Several of the micro-bars have extended their opening hours to include Wednesday, so this Wander includes a couple of new outlets to a weekday itinerary. As you may have guessed by the title, Rochdale is famous for, among others, Grace Stansfield who became well known for the song Sally (YouTube link so probably adverts will kick in!) which includes the line "Sally, pride of our alley". Then again I could have titled this Wander "Visiting The Biggest Aspidistra In The World".

Our first location, the Flying Horse Inn opposite the Town Hall, was Greater Manchester Pub Of The Year back in 2019 and will not disappoint. A multitude of ales (about a dozen?) are available along with honest, home cooked meals including, on my last visit, that fabled local delicacy, rag pudding! Look out for the meal deals and CAMRA discount. Another point of interest is the real log fires — which will not be required today, we hope! What will be used (again we hope) will be the outside street drinking area where we can gaze at the snails pace renovation of Broadfield Park Slopes. [Should this have been completed we will use it as a short-cut on our way from the station.]

Heading across the Esplanade [bit posh sounding for Rochdale!] we approach a homage to Ms Stansfield, namely Our Gracie's. As well as the five (mainly LocAle) beers on offer there are, stand back in amazement, eight real ciders/perries on offer, so something for everyone [except those desiring mead!]. The décor is very basic (reminiscent of Rochdale's back-to-backs in the 30s?), but the welcome couldn't be warmer, with the clientele being made up of a cross section locals. Expect the locals to talk to you, on my last visit I got the life story of a birthday boy who was dragging(?) his extended family around on a pub crawl! NOTE: The 60s music videos on a screen above the bar doesn't exactly fit with the theme, but then again Grace isn't well known for TicToc videos!

As we leave glance across to see whether Lucky Duck is open. According to WhatPub Rochdale, Oldham and Bury Branch think it is, but the shutters were defiantly down back on a Saturday in June!

Around the corner, passing a restaurant, Vicolo Del Vino, and through an atmospheric tunnel, Bull Brow, (think swirling fogs and Dickensian London) whence we arrive on Baillie Street and find our third outlet, Pint Pot. Another shop conversion which sells several beers from micro-breweries from across the country. Décor is functional rather than plush (think Queen's Head, Underbank), but the welcome is warm. Remember that restaurant - if you eat in beer can be delivered to your table as it (sort of) occupies the cellar of Pint Pot and they nip upstairs to source your drink!

We now have a walk through the centre of Rochdale. There is, supposedly, a short-cut through the modern arcade but I have never found it so we will be sticking to the streets, making use of a few ginnels.

Upon reaching the heritage area of Rochdale we will frequent The Baum, which is laid out in a way that is quite intimate, with bare wood floors and a traditional feel to it. For those still hungry food is served daily and is excellent quality at a reasonable price. Awards here go one better than Greater Manchester, as the Baum was the National Pub Of The Year in 2013. Again outdoor drinking is available in the beer garden to the rear where (baring the looming Seven Sisters and Exchange Arcade) you can imagine yourself back in time with plenty of sets and 'gas lamps'. The next-door Rochdale Pioneers [the kernel of the Co-Op movement] museum is well worth a visit in its own respect, but not today as more drinking calls.

Heading back towards the tram station (or is it tram stop?) we may now have a dilemma. Remember that Lucky Duck mentioned at step two — should it be open we will nip in there.

However, the ever faithful Wetherspoon's Regal Moon, a large former cinema in the Art Deco style, is the guaranteed outlet. Unlike the cinema it was, this is anything but a quiet place, but the dimmed lighting does seem to reflect what you would expected in a picture house. Can you spot the mannequin organist on his perch above the bar? There are no ladies with ice cream and lolly trays, but there are numerous references to that local clog wearing lass. There is also the option to have your tea here (none of that southern dinner/supper here) and save yourself some cooking when getting home.

There are a couple of options to get back to the rail station from here: Keep an eye out for a tram and catch it the one stop towards the station - but be prepared for a quick getaway as some only linger long enough for the driver to change ends. Alternatively you can take the 12 minute walk back to the station. Okay, there is a third option, stay on the tram all the way back to Manchester, but if you haven't eaten in the Regal Moon, you may suffer malnutrition by the time it arrives in Manchester!