The Shepherds Arms

The Shepherds Arms, Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire SK23 7HR

The Shepherds Arms is an old, whitewashed, stone-built pub, originally a farmhouse, situated close to the town centre between Old Road and the newer Buxton Road, which was formerly the route of the A6. The main entrance faces Old Road, but it can also be accessed from Buxton Road via the attractive, sloping beer garden.

The main door leads into a small lobby with its own bar. To the right is the splendid, unspoilt tap room, with stone-flagged floor, scrubbed-top tables, bench seating and real fire. On the left is the lounge, which is more modern, but still has extensive bench seating and another real fire. The unspoilt interior qualifies it for a two-star entry on CAMRA’s National Inventory. To the side of the pub is a substantial heated smoking shelter.

It is a Marston’s tied house of long standing, and the beer range generally consists of two or three beers from the Marston’s stable (which of course now has no connection with the Marston’s pub company). No food is served, While there are televisions in both rooms, the volume is generally turned down. Unlike most of the other pubs in the town, it is open from noon every day of the week.

It is about five minutes’ walk from Whaley Bridge Station on the Stockport–Buxton line. There is a very small car park on Old Road, and on-street parking can generally be found in the town centre except at very busy times.

(Pub suggested by David Brown)

Ye Olde Dolphin

Ye Olde Dolphin, Derby DE1 3DL

An ancient timber-framed pub at the north end of the city centre close to the Cathedral, it claims to be the oldest pub in Derby and to date from 1530. The interior was sensitively remodelled by local brewery Offilers in the inter-war period and is largely unchanged since, earning it a place on CAMRA’s National Inventory.

A passageway running right through the pub gives access to four rooms – the front public bar with quarry-tiled floor, the adjoining “Offilers Room” at a slightly higher level, a comfortable lounge with a large inglenook fireplace and a delightful, cosy snug at the rear of the servery. There is also an upstairs room used as a steak restaurant in the evenings.

Offilers became part of the Bass empire, and for many years the pub was a Bass stronghold. Draught Bass still features at the core of the beer range, together with Marston’s Pedigree and up to six other guest beers. Straightforward pub food is available lunchtimes and evenings.

A truly special historic pub that is a must-visit if you are ever in Derby,

The Barley Mow

The Barley Mow, Kirk Ireton, Derbyshire DE6 3JP

A historic 17th century stone-built pub in a quiet village on the southern fringes of the Peak District between Wirksworth and Ashbourne. The exterior, with its two prominent gables, resembles a small manor house. It may not look very open from outside, but if it’s within the scheduled opening hours (12-2 and 7-11 or 10.30 on Sunday), turn the latch and you should be able to get in.

The interior, not surprisingly, features on CAMRA’s National Inventory, although some of the furnishings are more modern than they look. The heart of the pub is the main bar with its massive fireplace, quarry-tiled floor, wall benches and counter, not much more than a serving hatch, in the far corner. There’s also another room with a parquet floor, more benches and French window opening out into the garden.

Hartington IPA, served from the jug, is stillaged in the cellar, with two or three guest beers in casks behind the bar. Food is limited to a choice of cheese or salami cobs. It’s a true old-fashioned character pub that makes no concessions to modern marketing gimmicks, but its fame means it attracts ramblers and other outside visitors as well as a core of regulars.

The Holly Bush

The Holly Bush, Makeney, Derbyshire DE56 0RX

A stone-built pub of considerable age situated on a narrow lane off the A6 south of Belper in the picturesque Derwent valley, with a superb unspoilt interior that earns it a place on CAMRA’s National Inventory. At its heart is a wonderful old snug formed from a quadrant of fixed bench seating with a glazed section filling the gap between the top and the ceiling. Next to this is the cosy main bar with dark beams and a quarry-tiled floor. There’s also a more a more conventional but still characterful lounge and a conservatory and beer garden at the rear. Children are not admitted to the main bar and snug.

The permanent beer range comprises Greene King Abbot Ale, Taylor’s Landlord and Fullers London Pride on handpump, plus Marston’s Pedigree drawn from the cellar and served from a jug. There are also three changing guest ales, and the pub stages regular beer festivals throughout the year. There’s an extensive menu of conventional pub food, plus a variety of snacks including pork pies and cheese platters. It’s a rare example of a pub occupying a stunning historic building that also excels in its customer offer.

The pub only has a small car park, and apart from this parking nearby can be difficult – at busy times, visitors may need to go down to the “main road” a couple of hundred yards away.

The Navigation

The Navigation, Buxworth, Derbyshire SK23 7NE

Stone-built pub on the fringes of the Peak District, attractively situated opposite the restored canal basin, down a lane from the main road. It has been a free house for many years but still bears some evidence of Wilsons’ livery. The characterful, rambling interior comprises comfortable areas of bench seating on either side of the main bar, a separate snug and vault at a higher level, and a section more oriented towards dining on the other side of the central corridor.

Wainwright and Taylor’s Landlord are on the bar as permanent beers, with four rotating guests, often from local micros. There’s an extensive food menu covering both snacks and full meals. The Navigation continues to thrive as an excellent all-round pub in an area where several nearby have closed in recent years.

Buxworth was originally called Bugsworth, but was renamed in 1930 to give a more genteel impression.

The Horse & Groom

The Horse & Groom, Scarcliffe, Derbyshire S44 6SU

A stone-built village pub set back from the main road in a former mining area in North-East Derbyshire, it retains a traditional two-roomed layout with lounge on the left and plainer public bar to the right. The comfortable lounge still seems to have a distinctive “Bass” character with dark wood and red upholstery, and horse racing pictures adorning the walls.

No hot food is served, showing that wet-led pubs can still survive even in out-of-town locations, although the locally-made pork pies are recommended. The pub has featured in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide for many years – on my visit the range was Greene King Abbot Ale and Old Golden Hen, Black Sheep Bitter and Pilgrim from the local Welbeck Brewery. According to a sign in the car park, classic car meets are a regular feature.

The remarkable part-ruined 17th century Bolsover Castle is only a couple of miles away and is well worth a visit.