SUMMER TOUR OF NORTH EAST WALES SUCCESS (with a little bit in the North West)

A Saturday swan around that lovely bit of North Wales that offers escape from the crowded summer honeypots of Snowdonia (lovely though it is too). This is proper beer and pub tourism, you just can't do alone. A photo-file report here.

The 19th century Rose & Crown is a gem of a historic traditional pub for NE Wales, with friendly locals and staff.

The splendid bar of the Rose & Crown where we sampled some fine Wye Valley HPA served by the indefatigable landlord Rod. Note the classic beer clips from the now defunct Bryn Brewery of Denbigh.

The Rose & Crown has hosted a legion of beers.

Inside the Aladdin's Cave of the Rose & Crown. Wonderous!

The Rose & Crown has seen many awards from Camra.

A warm welcome at the King's Head Inn complete with fine Big Hand ales from Wrexham.

Recently we ventured out into North Wales for a Heritage Pub Tour, which took in four outstanding village pubs. Here's a few photos captured over the day. All excellent pubs with outstanding welcomes from landlords, staff and locals. We did it in July to catch the weather and long evenings, of course it rained later on the day, but that is North Wales for you - never mind, with pubs like this it really didn't matter. Their history goes back to the 1800s, but are now all serving excellent ales from the likes of Big Hand, Facers, Wye Valley and Salopian.

The return of Boddies at the Rose & Crown? Sadly not the real thing, but we remember the distinctive glass very well..

Anticipation for some Big Hand Appaloosa at the King's Head.

Ready to dine at the Crown.

The very fine Crown Inn, a former drovers inn dating back 300 years, now with a lovely riverside area and where we enjoyed some excellent traditional pub food such as sausage and mash, steak pie and the classic scampi and chips - great. All went very well with smashing Facer's beer from Flint on three hand pumps, Thank you Caroline and Richard.

Conviviality at the Crown. (Spectacles standard Beer Tours issue for the shortsighted).

Let's go again then!

Voted a cracking day out, the tour was a great success and we thank all our hosts and their teams for looking after us so well. Yes. we will do it again before too long, maybe on a clear and crisp winter's day when we can enjoy open fires and wood burners. Cheers to North Wales.

Bespoke party tours can be arranged anytime, just ask us.

For more information on Beer Tours UK or to simply discuss a tour please contact steve@beertoursuk.com We love to talk through the tours.

For a final stop we had to return to the ale oasis of the Bridge End Inn at Ruabon. Run by the terrific McGivern family it is a Camra National Pub of the Year and boasts a choice of seven hand pulls serving the three characterful rooms. And there's a brewery at the back.

Here's what some two had to say:

"A fantastic tour around North Wales, a great variety of pubs and beers, with superb company and well guided by Steve."

From Rupert and Howard, independent pub company executives.

"It was a great day, shame about the weather! The Crown was a well run family pub in a special setting - if the sun had shone it would it would have been even better. The Rose & Crown was the highlight though. What I call a proper pub. Well looked after ales and a witty barmaid. I sampled two of the ales here, Hereford Pale and Salopian Getting Away With It..... both hit the spot!"

Dan, supermarket logistics executive.

Cheers and thanks then, Steve