Welland Valley BF

Unfortunately due to the crappy wet weather we're all suffering from at the moment, I was unable to make my planned visit today to The Welland Valley Beer Festival. That's a real shame because it's a well organised festival in a beautiful area of the Northamptonshire countryside and its border with Rutland. This year is the fifth festival, and is taking place in nine separate pubs in the Welland Valley area. These are:

The George - Ashley
The Talbot - Gretton
Blue Bell - Gretton
Red Lion - Middleton
Castle Inn - Caldecott
The Hatton Arms - Gretton
Sondes Arms - Rockingham
The Royal George - Cottingham
George And Dragon - Seaton

Each of the pubs has a varying range of beers on, and in total there are over 100 real ales across each of the venues. Entertainment can be found at the pubs including morris men (always a favourite at events like this) and jazz bands. Of course food is available too with hog roasts and barbeques being particularly popular.

I think the local CAMRA branches are to be commended on their hard work selling this event to the pubs and thus ensuring real ale is a product which is popular in these remote villages.

I was especially hoping to go for the first time to The Hatton Arms (pictured above) which seems to be have been very nicely renovated recently and has a good range of beers and real cider at all times, and The George and Dragon whose garden affords beautiful views of the beautiful Welland Valley viaduct (pictured). I am sure I will pay each of them a visit at some point in the near future.

So it's with some sadness that this article is a 'what could have been' rather than a review of the festival, but blame the bloody weather!