By Kate Simon
Phil and I have been on the road researching our upcoming book for Bloomsbury. We recently took the train north to scout out good beer and things to do in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle. The trip confirmed these three destinations are prime places to visit if you want to join the dots between beer and travel, but it came with a bonus – the train journey between Newcastle and Edinburgh.
Researching 30 destinations, from the Cornish coast to the Scottish capital, is quite hard on the wallet, so we seek support if possible from businesses and organisations that provide services we’re inclined to recommend (about which we’ll be transparent in the book).
In this case, we were kindly hosted by train company LNER, which runs the East Coast Main Line, because we like to travel by public transport if possible and encourage our Beer Breakers to do so, too. It’s obviously a good idea not to get behind the wheel of a car if you’re going to imbibe and train travel is a thoughtful choice for environmental reasons.
Taking the train also resonates with the Slow Travel ethos that underpins our explorations. Slow Travel, for those who don’t know, is about taking the time to appreciate and immerse yourself in the experience of the journey and the place you’re visiting – meet the people, try the local food and drink, discover the history and culture, take in the landscape. You might travel in this way already, you just haven’t put a label on it.
The train journey along the Northumberland coast is certainly a trip to savour. As we pulled out of Newcastle the tracks made for the sea and the ocean opened up before us. The view, spotlit by the golden afternoon sun, revealed shores tamed by only occasional signs of human life, our eyes briefly diverting from the big blue to the pretty pastel houses hugging the water’s edge at Alnmouth and the tidal island of Lindisfarne rising from the waves.
Onwards, we thundered across Robert Stephenson’s Royal Border Bridge (pictured) over the Tweed at Berwick, and a couple of miles further entered Scotland, skirting cliffs usually braced against rampant seas that had fallen quiet on this autumn day.
It’s not the first time during my research that I’ve been impressed by a scenic journey between destinations we’ll be featuring. Earlier this year while on a research trip in south Gloucestershire, I had no choice but to travel by car between the towns of Stroud, Uley and Dursley. I found myself on the B4066, a road that winds up to Selsley Common for a sublime view over the Malvern Hills and River Severn to Wales. You can get the same extraordinary perspective just along the road at Coaley Peak.
We may be focused on the destinations we’ll be featuring in our book, but we’ll be keeping an eye out for interesting journeys along the way.
Phil’s Beer Notes
As we crossed the Royal Border Bridge, I felt a primal urge to stop for a beer at Berwick. It’s a quirky sort of place, with one foot in Scotland and the other in England. And it’s home to one of my favourite micropubs. The Curfew is tucked away behind Bridge Street and extends into a pretty courtyard, and always has some well-chosen brews on cask and keg.
Alternatively, the town’s Barrels Ale House has been around a lot longer, and specialises in traditional beers and an atmosphere that takes you back to the 19th Century.
Heading south, the fishing village of Craster is another temptation. Many years ago, exploring the coast, I stumbled across this beautiful spot, most famous for kippers – and the quarry that supplied London with its grey kerbstones. For me it was the pub, of course, sitting on the harbour’s edge. The Jolly Fisherman, and indeed the rest of Craster, has changed a lot, but the cask beer’s still good – as are the crab sandwiches!
Photo © LNER
Beer and trains. Heaven ! A great post. I enjoyed it, thank you !
Best of luck with the book!