Loughborough & North Leicestershire CAMRA

Market Bosworth Rail Ale festival - July 2019

On Saturday 27th July, Loughborough Camra members set off to the annual Market Bosworth Rail Ale festival at the Battlefield line railway yard. The weather on this occasion couldn't have been more different to the sunny weather we had in April on our trip to Lichfield. After a week with record breaking temperatures of over 35°C we were faced with torrential rain and 17°C.

With a rail strike and the railways still in chaos from the hot weather, the only travel option and cheapest was by bus, using the Arriva day zone plus ticket at £5.70 or a family day ticket for 2 at £7 (this is only available during school holidays). Members boarded the 127 bus to Leicester where Leicester branch members were also waiting for the 153 Arriva bus to the festival, the upstairs was almost taken over by Camra members.

Entrance to the festival and yard was £6 or £1 with Camra card. The festival is partly in a goods shed and a marquee. In the yard was a good collection of traction engines and steam lorries, shame the weather was so bad we could not spend more time looking at the engines. The beer selection was very good and very enjoyable. The festival is a joint effort between the railway and Hinckley Camra branch.

A courtesy preserved bus runs between the festival and Hinckley where you make a donation.

Loughborough and a few Leicester members made the trip to Hinckley for a brief visit to The Queens Head, a former branch pub of the year, before boarding the 66 Arriva bus to Stoke Golding (Hinckley Nuneaton service) to visit The George and Dragon, a Churchend brewery owned pub with a full range of their beers, 8 in all (light beers, bitters, mild and a stout) on offer at this popular pub. Not to forget the nice pork pies and scotch eggs.

After a pleasant visit to The George and Dragon, it was time for the bus back to Hinckley for a 5 minute connection to the 158 Arriva bus to Earl Shilton where we visited the Shilton Vaults, a former Nat. West Bank converted to a micropub (and sister pub of the Pestle and Mortar in Hinckley). Up to 9 Real ales and craft beers were on offer.

The last part of our day out involved catching the 158 Arriva bus to Leicester, where after a very brief visit to The Salmon, members parted on their buses home, in our case the 126 Arriva to Loughborough and the villages.

 

 

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