Pub Walks with Chris Morris
Congleton Circular

PLEASE REMEMBER: Details accurate at time of writing

Congleton recently made the local headlines by appointing an ‘ale taster’ for the town’s 750th anniversary celebrations. An important health and safety role during medieval times, every town and city had one to ensure the local ale was up to scratch. Well, health and safety is still important now, so it’s only right that we do our duty as well. This walk features a scenic canal, a nature walk along a former railway line and a selection of Congleton’s finest pubs.

Train Information

There is an hourly train from Manchester Piccadilly to Congleton, Monday to Saturday, stopping at Stockport, Cheadle Hulme and Bramhall along the way. The Sunday service is reduced at the moment (trains every two to three hours) but hopefully this will improve in the future. For full train timetable information, visit nationalrail.co.uk.

The Walk

The nature walk is two miles long, with at least a further mile needed in the urban area to get back to the train station. The walk is fairly flat and undemanding but hiking boots are always recommended after wet weather. The walk back to the station, along Park Lane, is the only hill climb on the route. The OS Explorer map is 268 Wilmslow, Macclesfield & Congleton (OS app also available).

When leaving the train on platform 1, don't walk up the steps of the footbridge but exit to the small car park behind. Join the canal behind the car park signposted to ‘Town centre 1’. Walk down the steps and left along the canal path, keeping the canal on your right. Continue along the path for half a mile. When the nice view of the railway viaduct appears on the left, the canal crosses over a bridge. Before this bridge, exit the canal to the left and down some steps to the Biddulph Valley Way sign. Take a left here (not under the canal bridge) and walk along the main straight path – signposted route ‘55’. This is the old train line that ran between Congleton and Stoke. It mainly carried coal from Staffordshire and sand on the return journey to the Potteries. Continue along the old straight and wide train line for a further mile until you reach a concrete-lined bridge and a route ‘55’ sign points up a path on the left. Ignore this sign and carry on, under the bridge. After 500 yards, the trail finishes and reaches the main road. Turn left and walk along the road's pavement for 250 yards, crossing over at the pelican crossing and then carrying on in the same direction as before where you will shortly arrive at our first pub – a great example of a traditional terraced local.

Full of character and charm in a comfortable and homely setting, a warm welcome awaits at the Beartown Tap. Events are regularly arranged and include pizza nights, street food, supper clubs and quizzes. A log burner is in use during the colder months. Up to six Beartown cask beers are available, plus a cider. The beers were Kodiak, Literate, Peach Melbear, Skinful, Bear Ass and Smores when I last visited.

On exiting the pub, turn right and carry on along the road, crossing over at the roundabout, and walk up Park Lane (A527) signposted to the Station, which is your route for the train back home. However, if you have time for more ‘ale taster’ duties, many opportunities exist in the handsome town centre along Lawton Street. There is only space to list two here, unfortunately.

The Young Pretender is a large contemporary bar with an eclectic style of furniture, including a piano. Low-level lighting gives a relaxed and sophisticated feel, with the bar featuring an excellent range of cask and keg beers, plus a cider. On my last inspection, the cask beers were Fortitude from Bristol Beer Factory, Marquee from Revolutions Brewing, Thornbridge Twin Peaks, Roosters One Eighty and Effortless from RedWillow. The cider was Holmes Chapel Apple from SiDa.

The Prince of Wales is a cosy and understated pub with a big dose of nostalgia and charm. The staff give a warm welcome, as does the log burner during winter. Now owned by Joules, up to four of their casks are available, which included Pure Blonde, Pale Ale and Slumbering Monk when I popped in.

After walking up the hill to the station, if further refreshment is required, then Wonky Pear is recommended. This small bar has been tastefully refurbished, with furniture, décor and subtle lighting all in good balance, and with a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Three cask beers from Beartown were available when I last visited, which were Kahuna, Smores and Best Bitter.

For full pub details, including opening times, visit whatpub.com.

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