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NEW MILLS - until late 2006 I lived on the edge of New Mills so these are pubs I knew well, though I only visited a couple of them regularly.
* BEEHIVE - Last visit: 2008 - Albion Road, a stone pub refurbished inside to a fairly modern style and my favourite pub in the town centre. Beer wise it sells local brews from Macclesfield's Storm Brewery - Ale Force as a regular plus usually one of their other beers or rarely one from another brewery. It doesn't do food but upstairs there's an Indian restaurant, the pub usually has an aroma of curry! Attracts a mix of people from young groups on a night out, people waiting for a seat in the restaurant, lads watching football on the big screen TV and a few older regulars. It can vary from being very quiet early in the week to being packed on some weekend nights or when a big football game is on. When no game is on then music TV channels are shown, sadly this is often some crap chart/dance music, though just before I moved from the area it had jukebox installed.  Had a quick pint here 2008 when passing through New Mills - nothing had changed.  Photo.
* CRESCENT - Last visit: 2004 now closed pub in the town centre. Was a rather dodgy scruffy bar I avoided, then a new landlord attempted to smarten it up and introduce real ale but for reasons seemingly beyond his control the venture didn't last long and it's been closed since the end of 2004 and now a restaurant.
* HARE AND HOUNDS - Last visit: 2000 ? - heading out of the town on the Hayfield road, a large Robinsons pub but one that seems to attract a younger crowd. Karaoke is often advertised, for that reason and the fact it's on the opposite side of town to where i lived I've only been in once.
* MASON'S ARMS - Last visit: 2001 ? - High Street, one of many similar Robinsons pubs in New Mills. It's probably enjoyed by a small group of locals but to me it's just another unremarkable, slightly run down average Robbies pub.
* NORTH WESTERN - Last visit: 2004 next to Newtown station, a more interesting Robbies pub with several rooms and darts, pool and table football. Until fairly recently it still had an old fashioned till and a vinyl playing jukebox, both now gone. I didn't go in often but it seemed better than most of the other Robinsons locals in town. Note late 2008 - I've read it is now closed.   Photo
* PACK HORSE - Last visit: 2006 - my other New Mills favourite, though this one is some way out of the centre heading up hill out of town on the Mellor Road, A stone pub with real fires and always 2 or 3 guest beers from a wide range of small breweries. Not the cheapest pint but always on top form. There is a big emphasis on food, including a couple of different curries which are excellent. The only drawback is it can get very busy especially on weekend evenings and if you time your visit badly tables can be hard to find while once your meal is finished you have to put up with the stares of new arrivals wanting your seat. So at such times not a place to sit and relax with a pint but better in the summer when you can take your drink to the beer garden with great views over the town below and across the hills. A new dining room has recently opened which has helped though it can still gets busy, I suppose it's a victim of it's deserved success. Photo  Website
* PEAKS - now the PRIDE OF THE PEAKS - Last visit: 2003 - in town centre. When it was the Peaks this was a favourite, OK it was very scruffy (tables stuck to the carpet etc), dark, sometimes a bit rowdy but it attracted a range of people from young lads in the pool room to ageing rockers at the bar and a mix of characters inbetween. It had some friendly staff (and some miserable ones), there was a decent and cheap changing guest beer and best of all a great jukebox. Perhaps it needed a bit of a makeover but instead it was refurbished into a smarter brighter place that now attracts the shaven headed GTi driving morons of the town with bouncers on the door, loud dance music and no real beer. So I've not been tempted to try it since.
* PINEAPPLE - Last visit: 2001 ? - another very local Robbies local.
* PRINTERS ARMS - Last visit: 2001? - another Robbies pub, but heading out of town on the bottom road at Thornsett. , A traditional bar and larger dining room. I only went in the once.
* QUEEN'S HEAD - Last visit: 2006 - yes, a Robinsons pub, large inside with several seperate areas and a bit care worn. Can be quiet in the week but at weekends has regular live bands in the function room and can be busy with a mixed and younger crowd. Usually has Robinson's seasonal beer on offer as well as the regular mild and bitter.
* ROCK - Last visit: 2004 - tucked way on a side street, another Robbies pub with its own bunch of locals - a small place with a juke box and pool table.  Photo
* ROYAL OAK - Last visit: 2005 - guess what, another Robbies pub, this one on market street in the town centre but it's certainly better looked after and more welcoming than some of the others and on the odd times I went in it always seemed to have a good atmosphere and a well kept pint.  photo
* SWAN - Last visit: 2005 - a big Robinsons pub on the main A6. A front room (very much like sitting in someone's own front room), a games room, a large function room at the back and a big main room by the bar with a real fire. A friendly landlord (but believe he has now moved on) and at lunchtime and evenings huge portions of good basic home made food. The beer is always on top form too. It's a good pub, but being a large open place makes it feel very empty unless busy and it's certainly most popular with a small group of locals and the pensioner crowd! It can liven up late in the evening and regularly holds functions and meetings of local groups.   Photo
* TORRS - formerly the Crown Last visit: 2003 - on Market Street. The Crown had a bad reputation, as the Torrs it was newly done out a few years ago (with your typical wooden pub interior) and at least it has real ale though only something boring, but especially at weekends it attracts the sort of people I don't like to be in the company of, your New Mills youth on a night out are best avoided, so I don't go in.
* WHITE HART - Last visit: 2003 ? - the final New Mills pub and of course it's another Robinsons house, quite large with a nice little bar and other rooms including a pool room and it's own group of regulars but again nothing to really make it stand out.

ROWARTH - would come here now and then when lived in New Mills
* LITTLE MILL - Last visit: 2006 - an old mill with a real working water wheel and one large open room plus separate pool room. A place people visit to eat, but also despite being a very out of the way place it could be busy with younger people as well at weekend and often has live music. Has a few beers, Marstons and similar I think but does have more interesting guest ales as well.

SPARROWPIT - called in here a few times when cycling in the area
* WANTED INN  - Last visit: 2005 - nice basic old Robinsons pub high up in an isolated little hamlet on a sharp bend on the A623. A down to earth place with real fires and stone floors, popular with walkers and also good food for people who drive out here to eat.   Photo

STRINES - not too far from where I used to live, would have the occasional walk here for an evening pint or food
* ROYAL OAK - Last visit: 2003 - a busy little Robinsons pub which also does good food and has recently opened a new dining room extension.
* SPORTSMAN   - Last visit: 2005 - has one large room set out for dining (and a big window at the back with views over the valley) and a basic drinking room the other side of the bar. Always has several interesting beers on sale, and on the few occasions I've eaten here has been good food though can get busy.

TINTWISTLE - stopped off here for a pint when cycling
* BULLS HEAD - Last visit: 2009 - old whitewashed pub in the village centre. I didnt pay much attention to the inside cos it was very sunny so I sat in the yard out front, but it seemed a open plan but cosy pub with a central bar and there's live music and other events advertised. 2 ales on my visit, the one I had was from the local Howard Town brewery    photo

WARDLOW MIRES - not part of the Peaks I visit, but came here once when on a walk (tried to visit again more recently on a Sat pm but was shut so beware of limited opening times).
* THREE STAGS HEAD - Last visit: 1995 - a classic little 2 roomed extremely basic and totally unspoilt pub, stone floors, bare wooden benches and a collection of dogs lying about the place. Not one for anyone after luxury but full of character! Beer and food not cheap but both excellent, a choice of rare beers and home made food. My dad once saw a farmer bring a lamb in here and have its dislocated leg pub back in place on a table - not something you see in a Wetherspoons! On a main road near a couple of farms, a petrol station and not much else.  Photo

WHALEY BRIDGE - I'd go to for a pint in some of these pubs now and again when I lived not far away, and have stopped off at the Shepherds since I moved
* COCK INN - Last visit: mid 90s - a pretty large typical Robinsons pub.
* GOYT INN - Last visit: 2005 - a little stone terrace pub on side street with up to 4 different ales sold and decent lunch menu. Cosy front room by the bar with real fire, seperate games room, beer garden and benches at the front   photo
* JODRELL ARMS - Last visit: 1994 - a large old pub next to the station, have only been in once years ago and can't remember much about it. Since then it's had various spells of being closed but I have read (2008) it is being refurbished and reopened
* NAVIGATION - Last visit: 2005 - a smallish locals pub, used to have Boddies and occasionally a guest. Also does lunches.
* RAILWAY - Last visit: mid 90s - was a down to earth Robinsons pub near the station. It has had a major refurbishment since I last visited, still Robbies but looks much smarter.
* SHEPHERDS ARMS - Last visit: 2010 - superb old pub set back from the main road with a cosy low ceilinged main room and flag stoned floor vault. Regular beers are from Marstons and Jennings, there also guests - on my last visit 6 or 7 different ales. Nice beer garden too.  Photo

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
NEWARK - I visited here briefly for a pint and something to eat before geting a train
* ATRIUM - Last visit: 2010 - a very large open modern bar, mostly set out for dining but with some sofas and other seats and various TV screens. Not a chain of bars I'd come across before but locally apparently they're famous for doing steaks, i had one and it wasnt bad! A couple of proper ales including Black Sheep.
* FOX & CROWN - Last visit: 2010 - only stayed here for a quick half, i had hoped to eat but there's no food on a Sunday evening. A shame cos it seemed a decent place with a large choice of beer from Castle Rock and others in a refurbished but fairly traditional pub with some bare brick and wood, an open main room with central bar plus seperate room at the back.   photo
NOTTINGHAM - I've spent a few days here due to work, didn't think much of the city but was impressed with the pubs, some being in very interesting buildings and all I tried had a fine choice of ale including from the city's own Nottingham & Castle Rock breweries. These are the ones I visited:
* BELL INN - Last visit: 2007 - old (1400's ?) pub in the city centre, the entrance is a corridor and on either side are 2 rooms each with their own bars selling Hardy Hanson / Olde Trip ales [on my 2nd visit one room was closed for what seemed to be a needed redecoration - the toilets are a bit grim too]. But at the back is the room to visit, a large bare floored, beamed ceilinged hall with a long bar where you'll find a choice of beer from the Nottingham brewery and other common and more unusual guests, a jazz combo was also in action in here on my visits. Has an upstairs restaurant but this was closed due to fire damage. photo   website
* CANALHOUSE - Last visit: 2007 - a very interesting pub, just round the corner from the station and it backs onto the canal with a large canalside patio - probably very nice on a warm evening, not so inviting when I was there in November. Assume it is a converted warehouse and is in a modern style with lots of bare brick and wood and some comfy sofas but what makes it most interesting, if not unique is the canal actually flows into the pub with two narrowboats berthed inside - to get from one side of the pub to the other you need to cross a footbridge over the water! It's a Castle Rock pub so sells several of their ales (on my 1st visit I was offered a free sample of whichever ones I wanted - all were very good) along with a couple of other guests beers and serves food too - deff worth a visit. photo   website
* COCK & HOOP - Last visit: 2007 - near the Lace market, walking in here was like entering the reception of a posh hotel or restaurant with a small and very smart little bar room. But it has 3 or 4 real ales including from the Nottingham brewery. Not a lot of room to sit and have a pint but the staff pointed us in the direction of the downstairs cellar room which was busy with diners - the only seats were found in a hole in the bare brick walls just big enough for a tiny table. A bit smart for my tastes and more of a place for a meal than a drinkers pub.
* FELLOW MORTON & CLAYTON - Last visit: 2007 - near the station and canal next to the Canalhouse [see above], a very long and open plan interior in a pretty typical modern pub style though with seating on different levels to break it up a bit. Brews its own beers plus has a number of other local and more well know ales. Food, music and TV sports so was a mixed crowd of people on my visit. photo   website
* GATEHOUSE - Last visit: 2007 - a pub beneath a 1960s style office building on a busy roundabout just up from The Bell, not much to look at but inside is a one room open plan modern bar with a bare dark wood floor and beer from 5? handpumps, two had Nottingham brewery beers, the others also had small brewery guest ales. Does food, though when I visited one evening it was just a choice of pizzas - had one (a Hawaiian if you're interested) and it was very good!
* KEAN'S HEAD - Last visit: 2007 - just round the corner from the Cock down a narrow side street, this is a laid back cafe bar style place with one open room, large windows, low tables, sofas etc to relax and enjoy ales from the bar at the back of the room selling a range of both Castle Rock and other unusual guest beers and continental lagers.  website
* KING WILLIAM IV, Sneinton - Last visit: 2007 - not in the nicest of surroundings behind a bus depot and beneath tower blocks just outside the city centre, but an excellent little pub. A traditional corner local with two small rooms either side of a central bar which sells 8 ? ales from independent breweries - Castle Rock, Oakham, Kelham Island and others on my visit. Friendly atmosphere, seemed recently decorated, very clean and tidy - the room I sat in was in a country kitchen style with tables chairs and stove, the other room had TV football being shown. I was very impressed especially to find it in this location. photo
* MOOT, Sneinton - Last visit: 2007 - on main road round the corner from the King William in a rather rough looking part of the city, wasnt happy wandering round here in the dark! Inside is one open room with seating round one wall but the rest is rather bare and empty feeling so wasnt exactly cosy, but to compensate there is a good range of both local and other unusual ales on the bar at the back of the room. Large screen TV and upstairs pool room.
* NEWSHOUSE - Last visit: 2007 - a little way from the main shopping area on Canal Street in an area undergoing lots of renovation. An unremarkable looking pub brightened up by a blue tiled exterior, inside are two basic rooms with pool, darts, TV sports etc - remined me of a working mens club or cheap hotel bar! Seemed popular with locals, was friendly service and has an impressive choice of beer from Castle Rock and others. Interesting old front pages from the Notts Evening post on the wall   website
* OLDE TRIP TO JERUSALEM - Last visit: 2007 - 'world famous' oldest pub in the world, claims to date from 1189. Pubs with some sort of fame like this can be a letdown but the Olde Trip is worth visiting with its many little rooms on different levels including upstairs accessed via tricky stairs carved from the rock of the castle walls, as are some of the rooms with their bare rock walls and ceilings. Other rooms are more 'normal' but still very old and traditional and there are real fires, old furniture and a little bar selling Hardy Hanson, Olde Trip etc but also its own house beer and a couple of other guests from small breweries plus decent food. photo     website
* VAT & FIDDLE - Last visit: 2007 - a short walk from the station away from the city centre, a large pub set back from the main road. It's a Castle Rock pub and next to their brewery so the long bar sells the range of its own very good beers plus other interesting guest ales too. Quite basic but pleasant - a good down to earth drinking pub made all the better by having a pub cat (I believe named Kipper) which came and sat on me while I enjoyed my pint.   photo   website

UNKNOWN VILLAGE Nr NOTTINGHAM - the most useless entry of all in this whole guide of useless descriptions. In the late 1980s when on a course with work went to a pub a few miles outside Nottingham, no idea where it was never mind what it was called. Well I am trying to list every pub I've ever been in...

RETFORD - just as useless, went to a pub next to the station in around 1990.

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