Real ale lovers invited to take on new trail across West Midlands
The trail takes in 20 pubs across Staffordshire and the Black Country on train and bus.
A new and unique real ale trail has been created by a blogger as a way of encouraging people to use public transport and visit pubs in the region.
Scott Spencer from Micropub Adventures has created the Chase Line Ale Trail, a pub trail which takes in 20 pubs across seven towns in Staffordshire and the Black Country using either the train or the bus.
The trail follows the Chase Line operated by West Midlands Railway, which runs from Rugeley Trent Valley to Birmingham New Street, and has been set up to visit pubs at Rugeley, Hednesford, Cannock, Landywood, Bloxwich and Walsall, with an additional bus extension from Walsall to Aldridge.
Mr Spencer wrote about his own experience of each pub on the trail on the blog and spoke about the significance of the trail, as well as offering some advice to anyone thinking of taking on the trail.
He said: “The Chase Line Ale Trail follows the railway between Rugeley and Walsall, linking micropubs, a brewery tap and traditional real-ale pubs through a part of Staffordshire and the Black Country shaped by mining, manufacturing and industry.
“The trail is designed to encourage people to use public transport to explore some of the excellent independent pubs and real ale venues across Staffordshire and the Black Country.
“It isn’t intended as a challenge to visit all 20 in one go as people can choose sections of the route or use it to plan several different days out.
“You do not need to visit every Walsall pub. There are eight on the guide so you can pick the ones that best suit your timing rather than trying to squeeze all 20 venues into one trip.”
The full list of pubs at each stop on the trail is as follows:
Rugeley
L A Taphouse
Rusty Barrel
Trubshaws
Vine Inn
Hednesford
Heddin’s Ford
Cannock
Arcade
New Hall Arms
Landywood
Andys’ Ale House
Bloxwich
New Invention Brewery & Taproom
Walsall
AJ’s Ales Brewery Tap Room (AJ’s Ales normally opens on the last Saturday of each month only)
Black Country Arms
Fountain Inn
Lyndon House Hotel
Pretty Bricks
Victoria (Katz)
Walsall Arms
Wheatsheaf
Aldridge extension
Hop Station
Lazy Hill Tavern
Turtles Head