The Countryman, Staverton

Another postponed Saturday match, re-arranged for a Tuesday night, always makes our trips to a boozer a tricky one. Leaving Dunstable, tearing up the M1 to Northamptonshire with enough time for a quick pint is always tight. Even more so when you pick a pub in a tiny village on the way.

We only just found Staverton on our way to Daventry Town. A delightful stone built country pub on the edge of the beautiful village of Staverton on the A425. Real fires and three carefully selected real ales available, Wells Bombardier Burning Gold, Hook Norton's Lion and St Austell's Dartmoor were available on our trip this time.

    

The pub serves excellent restaurant quality food as well as an extensive range of bar snacks at lunchtimes and evenings. The pub's website contains downloadable menus.

Rating 3/5

White Hart, Harlington

A visit to Harlington in Middlesex, not Bedfordshire, to try out the White Hart on the way to Ashford Town. Ashford Town were a very different outfit to the team FA Cup last season and the White Hart was very different to the King's Fairway.

This large part grade II listed Fuller’s pub stands proud at the north end of the village. The one bar allows access to the open plan area for sport on large TV screens. Chelsea were smashing Arsenal 6-0, so Kevin had the hump!.

The usual Fuller's suspects were on offer, in London Pride and ESB. Refurbished in 2009 to improve facilities and create the open feel this pub now has. Local history is the theme of the wall displays enjoyed by locals and visitors from the nearby Heathrow Airport. Food is all home-cooked. Quiz night is Thursdays.

Rating 3/5

White Hart, South Mimms

Originally a coaching inn on the Great North Road, this 400-year-old building still has the stables at the rear. A traditional pub with post-war interior, the public bar is lively with darts and crib teams, there are many trophies on display.

The lounge has been opened out to extend the dining facilities (no food Sunday evening). The raised garden overlooks farmland.

We sampled a couple of pints of McMullen AK and Country, but were pushed time and had to drag Kevin out, as he had entered into a discussion about Arsenal with some Tottenham fans!

Rating 3/5

Rugby Tour 2014

Armed with our trusty Friends & Family railcard, we arranged to go to the top of the table clash at Rugby Town via train. A return ticket came in at a very reasonable £8 per head and was too good to turn down.

The day started at Gary Cooper's, a Wetherspoon's establishment in Dunstable for a hearty breakfast. This was followed by a couple of swift drinks and a cab to Leighton Buzzard to catch the train.

We arrived at Rugby railway station about 12:30 and quickly made our way up the hill to the Victoria Inn. The Victoria Inn is owned by the Atomic Brewery and of course carries a good selection of the brewery's fare. We tried the Strike (3.7%), a pale golden ale, the Half Life (5.0%), a pale ale and Fission (3.9%), an amber ale which is a re-brew of the Nuclear Test with more strength.

A short walk to the ground, to burn of some of the great beer on offer, in glorious sunshine saw the Mighty Blues draw 0-0 with Rugby Town. A game that either team could have won, with both sides creating good chances. Despite promising Chris Marsh, we would not mention his last minute sitter, it was a gold plated opportunity to grab all three points.

It was not meant to be and on the walk back to the Victoria Inn we talked about the chances for both sides and what an even exciting game it had been. Butlin Road is a tidy ground that Rugby Town inherited from former tenants Rugby United, formerly VS Rugby. One criticism would be a lack of toilets.

Back at the Victoria, went popped in the back bar to watch the Chelsea v Spurs match and discovered Blue Moon. A Belgian white beer from the Blue Moon Brewery, which is owned by MillerCoors, in Colorado. This white beer is smooth as silk and has a hint of orange and coriander and is very drinkable.

So back on the train to Leighton Buzzard, a quick sprinkle in the flower bed and a cab back to The Gate by 20:30. The perfect end to a great day out. We really should do this again...