This month we will be double wander – both a Weekday Wander, but targeted to pick up a few stickers towards your Winter Warmer Wander. As it is also on a Wednesday this could be described as Wednesday Weekday Wandering incorporating Winter Warmer Wander, or W⁶. The primary aim is to pick up three stickers, with the option to add a further two or three if desired, so potentially half a card filled!

The plan outlined is to visit both Stalybridge and Ashton Under Lyne, but if the group don't want all this travel there are still five pubs worth visiting in Stalybridge, so we could stay there all afternoon and limit our sticker collection to three. If we decamp to Ashton Under Lyne we can collect up this to three extra stickers, but because of 4pm opening of two pubs it will mean a later (around 5:30 to 6pm) departure and thus a later arrival home.

We start the day a little earlier than usual, but that is to allow for the two town basis. As our first destination is a Wetherspoon's pub, Society Rooms, there will be no standing outside until it opens, as it did that at 8:00am. A modern building with all the usual Wetherspoon traits such as toilets on any other floor than the bar. Arriving before 12 means the popular breakfast is still on the menu. The Society Rooms is on the Winter Warmer Wander and as Phoenix Wobbly Bob is listed as a permanent beer, this may be your first pint (and sticker).

Suitably victualled we progress a few dozen yards down Melbourne Street where we reach Bridge Beers, which is so named not because it is by the (canal) bridge but is run by Mr Dave Bridge. When entering Bridge Beers you may be confused thinking you have entered the wrong pub because you will be able to see the original signboard from the Old Thirteenth Cheshire Astley Volunteer Rifleman Corps Inn (not to be confused with the current Old Thirteenth Cheshire... which we passed after leaving the station — this is a modern imposter). All the beers are "home brewed" in the sense of by Dave, but in a 'proper' brewery rather than his garage. The Winter Warmer Wander beer on offer will be Dark Matter – but which one? Yes there are three, Dark Matter Vanilla, Dark Matter Cherry and neat Dark Matter.

If we are going for the Stalybridge only option we will fit in the Wharf Tavern here. Because Hydes no longer brew Anvil Strong Ale / XXXX they don't sport beers considered to be winter warmers so we will have to omit two of their houses, White House and Q Inn. I still use its older name of simply Q, which meant Stalybridge formally boasted the longest (Old Thirteenth…) and shortest pub names.

Going for the full plan we now make our way back to the station, where we will visit Stalybridge Station Buffet Bar. Again on Winter Warmer Wander (notice any theme?) so expect some robust and worthwhile beer(s) on offer. If you don't know the Buffet Bar – shame on you, but a quick sales pitch is: an original station buffet, which has expanded into other rooms previously used for railway business. The interior is a CAMRA Historic Pub Interior. Much rail (rather than beer) memorability adorns the walls. WhatPub says "Well worth missing a train for", but if we are to progress, missing the hourly train to Ashton Under Lyne isn't an option (though there are back-up buses).

On arriving in Ashton we will repair to the Ash Tree, another Wetherspoons house, but it doesn't follow the 'standard' layout. It is not unusual in being on two levels as are many Wetherspoon outlets, but in this case the bar and all amenities are on the upper floor. This is because it is built on such a slope that street level to the rear is on the second floor, so the Wellington Road (front) entrance is sort of via the basement. Anyone wanting afternoon tea can fortify themselves here for the walk up to the Half Way House.

Now we need to embark on a 12/15 minute walk depending upon which app you rely upon. There is a bus option, but this still drops you 6/7 minutes walk away.

However we travel to the Half Way House we mustn't arrive before 4pm, their midweek opening time. First licensed in 1860, in the latter half of the 20th century it fell in to the larger and keg beer stereotype until, in 2020, it saw the light with a new licensee who was a real ale enthusiast. Now on sale there are usually three competitively priced real ales (one a Winter Warmer Wander beer - Oh! What a surprise) and populated by local regulars. There seems to be uncertainty over the pubs name, sometimes rendered as Halfway House but other times reported as Half Way House — take a look at the outside when you leave.

Having reversed our walk back to Ashton Under Lyne we have a choice. For those who have imbibed enough they can make their way to the Interchange (posh name for bus and tram station) where the least brain challenging option is to catch a tram, but with bus and train options also being available.

For the gluttons we will make our way to Tapsters, another new(ish) macro bar, which was converted from a pram shop in 2018. Four ales are usually on offer and predominantly sourced from local brewers, with Bridge Beers and Millstone being almost house beers. One of the beers should be (Yes you guessed it.) a Winter Warmer Wander offering. If you can drag yourself away from your drinks, it is worth walking the extra 100 yards along Old Street to gaze at the tiled splendour which was the Angel Hotel (photo right - click to enlarge).

Arrive	Leave	Pub	Address	Food
10:45am	10:45am	Meet on the concourse, Manchester Piccadilly
10:58am	11:12am	TransPennine train Piccadilly to Stalybridge, usually from Platform 1
11:12am	11:25am	Walk to the Society Rooms
11:25am	12:25pm	Society Rooms	49-51 Grosvenor Street, Stalybridge SK15 2JN	Yes
12:30pm	13:30pm	Bridge Beers	55 Melbourne Street, Stalybridge, SK15 2JJ	No
13:45pm	14:45pm	Station Buffet Bar	Rassbottom Street, Stalybridge, SK15 1RF	Yes
14:52pm	14:55pm	Train on platform 5 bound for Clitheroe, alighting at Ashton Under Lyne. Alternatives: bus 348 or 356 to bus station
15:00pm	15:45pm	Ash Tree	9 Wellington Road, Ashton under Lyne, OL6 6DA	Yes
15:47pm	16:00pm	Walk to Halfway House (there is a bus option, but still involves a 6 minute walk)
16:00pm	16:45pm	Half Way House	123 Whiteacre Road, Ashton-under-Lyne OL6 9PJ	No
16:47pm	17:00pm	Walk (downhill) back to Ashton-U-Lyne
17:00pm	17:45pm	Tapsters	31 Old Street, Ashton under Lyne, OL6 6LA	No
Here are a few examples of journeys back to Manchyester Piccadilly
17:46pm	18:22pm	Interchange stand L bus 347 to Guide Bridge (17:57) then 18:11 train to Piccadilly (18:22)
17:59pm	18:27pm	Tram all the way to Piccadilly
18:03pm	18:39pm	Interchange stand K bus 237 to Stalybridge (18:16) then 18:23 train to Piccadilly (18:39)

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