Beer by Bus
Stagecoach 125 The Final Chapter
B
ack in the winter of 2019 our secretary, Gordon Small wrote an article on the 125 service between Preston and Chorley highlighting some great real ale outlets along the way, so roughly two years on I think it’s only right that we finish the journey, making our way from Chorley to Bolton The 125 has 113 stops departing from Royal Preston Hospital Grounds, Sharoe Green and ending at Bolton Interchange. Buses run regularly from Chorley to Bolton throughout the day, both midweek and at weekends so long waits for the next bus can be avoided with ease. The 125 from Chorley takes you through Heath Charnock, Adlington, Horwich and Doffcocker before reaching its destination at Bolton and we are truly spoilt by the choice TIMETABLE and quality of the real ale pubs close to stops along the way. This article focusses on pubs within a few minutes’ walk of the respective stops, but feel free to venture further afield in search of more. While the variety of ale on offer undoubtedly changes regularly, on an average day alone you’re likely to find beers sourced from at least twenty-two different breweries, mainly based in the Northwest region and a choice of around fifty different beers along the route…more than enough to be going on with!
Departure from Bus Station, Chorley Town Centre With time on your hands this is a great location from which to explore an eclectic mix of pubs, all within a few minutes’ walk, including the ALE STATION, SHEPHERDS’ HALL ALE HOUSE AND VICTORIA ROOMS, SAM’S BAR, Withnell Brewery’s ARTISAN ALE HOUSE, NELIPOTS and the CROWN.
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Ale Cry
ISSUE 128 SPRING 2022
If you just fancy travelling to Chorley for the day, then feel free to use the below link to access the latest Chorley Real Ale Trail. Stops and pubs along the way are as follows:
Yarrow Bridge
CHORLEY REAL
Ten minutes out of ALE TRAIL town and you’ll find yourself on the A6 heading towards Heath Charnock. The YARROW BRIDGE stop is just 50 yards from the pub, which is a Greene King pub where you’ll find up to four cask ales including their own IPA and up to three changing ales. There’s a large menu always available and a 10% discount for CAMRA members off cask ales.
White Horse and Cardwell Arms Stops
the Old Post Office is the newly opened Escape Brewery Tap. Following a short stop off in Adlington just jump back on the next 125 and you’ll soon enter the town of Horwich. For those wishing to focus on less familiar pubs found within the Bolton CAMRA area, the below link provides further details of those along the 125 route between Horwich and Doffcocker.
Another 5 minutes along the route and you’ll have entered Heath Charnock where the WHITE HORSE and CARDWELL ARMS come in quick succession. Each has a bus stop close by bearing its name, and you can expect a variety of traditional ales on offer, typically from Sharp’s, Wainwright and Black Sheep.
The Crown, Horwich
Elephant & Castle By this stage the pubs are coming thick and fast and just two minutes down the road you’ll find the ELEPHANT AND CASTLE in Adlington, with the SPINNER’S ARMS and OLD POST OFFICE nearby. Beers from Copper Dragon, Moorhouses, Ruddles, Sharp’s and Escape breweries are on offer;
The first stop of note in Horwich is the CROWN, which is across the road from the pub. This is the first of two Joseph Holt’s pubs along the route and typically serves four of their own ales along with several from local breweries. A minute’s walk up Lee Lane will find you at the OLD ORIGINAL BAY HORSE, the BREWERY BAR (Blackedge Brewery’s Tap), TAP & CORK micro pub and the Bowling Green. Beers from local breweries such as Blackedge Brewery and Northern Monkey should be expected along with a selection from Timothy Taylor’s, Jennings, Moorhouses, Cross Bay and Joseph Holt’s. A further minute’s walk down the road towards the centre takes you past the
