RILEY’S RAMBLES: Longridge

This ramble, for a change, does not involve a train journey, although in a parallel universe, the railway line to Longridge would not have closed in the 1930s, but some far-sighted being would have said ‘a light railway or tramway would be ideal on this route, seeing how many houses would be built in the future’. Unfortunately, this does not happen in real life, the houses have been built (and even more will be built) on this busy road between Preston and Longridge, resulting in the Number 1 Stagecoach bus to Longridge being one of the best services in this area, making the ramble an easily achieved one.

Our local branch recently had a day out there, visiting the centre of the town, which is in our branch area, but may not be visited as much as it should be. There is an excellent selection of real ale outlets, selling a wide range of different beers from all over, and it is well worth spending a day or evening trying them.

The bus from Preston drops you off on the middle of Berry Lane, the main street. We decided to start at the top of the street and work our way down, but you could do it in reverse, depending on the day of the week and pub opening times. We went on a Saturday afternoon when all the pubs should be open by noon. Starting at the top then, we have the DOG INN, a large traditional pub with great views overlooking the Ribble Valley from the rear patio. Recently refurbished to a high standard, it has roaring fires in winter and sun terraces in summer. Five handpumps dispense an ever changing range of beers, usually from local breweries. Unfortunately for us, on the day we went in, they were still cleaning all the pumps, because they had had a busy Friday night, so we had to wait a while for the beer to be available. Once they started to arrive, there were three Bowland beers, Pheasant Plucker, Gold and Raven Red, plus Lancaster Victory. The pub is closed Monday and Tuesday, but opens at noon all other days, closing at 11pm Wed/Thurs, 12 Fri/Sat and 10pm Sun. Food is available

12–2.30, 5.30–8 Wed/Thurs, 12–4, 5.30–9 Fri/ Sat. There is no food service on Sundays. Just down from the Dog, on the left is the DURHAM OX, a friendly traditional pub that serves up to three real ales from the Star Inns list. On our visit there was Marston’s Pedigree and Banks’s Sunbeam It also has a garden to the rear, and shows Sports TV. Food consists of local pies kept in a heated cabinet behind the bar, pickled eggs, crisps and nuts. It does not open until 4pm during the week, closing at midnight, but is open at noon until 1am Sat/Sun.

Moving on down Berry Lane, the next watering hole is LONGRIDGE CONSERVATIVE CLUB on the same side of the road. Don’t be put off by the name, seasonal special at 4.8%. The club is large open plan at the front with a large well used games room at the back, and a beer garden to the rear. During the week it is open 2.30–11pm with noon–11 Sat and 1pm–11 Sun.

Going on from here, you next come to the TOWNELEY ARMS on the left, where the old railway had its terminus at the station behind. Another large traditional pub with a garden and parking available for inside you will find a welcoming atmosphere. Nobody asks about your political leanings and you do not need to be a member. You pay a little bit extra for your beer, but it is still reasonably cheap. Four real ales are available, with Wainwright as a permanent plus three changing guests, which on our visit were Banks’s Mild, Courage Directors and Lancaster Motueka a plus home cooked meals and Sports TV, it was one of the last pubs in our area that sold traditional Tetley Bitter. Nowadays it has usually up to three real ales on sale, with Wainwright and Doom Bar as permanent beers and one changing guest. Unfortunately, no real ale was available for us, because ‘they had had a busy night last night’ I don’t know if this is a regular occurrence, running out of beer, but we quickly left. The Towneley opens at 11am all days; closing at midnight Mon–Thurs 1am Fri/Sat and 11.30pm Sun. Meal times are 11–8pm Mon-Sat, 11–6pm Sun.

Lucky for us, the next pub is more or less just over the road, the TAP & VENT Opening in 2016, the Tap was Longridge’s first micro pub. Situated in a row of shops on Towneley Parade this small and understandably very busy pub has a welcoming and friendly atmosphere. Four handpumps serve a changing selection of cask ales, which on our visit consisted of a Bowland beer of 3.9%, Lancaster Chinook (4.2%), Timothy Taylor’s Landlord (4.3%) and Kirby Lonsdale Monumental (4.5%). There is also a range of keg and craft ales and wines plus a large range of gins. Conversation rules in this genuine free house. It opens 4–8 Mon, 4–9 Tues, 4–10 Wed/Thurs, 3.30–10.30 Fri, 2–10.30 Sat and 2–10 Sunday.

Coming out of the Tap and turning right, you soon see on the other side of the road our next bar, APPLEJACKS, a friendly micropub situated in a former greengrocers shop, which has been tastefully converted to a bar that now includes an upstairs function room holding up to 30 persons with its own bar. The main bar was deservedly very busy, with four real ales on the go and on the day these were two beers from Reedley Hallows (Filly Close Blonde 3.9%, and New Zealand Pale 4.9%) and two from Bowness Bay (Swan Blonde 4% and Fell Runner 4.1%). Opening times for the bar are 11–11 all days except Monday when it is 5–10 and Sunday noon–10.30. There is a 50p a pint discount on real ales for CAMRA members, just remember to take your membership card.

From here, go down to the roundabout, where you will see the FORREST ARMS, a one-time winner of the George Lee Trophy for selling a large range of ever changing unusual real ales. Thus, it was a shame to find only one real ale in Moorhouse’s Pride of Pendle on sale. The pub has an unusual circular bar with several rooms and areas off and a garden. Sports TV is available. It opens 6–11 Mon–Thurs, 6–12 Fri, noon–12 Sat and noon–11pm Sun.

Exiting here turn right and go down Derby Road passing the late lamented Hoppy Days which closed earlier this year. It opened in 2016 and quickly gained a reputation for the quality of its range of changing guest ales, culminating in it winning the George Lee Trophy in 2017/18. It closed in January 2023 and what Peace is doing now we do not know, but we wish her well. Continue past the Thwaites tied house the BULL & ROYAL, which sadly, like a lot of Thwaites pubs, no longer sells real ales, to reach St Wilfrid’s church on the right, down the side of which you will see the ST. WILFRID’S TERRACE MEMBERS CLUB. Like the Conservative club earlier, it does not turn away non-members, just charges them that little bit more. We were welcomed and found the club spacious and warm with friendly bar staff and customers. What was even more attractive was the range of four real ales on the bar, which are ever-changing. On this visit we could choose from Moorhouses Premier at 3.7% Bowland Goal’d, a special, brewed for the World Cup at 3.8%, Moorhouses Squink, a no nonsense stout at 4.5%, and Lancaster Kaleidoscope, a pale hoppy 4.7% beer. The club opens at 4pm Mon–Fri (11am Sat/Sun) closing at 11.15 Mon/Tues, 11.30 Wed/Thurs and 11.45 other nights. By then most of us had had enough and were ready to go home, so we went to the nearest bus stop which was back past Hoppy Days on the other side of the road. Everybody agreed it had been a good day out and said they would do it again.

If you want to enjoy this ramble catch the No1 bus at Preston Bus Station (stand 31) and just ask for Longridge. Monday to Saturday there is a bus every 10 minutes up to about 6pm, after which it becomes a half hourly service from 18.25 with the last bus back to Preston leaving Longridge at 23.54 from the Post Office. On Sundays it is half hourly during the day and hourly at night with the last bus back to Preston at 23.24. You can download a timetable from Stagecoach.

PAUL RILEY