Herbie Awards - now some major categories

Now we come to two major awards from this years cruising - Best Pub and Best Pint.

To be a best pub, it would have to have the following attributes

Good location on or near the canal
Good real ale, well kept and served
Friendly atmosphere
Good food reasonably priced
Comfortable and preferably interesting interior

it would also help if it had a nice garden or patio.


We have quite a few nominations in this category which are arranged here north to south

1. The Nag's Head at Great Linford - just across the park from the visitor moorings. A decent pint and very reasonable food.
2. The Globe at Old Linslade - canalside with good moorings right outside the pub door, nice (but pricey) food, a cosy bar, and decent beer. They brought our lunch out to the boat!
3. The Anglers Retreat - near the canal at our award winning best mooring spot, really good home cooked food and superb beer, and a garden. Not the most inspiring interior decor I suppose. Chatty locals
4. The Paper Mill at Apsley - a modern Fullers Pub in a converted paper mill. Canalside, lots of comfortable seating inside and out. Friendly efficient staff. Very tasty food asnd perfectly kept beer. Perhaps not a good place to chat to locals as it is so big.
5. The Black Horse at Greenford - canalside Fullers pub. Similar food to the paper Mill, a good garden, comfy areas inside, well kept beer friendly staff and locals - and a Thursday night quiz.
6. The Fox at Hanwell - hidden from the canal but only 50 yards from excellent moorings. Wonderful beer and very good food. Friendly locals, but one or two nutters! A traditional feel although in a single open plan bar.

Well, those are they. All fine pubs, but which one takes the prize? Results when I have consulted the crew.

The best pint? Aaah, we've done some very serious research on this. There were many fine examples including all the Fullers beers at the Paper Mill and the Black Horse, but there were two which stand head and shoulders over the rest. The Timothy Taylors Landlord at the Fox, and the Tring Sidepocket at the Angler's Retreat. What a tough decision. We'll sleep on it.

I have to say the worst pint was the non existant one at the Fishery - Hemel Hempstead. Three hand pumps, all empty and the staff seemed surprised we cared. We caught a train back to the Paper Mill.