Bath - revisited - November 2024

Last Tuesday’s trip to Bath was probably my 5^th visit to this attractive city and whilst most of the previous ones had taken place during a fairly concentrated period, 30 or more years ago, this day out in the city was a follow-up to the one I made back in March 2022, with a select group drawn from the Beer & Pubs Forum. The weather was certainly better this time around, and even though it was dull and overcast, conditions were mainly dry, and certainly mild for the time year.

Although two pubs on the itinerary, had featured on the list 18 months ago, they were well worth a repeat visit. The other four though, were new to me, although I think I’m right in saying they were familiar to the majority of my companions. Tuesday wasn't the best day of the week for me, given my semi-retired, part-time three-day work week, but it was certainly a better day for travelling compared to a Friday, with plenty room on the trains, on both outward and return journey.

My split ticket, super off-peak return ticket restricted travel to certain timed trains, and I'm sure it makes sense for the software to allocate tickets seats accordingly, but I did cheat slightly on the outward journey into London. I was supposed to have travelled on the 9:00 Tonbridge - Charing Cross service, but this seemed nonsense as the ticket states “No specific seat reserved.” I actually caught the train that departed 35 minutes earlier, as at my time of life I don't like to rush unless I absolutely have to. Also, it’s always been part of my travel plans to allow ample time for cross-London connections, such as Charing Cross to Paddington.

Fortunately, planned industrial action by TFL workers was called off, so there were no issues travelling between the two London terminals via the Bakerloo line, and after Oxford Circus I even got a seat. There was a bit of time to kill at Paddington, so I inquired about switching my ticket to an earlier train. The answer was I could do so, but it would incur a rather costly surcharge. I dropped the idea, grabbed a cup of coffee and just enjoyed sitting there, observing the comings and goings that typify a busy railway station. All the time I was keeping an eye on the nearby departure board, waiting for the departure platform of the 10:30 train to Bath to be indicated on the board. Once on board there were plenty of seats to choose from, despite having reserved a seat it wasn't really necessary. As it happened someone was sitting in the actual seat, I'd reserved but as there was plenty of room opposite, I didn't say anything and settled down to enjoy the journey to Bath. 

A fact here for train buffs, the GWR service on this part of the network, was bimodal, as although it was powered by over-head electrified wires from Paddington for the majority of the journey, the train switched to diesel power, once we’d arrived at Chippenham. You could tell by the noise, and the vibration. This change in power source surprised me, as I’d assumed the GWR mainline had been electrified all the way to Bristol and beyond. Talking to former rail workers (Jon & Tracey), who were on the trip shed, some light on this anomaly – difficulties in running power cables through the tunnels into Bristol Temple Meads. Despite these anomalies the train pulled into Bath Spa station on time, which allowed sufficient time to walk to the first pub on the itinerary, whilst stopping to photograph those city landmarks that I’d missed from the 2022 trip, as it was pouring down with rain on that occasion. . 

Tucked away in the maze of narrow streets, close to the Abbey, the Roman thermal baths and other central Bath attractions, the Old Green Tree is the current local CAMRA branch pub of the year. Occupying a 300-year-old building, which features three oak-panelled rooms, that include a snug at the front of the pub, a centrally located drinking lobby, and a comfortable back bar. In my search for other members of our little group, I initially made my way to the latter, before stopping briefly to buy myself a well-deserved pint from the lobby. I was spoilt for choice, with beers from Butcombe, Glastonbury and RCH, along with a house beer - Green Tree Bitter, which is brewed exclusively for the pub by Blindman's micro-brewery. It was a revelation seeing the two former RCH beers on the bar, as I thought the brewery had closed a long time ago, but following a rather convoluted takeover/buyout involving a brewery (Nuttycombe) that I’d never heard of until last Tuesday, Pitchfork Bitter and Old Slug Porter, are once again gracing select West Country bars.

 I then found my way to the cosy snug bar at the front, and it was there that I found the initial three members of the party – Stafford Paul, in his trademark, shirtsleeves attire, Jon Benger plus his wife Tracey. Soon after we were joined by Will, aka Sheffield Hatter. The arrival of Retired Martin, 15 minutes or so later, completed the group for the initial part of the tour, although our numbers were swelled further by the appearance of Mrs RM, when we reached the Bell, the last pub on the official list, and the penultimate one on the revised tour.

With an important work meeting the following morning I had to pace myself, which was difficult given the impressive beer section. The pale-coloured, and well-hopped, Pitchfork, an old favourite from 20 or so years ago, certainly did the trick, although if we had stayed a little longer at the Old Green Tree, I would probably have succumbed to a swift half of Old Slug Porter – for old times sake. Incidentally, Wednesday mornings SWOT analysis meeting dragged on for three hours, so it was just as well that I took things easy, in Bath! 

Next up was the Raven, a famous Bath institution, housed in a multi room building, spread out over three different levels. Our group had made a brief visit to the Raven, 18 months previously, towards the end of our March 2022 tour, but this time around the pub was our almost universally agreed designated lunch stop, something I will jokingly take credit for. I said, “almost universally”, because Will used the lunch break to take a bus trip out to the famous Larkhall Inn, a pub with a two-star listing on CAMRA’s National Heritage register.

The Raven proved a wise choice for the rest of us, with all five of us enjoying an excellent meat pie with mash and veg. I was under the slightly naïve impression that the pies were made on the premises, but Martin thought (correctly as it turned out) that the pies at the Raven are bought in from Bristol-based, Pieminister Pies. Whatever its source, my steak and Raven Ale Pie was excellent, and whilst most of us chose the same option, Stafford Paul went for the classic beef and ale, Raven Stew, which was reported as equally good.

There was a nice and easy-going atmosphere at the Raven, with a largely student and young person’s crowd. That said, us codgers certainly didn’t feel out of place, and, unlike our previous visit, which admittedly took place on a Friday evening, when people were out celebrating the end of the week, there were plenty of seats, as well as room to move around. The only caution I would use, is the old wooden, Victorian staircases are both steep and narrow, so remember that when heading down to the basement toilets.

Reluctantly, we bade farewell to the Raven, and wandered the short distance around the corner, to pub No. 3, The Salamander, where Will was waiting for us, outside. The Salamander is a Bath Ales pub - a brewery that has some sort of tie-up with St Austell, and this was evident from the line-up on the bar – three from St Austell (Proper Job, Autumn Bronze and Anthem). Bath Ales also had two hand pulls, but they were both for the same beer, the ubiquitous Gem. I went for the Anthem, which was a new one for me, a 3.8% English Pale Ale, smooth and hoppy but, as Will, who kindly bought me a half of this beer found out, it was priced at £6.50 for two halves! 

The sole server behind the bar also broke off midway though serving us, to convey a plate of food to a group seated elsewhere in the pub – an act which resulted in a rebuke from Will, on one of the online beer and pub forums. It’s not good asking me which one, but Will was well within his rights to remark on this very strange behaviour. The Salamander was pleasant enough, and quite cosy, but Martin summed the place up nicely, as “a small-town pub running on upmarket food trade.” So, a disappointment, as was pub No.5, but you will have to wait for the next installment to find out what it was about the Curfew, a former Wadworth pub that didn’t really float my boat.