Cain’s brewery trip Saturday 26 January 2008

 

As Cains beer is the official beer for Liverpool’s City of Culture year, it seemed a particularly appropriate time to organise a visit round the brewery (it’s not often you can pass off a brewery trip as a cultural event!)

 

16 of us met at the brewery tap for a swift pre-tour drink, having made our way to Liverpool via various trains and buses. Phil, Colin and I also had a look at one of the landmark City of Culture buildings/art exhibits on the way to the brewery (see photographs) – suspect that pub will be rather draughty for drinks in the future.

 

There were 25 of us on the tour altogether and, despite the site not being in operation that day as it was a Saturday, we were given a most interesting tour round the brewery, with plenty of anecdotes on the brewery’s history. We also heard of its future plans, the current owners having taken over about 5 years ago when the brewery was on the point of ceasing altogether. They have a large canning unit there, canning drinks for numerous other companies, but their bottling is done at Robinsons, so it’s almost a local beer.

 

After the tour we returned to the brewery tap to use our 2 free vouchers on pints to drink there or bottles to take home, and were provided with sandwiches, sausage rolls etc to keep us going.

 

From there we split up into several groups, some heading home or to look round Liverpool, and some to visit the Philharmonic pub, as recommended by the guide, for further drinks. This is a particularly ornate pub, the wooden interior having been made by workers from the local shipyard. Apparently the gents toilets were particularly ornate, though I never got to see those.

 

A further split in the group saw 6 of us enjoying a meal at the Philharmonic, followed by a train trip home (with a whisky for the road en route).

 

Helen

The group saw 2007 out with a weekend at Keswick yha. About 14 went with a few missing due the man flu. Another small group was down the road in bed and breakfast. After the cold spell  we had about week early we knew  the rain would be in Keswick. And it was. Traveling up to Keswick was fun. The M6 motorway at Shap was little wet and so was the route going though Ambleside and Grasmere. Sorry to the poor walker walking down the road from Grasmere to Ambleside. It was the big puddle . But you did have your water proofs on.
So the first days walk we went bus to Braithwaite and went up onto lords seat and barf. not a big walk but at 552m it still came down the wet snow.
In the evening we all went went for a meal as it was Helens 40th birthday.  Everyone got a party pack with  goodies  to play with and party hats to wear.
Next Day we went up Skiddaw and on top it was very cold with the wind. The chill factor was low. Plus the clound. We opened a bottle of champage for Helens Birthday.  Chris Bonington missed out on a glass by 5 mintues as he came onto the summitt.
The following day we went back to Braithwaite and walked up Grisedale pike and back down Coledale beck. Again cloud was down and very damp. In the evening the hostel put on a buffet meal of fish, meats and puddings. Then it was into the town to let the New Year in.
The next day was wet again and it was time to look around the shops before heading home. But a good weekend with 3 good walks and areas that we have not walked for a long time.