Old Hall Inn Winter Beer Festival

Jan and I walked over to the Old Hall Inn in Whitehough near Chinley for their winter ale festival on Friday. We met friends Dick and Lawraine from Birch Vale and spent a pleasant few hours catching up on each others news.

Over 80 beers on hand-pump or straight from the barrel. Difficult to know where to start!

I went for the stouts and porters as these are my favourites. Here are the ones I managed to try. Fortunately we walked over Eccles Pike so neither of us had to drive. Happy to report that we returned in the dark and survived!

Titanic Brewery Cappuccino Stout
Titanic Brewery Chocolate and Vanilla Stout
Hopback Brewery Entire Stout
Raw Brewery Dark Peak
Titanic Brewery Last Porter Call
Black Country Ales Pig on the Wall (brown ale)
Tatton Brewery Rock and Maul

They were all good but my least favourite were Last Porter Call (a bit hoppy for me), and Pig on the Wall (a bit bland after so many strong flavoured stouts - I should have started with this!).

I'm a bit late posting this as it ends today, so hurry if you want to go! Web links above if you need help finding it.

Old Hall inn Whitehough Beer Festival

I finished mounting and framing the last 2 pictures of 7 for the Ilford stand at Focus on Imaging, starting next weekend at the NEC.

Time to go for a walk!

As luck would have it I happened to know there was a beer festival at the Old Hall Inn Whitehough, just the other side of the hill. We headed off and made it there at 3.15pm.

We actually started in the Old Paper Mill, a sort of extension to the Old Hall Inn. I started with Brampton Impy Dark, not a memorable pint, a bit bland.

Next over to the Old Hall Inn and Summer Wine Barista stout. This was a good one, shame it was only a half, well I do have to pace myself!

Then followed Saltaire Triple Chocoholic, Thornbridge McConnels Vanilla stout, Titanic Chocolate and Vanilla stout, Hook Norton Hooky Dark and Hopback Entire stout.

Now the difficult bit, walking back over Eccles Pike. Despite it being dark we made it home without mishap. Practice makes perfect!

Great Peak District Fair

It's the annual Great Peak District Fair in Buxton this weekend. We will have our usual stand in the Octagon in Pavilion Gardens, along with 16 other members of the local art organisation Peak District Artisans. If you come you will be able to browse through several hundred of my photos in sizes from 25 x 20 up to 100 x 50 cm. There will be posters too at prices starting from just £10. All 3 of my books will be on sale too, plus 2012 courses.

The show is open from 10am to 5pm on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th October. Over 100 exhibitors from the Peak District including photography, art, craft, farmers market and beer festival. Free entry. What more could you ask for!

If you are interested I also have a permanent exhibition in Pavilion Gardens in the Gallery in the Gardens, just a few yards from the Octagon in the same building. I am also a member of High Peak Artists who run this gallery as an artists co-operative of 39 artists and craft workers.

Beer Festival and Art Fair

It is the Buxton Artist and Designers Fair this weekend. There is also a beer festival at the Old Hall Inn in Whitehough near Chapel-en-le-Frith. Difficult to fit everything in but we made time last night after the show ended and we had eaten, to walk over Eccles Pike to the pub. It was a bit wet but walking the 5 miles gave us some exercise and meant neither of us had to drive so we could both have a drink. It was very busy and lots of beers and ciders to choose from, 36 in fact. I started with Absolution (always good to start with this!), then moved on to Salem Porter, Old Slug Porter finishing with Bishops Tipple. All in good form. A good night then we jjust had to walk back over the hill and home by torchlight.
Now in Buxton for last day of the fair. We are here until 4.30pm, drop by for a chat if you can. Dave Butcher