Behold:

Bus details are in italics and pub stops are in bold.

11:02 – 61 – Departs Dunstable (West Street)
11:42 – 61 – Arrives Tring (High Street)
11:45 – Tring Brewery (81 Akeman Street, HP23 6AF, 01442 890721)
13:10 – Kings Arms (King Street, HP23 6BE, 0871 917 0007) - LUNCH
14:42 – 61 – Departs Tring (High Street) [or 14:22 - 500]
15:02 – 61 – Arrives Aylesbury Bus Station (Kingsbury Square) [or 14:42 - 500]

1. Hop Pole (83 Bicester Road, HP19 9AZ, 01296 482129)
2. Harrow (4 Cambridge Street, HP20 1RS, 01296 336243)
3. Rockwoods (32 Kingsbury Square, HP20 2JE, 0871 917 0007)
4. Hobgoblin (14 Kingsbury Square, HP20 2HT, 0871 917 0007)
5. Queens Head (1-5 Temple Square, HP20 2QA, 01296 415484)
6. Kings Head (King’s Head Passage, Market Square, HP20 2RW, 01296 381501) – Arrive 16:45

17:15 – 61 – Departs Aylesbury Bus Station
17:47 – 61 – Arrives Marsworth

1. Red Lion (Vicarage Road, Marsworth, HP23 4LU, 0871 917 0007)
2. Anglers Retreat (Startops End, Marsworth, HP23 4LJ. 01442 822 250)

20:04 – Bus departs Marsworth (Vicarage Road)
20:31 – Bus arrives Dunstable (West Street) [or 21:43]

We finally got round to adding Jo to my CAMRA membership (at a cost of £5 a year, saving £3 entry to each beer festival plus the various other benefits) and she was given beer vouchers to the value of £5 to be used at the foreign beer bar. Daunted and unsure what to order (and I’m not much help with Belgian beers, either) she plumped for a Brasserie Cantillon Kriek – a Lambic beer – due to my looser-than-I-thought translation of ‘kriek’ as ‘cherry’. Meanwhile, I played it safe by ordering a Aecht Schlenkerla Märzen Rauchbier – a type of German smoked beer which I tend to plump for when I’m in Germany. Wendy, who was running the bar, very kindly offered to replace it with a sweeter beer if Jo wasn’t keen on the tartness of Lambic beers. Surprisingly, she did like it, so Wendy bought her another one anyway! Many thanks to Wendy for her generosity and time in speaking with us and sharing her vast knowledge of foreign beers.

Highlights of the festival, for me, have to be the Great Oakley Wagtail – always a firm favourite of mine – and the Buntingford Polar Star – again, not a new beer on me but in fantastic condition at the festival and most refreshing in the heatwave!

On Sunday, we visited Jo’s nan and came back via The Three Hammers in Chiswell Green, which we’d had recommended for good food and beer. Unfortunately, there was an hour’s wait for food and we had to be at Ampthill before long, so we had a quick half of Golden Sheep before heading off on our way.

This week’s Thursday social for South Beds CAMRA is in Slip End. We’ll be starting at the Frog & Rhubarb at 8:30pm before heading on to the Rising Sun. Please do join us if you’re in the area.