The Castle, Tring

Had a dash up to this pub while on a coach trip in the area, and while the rest of the party were in another Tring pub. It is a Vale pub with 2 of their beers and a guest and we enjoyed the Vale Red Kite. Extremely busy in the small bar area with very loud football on both a TV and a large screen. It was very much a locals pub and dog friendly. We went outside where there was a pleasant quiet seating area.

The Castle is well situated at the edge of the Tring residential area but overlooking pasture. It used to feel pleasantly rural when sitting outside but the presence of the A41 beyond the fields may have lessened this. It looks like a local from the outside and feels like it on entering. The bar's to the left with a wood floor and various high stools and the odd table around the edge with the much larger lounge to the right with upholstered benches around the walls served by various tables and extra stools and chairs. Very traditional. Our visit found the bar busy with various locals quaffing and chatting and a friendly dog greeting newcomers. It's very welcoming with the genial governor playing mein host behind the bar and the regulars chatty and friendly. The Castle is now owned by Vale and two of their beers were on, Wychert and Red Kite, as well as Tring Sidepocket. A decent choice with only three handpumps and the Red Kite went down well. What's not to like, friendly and good beer? It would be my regular haunt if I lived in Tring.

Vale Brewery have taken over here and the pub has retained a community feel,we were greeted by the friendly locals on arrival and bid a fond farewell after enjoying well kept real ale.The interior is quirky with the bar is a small recess to the left of the entrance ,big enough for a handful of regulars although you may find bar stools blocking progress to the bar.The three handpumps will always offer two from Vale (Wychert and a very decent Red Kite on my visit) while the guest will usually be from Tring Brewery. The main body of the pub feels cast away from the bar but it does have bench seating running around three internal walls,has a traditional lounge feel despite the Sky flatscreen.There is a smaller screen above the bar for the locals. It's a good honest boozer with decent real ale from well respected brewers and if I lived locally I would pop in quite regularly for a quiet pint and a chat.A good double header with the nearby Kings Arms.

Very local feel, quite busy & I wondered if this was partly due to the nearby Kings Arms bizarrely closing Sat afternoons. A very large drop-down screen entirely covered one wall and the quality was probably the best I’ve seen for a projector-style set-up. The dartboard was in an adjacent corner so I doubt players would be popular during a match as the oche is right in front of the screen. Pride & Bombardier, the local atmos extended to kids doing drawings & stuff, good for the community but not for me.

Small friendly street corner local serving up to 4 real ales,3 0n handpump and one on stillage which on my visit was Landlord which was in perfect order.The landlady is very enthuiastic about real ale.