The Land of Liberty Peace & Plenty, Heronsgate

The interestingly named Land of Liberty, Peace and Plenty is in a lovely setting on a country lane on the edge of Heronsgate, a village near Rickmansworth, and is everything you would expect from a multi-award winning CAMRA pub.

The pub is the focal point of the village, as it does not have a village shop or post office, and has the facility to hold your on-line deliveries for collection. An ace idea and should be encouraged in more pubs!

My uncle (not the Sambuca pouring one) was "in the house" the night before and gave us the heads up on some of the beers on offer and he came up trumps recommending two Bungtingford beers, Templar Gold and 92 Squadron. 

          

The Royston based brewery have a great selection of beers and these two are certainly up there with Royston Red and Britannia. 92 Squadron began as a one off bottled beer but was so popular in 2012 it was introduced as a regular cask beer. 

We also sampled an old favourite that we last had at The Old Orchard in Harefield, with a swift half of the Mighty Oaks Oscar Wilde, a very dark mild.

For the lager drinker, there is only one available, but it is the excellent Kaltenberg, which is brewed to the German Reinheitsgebot purity law.

There are anything up to 10 different beers on at any one time, as well as an impressive array of bottled beer, whiskey and gin. A return visit is recommended.

Rating 5/5

The Sportsman, Croxley Green

The last time I was in this pub, I was on my knees with my uncle pouring Sambuca in my open mouth and lighting it. This was my cousins Stag Night some years ago and The Sportsman was considerably quieter on this return visit.

Situated on a roundabout at the top of Scots Hill the Sportsman is one of those pubs that you pass many times, but rarely stop in for a pint.

On our trip to visit Northwood we called in briefly to sample The Marlow Brewery's Rebellion Smuggler (4.2%) followed by Dark Star's Revelation (5.7%).

  

The Smuggler was an amber coloured bitter, which had a lovely smooth finish. The Revelation was much stronger but a lighter tasting American Pale Ale.

No frills but a worthy 3/5.

Wagons Roll

The first two away games of the 13/14 season are upon us. The Good Beer Guide recommends two pubs on the way to the grounds rather than within the towns we are visiting. Neither Northwood or Chalfont St Peter have entries in the this year's GBG.

Northwood
The Sportsman, 2 Scotts Hill, Croxley Green, Herts. WD3 3AD

Chalfont St Peter

The Land of Liberty, Peace & Plenty, Long Lane, Heronsgate, Herts. WD3 5BS

The Albion, Ampthill

Re-opened in April 2010 through a partnership between Everards and Banks & Taylor Breweries, The Albion has 12 hand pumps ,4 regulars and 8 ever-changing guest ales, as well as foreign draft & bottled beers and a wide selection of ciders and whiskies.

The Albion has won CAMRA South Beds Pub of the Year for the second year running as well as Bedfordshire Pub of the Year, also for the second year running!

Those that have frequented The Globe in Dunstable will see the similarity with this Banks & Taylor joint venture, but this takes nothing away from this great little pub.

On our way to Ampthill Town in a pre season friendly (maybe we should have stayed in the pub) the Regiment was thin on the ground, but The Albion covered all our bases with Amstel, Golden Fox, Dragon Slayer and even an alcohol free Kopparberg for our designated driver.

                 

A journey to the rear of the pub to visit the loo or the semi-covered beer garden needs to be done with caution, with low beams, raised steps and narrow doorways keeping you on your toes throughout.

Rating 4/5