .
A BIG THANKS TO THE CHEQUERS AT DALTON ON TEES WHO STILL SERVED US, AND GAVE A FRIENDLY WELCOME DEPSITE US TRAIPSING IN AT 10.55PM. (NOT THE NORM) IT ALSO HAD THREE FINE ALES ON THE BAR.
