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6townsmart.bsky.social
6TownsMart
@6townsmart.bsky.social
380 followers 170 following 1.4K posts
Cyclist, beerlover. Stoke & Leeds
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Reposted by 6TownsMart
lewisgoodall.com
I was 20 when HS2 was announced. Great to know i’ll probably be in my late 60s when the Birmingham-Manchester section starts work let alone finishes. Seems like a country doing things the right way!
January 14, 2026 at 7:55 AM
Reposted by 6TownsMart
boakandbailey.bsky.social
BLOG POST: We really liked St Mars of the Desert in Sheffield. Here, we've tried to articulate exactly why. 🍺🍻

boakandbailey.com/2026/01/st-m...
St Mars of the Desert: an oasis in the industrial hinterlands
Brewery taprooms often feel in conflict with their industrial surroundings, but few so much as The Brewery of St Mars of the Desert (SMOD).
boakandbailey.com
January 11, 2026 at 12:30 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
eBay bargain! Set of 6 of The 1960's Historic & New Inns of Interest for under £14. Five are second copies to keep clean as the others get taken on bike rides for contemporary photos (The Lancashire guide is a first acquisition)
Copies of the historic and new inns of interest for Lancashire, Cheshire, Derbyshire and the west, east and north riding of Yorkshire A full map except for Lancashire showing where featured pubs are An index and pub feature for the anglers arms An excerpt from the Lancashire pub guide featuring the sitting goose Bartle and Sun Inn Coniston
January 6, 2026 at 6:19 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
It's a few years since I've been in the Victoria & Commercial, Gt George St, Leeds. Harvey's of Sussex Best before the train home excellent. What a superb refurb with Kirkstall's breweriana collection on show. Parkers of Burslem signage a real rarity
Exterior view of the victoria and commercial hotel. Four stories high red brick Entrance to the Victoria and commercial. Wood interior corridor with side rooms. Globe overhead lighting Parkers Pale Ale sign framed on the wall A pint of Harvey's Sussex Best with the handpump behind it
January 4, 2026 at 5:53 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
Crikey. In all my years I've never been asked to take my sandwiches for the train home out of my coat pocket and surrender it to the doorman for collection on leaving. Luckily he let me put it in my backpack. Maybe it's the 'red' in the red Leicester sandwiches that did for me today
January 4, 2026 at 4:31 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
There's something very inviting about the Golden Ball, York. Even from the outside it exudes ambience. Supporting local breweries too. Trig (Poppleton) consistently high quality.
Exterior view of the golden ball york. A two storey corner pub. Ground floor is glazed brick. It's dark and the light shining through the windows are accentuated Half a trig scarth with the handpump behind it Etched window showing magnet ales
January 3, 2026 at 10:22 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
'Table' reserved for 'corridor John' from 18:00. Love Northern pubs
View of an empty bench and very narrow shelf which says table reserved Exterior view of the blue bell York. Three storeys high. Red glazed brick ground floor. Etched window
January 3, 2026 at 6:39 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
Santa may have vacated Knaresborough airspace but the cask of @elusivebrewing.com / New Bristol Pastel De Nata Stout he left at Blind Jacks is superb, warming, vinous & subtle vanilla (credit: photo 1 from Knaresborough photography authorised for free use www.knaresboroughphotography.co.uk
A snowy scene of Knaresborough railway viaduct with Santa and his reindeer flying above it A contemporary photo of Knaresborough railway viaduct matching the one with Santa on it An exterior view of blind jacks pub. Three storey brick building. It has a Christmas tree mounted on the wall Half of elusive brewing and new Bristol brewery strong dark stout on the bar
January 2, 2026 at 4:48 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
The Windmill Inn, Linton-on- Wharfe. "A timbered construction dating back to 16thC...a considerable amount of carved stonework was found in the walls....came from Linton Abbey". Fantastic pub. Welcoming locals. True ambiance & the pint of Theakstons Best was👌(from 60's guide to W Riding pubs).
The Windmill Inn Linton near Wetherby. A stone two storey detached pub. Azure blue skies. The photo replicates the angle of the photo in the 60's guide A black and white photo of the windmill Inn Linton. The narrative describes the pubs origin as a barn conversion A pint of Theakstons Best on a copper table situated by a window lit by sunlight and framed by a stone walls The front and back cover of the 1960's guide to greenhouses & inns of character in the west riding. There is a cigar advert on the back
January 2, 2026 at 1:24 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
Final beer of the evening before the train back is a favourite - dry, citrus and well attenuated - Anarchy Brew Co Blonde Star at The Last Drop Inn, Colliergate. An ever reliable pub with friendly service which is deservedly busy
Exterior view of the last drop inn. Three storeys high with additional loft windows. Door slightly offset to the left with large ground floor windows A pint of Anarchy Brew Co Blonde Star with the handpump behind it. A pale golden beer, just poured with the beer starting to clear from the bottom up Large station clock at York. Located at the top of the footbridge
January 1, 2026 at 8:48 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
Sensible arrival time in York means a visit to two superb sister pubs for a brace of house beers. The Swan, Bishopsgate for Swan Blonde (Half Moon Brewery) and The Slip Inn, Clementhorpe for Trig Slip (Trig Brewery). Both quality, refreshing, sessionable beers
Exterior view of the swan york. Elongated corner pub. Two storey high. Off white exterior. Entrance to the right A pint of swan blonde on the bar with the handpump behind it Exterior view of the slip inn. A two story red brick pub with entrance to the right. The Moon is visible top right A pint of Trig brewery slip on the bar with the handpump behind it
January 1, 2026 at 6:19 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
"Time and tide wait for no man" so after a couple of weeks stopping in, avoiding the crowds & focusing on cycling, an early start departing the real Times Sq (Longton) for a couple of pints in the superb Burmantofts exterior Templar Hotel, Leeds (approached via The Grand Arcade & it's Potts Clock)
View of Longton Town Hall from the railway station. It's starting to get light. The location is called Times Square The Grand Arcade Leeds showing its Potts Clock with the saying 'time and tide wait for no man'. The Templar is visible in the background Exterior view of the Templar hotel, Leeds. An elongated corner pub with a Burmantofts relief exterior Interior of the Templar hotel showing its long bar and dark wood interior
January 1, 2026 at 1:20 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
How on earth did cyclists manage along the cut before lights improved so much? The on/off comparison is incredible. Also I need to fork out on decent winter gloves 🥶 That mileage seemed much harder than it should have been.
The towpath with lights out. Hardly anything visible The towpath with lights on where you can see quite a distance A Strava cycle map of a 41 mile return cycle ride
December 28, 2025 at 6:51 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
Here we go @seanking61.bsky.social www.podgebeer.co.uk/city-bar-gui....
Podge’s Belgian Beer Tours | City Bar Guides
Beer tours to Belgium and further afield for everyone from novice to expert organised by UK-based Chris ‘Podge’ Pollard – Podge’s Belgian Beer Tours.
www.podgebeer.co.uk
December 21, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Reposted by 6TownsMart
garethdennis.uk
Remember when HS2 to Leeds was cancelled by the NIC's shitty maths and fundamental lack of expertise, and Leeds was thrown the bone of "you'll get trams" and I said those would never be delivered?

Yeah, as I was saying...
December 18, 2025 at 1:25 AM
6townsmart.bsky.social
A kusttram (direction de Panne) for the 30 minute journey from Blankenberge to Ostend. Café Botteltje/ Hotel Marion has Lupulus Hibernatus available on draft. Warming dark fruits and coffee. A favourite brewery. Draft Guinness also on the menu.
A tram in platform at Marie-Joséplein in Ostend. It's almost gone dark. There are tall blocks either side and a tram shelter to the right A glass of Lupulus Hibernatus beer on a wooden table. Beer menu next to it and a portion of nuts. There is a clock and entrance to the bar in the background Exterior of Cafe Botteltje.A long off-white building which adjoins the linked hotel marion. There is a large neon lit bottle sign outside. One end of the building is three stories high. The other increases to five stories. Globe art deco style lights outside
December 16, 2025 at 5:07 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
Ten journey ticket purchased for 21€ (it's not worth a daily tram pass today). Then off to Terminus in Blankenberge to recreate the ambience of what Knutsford and Keele M6 services must've felt like in the 1970's. Orval at a touch over 5€ and excellent
A ten journey de lijn transport operator ticket with the machine behind it A glass of Orval with the bottle next to it and a Christmas tree and decorations suspended from the ceiling behind it A facing photo showing the long bar and plastic upholstered seated and tables reminiscent of the 1970's. There are art deco style half globe lamps suspended from the ceiling Exterior view of cafe terminus. They have outward seating and canopies on two sides. It three stories high in off white and located on a corner next to modern apartments
December 16, 2025 at 3:44 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
Enough time to sneak in a Chouffe N'Ice at De Garre before the train to Blankenberge. A dark brown beer with orange notes, subtle sweetness but not cloying
A glass of Chouffe N'Ice and a portion of cheese cubes in a tray with the blurred out bar behind it. The beer is dark brown An exterior view of de Garre cafe in Bruges. Situated down an alley. A narrow entrance with six steps leading up to it. A white painted brick wall to the right A train in platform at Bruges heading to Blankenberge
December 16, 2025 at 2:34 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
I need to raise my game. Not first in the queue at De Garre, Brugge. Busy within 5 minutes of opening. A mandatory Van Steenberge house tripel. Superb Vicaris Winter was available but they only had one cask and it's (understandably) sold out
A glass of van Steenberge tripel on a table. A golden hazy beer. It's highly carbonated. Served on a small tray with a portion of cubed cheese
December 16, 2025 at 11:19 AM
6townsmart.bsky.social
Well there was an inevitability about ending up at 't Bruges Beertje when De Ranke Père Noël and De Dolle Stille Nacht are on the beer board
View of the bar inside Bruges Beertje. Handpumps on display and glasses and drugs hanging from the bar Exterior view of Bruges Beertje. Traditional Flemish brickwork. Central entrance with large windows either side The taplist in Bruges Beertje with de dolle Brouwers sign close to it
December 15, 2025 at 8:08 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
Excellent. Straffe Hendrik X-Mas Blend available at De Halve Maan Brewery, Brugge. A blend of young and older barrel aged quadrupel. Hints of raisins and balanced sweetness.
A glass of straffe Hendrik dark Xmas beer on the bar at the brewery with some old signage behind and large glass windows An exterior view of the Halve Mann brewery as a horse and carriage passes it. There's a large arched doorway to the right. Two stories high with loft windows. Traditional Flemish brickwork The stainless steel brew kit on view behind large windows in the brewery tap room
December 15, 2025 at 5:36 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
Back into Antwerp for Avec Les Bons Voeux in De Ware Jacob. Superb beer in a classic brown Café
A glass of Avec Les bons voeux in de ware Jacob. Neon style lights in view advertising Seefbier and duvet. Bench seating the background The wooden bar of de Ware Jacob showing down lights and a variety of taps including St Bernardus and Avec Les bons voeux
December 14, 2025 at 10:31 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
How to improve rail infrastructure: Antwerp Centraal - A triumph of engineering. A terminus that was excavated & converted to a through station. Luckily they didn't face the insurmountable challenges HS2 did like moving 5 holes at Whittington Golf course & spoiling the view of Fradley logistics park
View of the cathedral like interior of Antwerp central with staircase and clock Exterior view of Antwerp central beautiful architecture with it's cathedral like some in view A view of the lower platforms in Antwerp cathedral with a large reinforced concrete arch View of the lower platforms in Antwerp central station
December 14, 2025 at 9:54 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
Sunday (Day 2) at Essen Kerstbier festival is just as busy as Day 1. 200+ Christmas beers of which most are still available. Vicaris Winter absolutely sublime. If you're in CAMRA they even extend the courtesy of a free token. Book a hotel in Antwerp 40mins away and enjoy great bars like Beerlovers
Crowded table at Essen kerstbier festival with brewery flags overhead A glass of Vicaris winter with the bottle next to it A sign indicating a free beer token if you're in CAMRA A glass of beer at beerlovers bar with beer taps and plaques indicating what beers are available
December 14, 2025 at 6:06 PM
6townsmart.bsky.social
Unmissable. Day one at Essen kerstbier festival has been excellent. So many good beers to choose from a list of 200+ but the classics are always the best. De Glazen Toren Canaster Scotch Ale is quality. As a courtesy to visitors the beer programme is also available in a translated English version
Exterior view of the queue to Essen kerstbier festiva. A very long queue Interior view of Essen kerstbier festival with full tables A bottle of caster winter scotch with a glass of beer next to it An English programme for Essen kerstbier festival with a glass and pen next to it
December 13, 2025 at 8:03 PM