The Ackhorne, York

The Ackhorne is a decent sized historic pub that is extremely easy to miss by virtue of its secluded location down a narrow alleyway off Micklegate. The pub has an open plan layout, although the split level interior does help to create some distinctively separate areas within. The main bar is on the right hand side of the rear wall in a bare boarded space, with a traditional counter sporting some nice patterned panels and a more modern looking canopy covered with unsightly blackboards. As you move over to the left, you find yourself in a carpeted space with plenty of dark wood fixtures and a lot of old pictures and photos lining the walls. There is a good deal of seating available here most of which looked pretty solid and comfortable enough, although a decent Friday evening crowd meant that a number of us elected to stand in the open area to the left of the bar. There is a fireplace on the back wall and I noticed a collection of tankards on a high shelf, all of which helps to enhance the traditional feel the pub has. To the rear is a very wide raised space with dark floorboards, additional seating, a dartboard and views out to the rear patio area which appeared to be raised further still. Another good ale range could be found here - a recurring theme in York - with options on this visit being Cameron's Strongarm, Roosters Yankee, Wychwood Hobgoblin, Saltaire Blonde and Atom Blonde Ale plus Weston's Old Rosie cider. I gave the Saltaire Blonde a try and was pleased to find it was kept very well. This is a likeable pub that avoids the weekend crowds thanks to its unassuming location, making it a good bet for a city centre, late-night weekend option. I felt the place didn't quite match up to some of the other excellent pubs visited on our crawl, but would still rate the place highly and can't imagine it would disappoint most pub and beer aficionados.

Located to the right of the Ackhorne’s entrance is the bar that supports six hand pumps and fonts for standard draught in addition to San Miguel and Staropramen. There is a seating area at the rear that also houses a dartboard, but there was no visible oche and it would have been near impossible to move the furniture for a game. There was some low dance music playing, but this was inaudible over the chatter of the punters. Out the back is a beer garden. This is a decent enough pub that is worth a visit if passing.

For a fair-sized pub, this place is easy to miss in a narrow cobbled lane off Micklegate. Traditional furniture and decor in the main bar, side snug and raised seating area. Rear patio beer garden. Six handpumps, with a variety of real ales - including Hobgoblin and Atom Pale - plus a cider.

Tucked away down an alleyway, this pub is a lot larger than it looks from the outside, stretching back quite a way. I thought it looked a bit "faux ancient", but it's really quite old, which just shows how appearances can be deceiving. This was my last pub of the day of the PuG York crawl, so maybe I was getting a bit jaded by then. Anyway, I quite liked it nonetheless. It still had a bit of a homely feel even though it was a fairly central pub. It's certainly worth the effort of finding out which alleway it's hiding in!

A traditional pub located in an alleyway just off of Micklegate, it’s easy to miss if you don’t know it’s there, and in fact can be tricky to find even if you do, as was the case on a recent PuG visit. The main bar has a wood strip floor with leaded glass windows to the front. Red leather button back banquet seating is around much of the perimeter, and there were plenty of black beams on the ceiling giving a cosy ambience and these had a number of jugs and such like hanging from them. A snug to the left was separated from the main bar with some wooden partition with stained glass. This had green paintwork and was carpeted with a number of black and white portrait photos dotted around. An old black fire-place was at the rear as well as a covered darts board. Beers on tap were Hobgoblin, Roosters Yankee, Atom, Saltaire Blond and Camerons Strongarm. Ciders were well represented, with Strongbow and Old Rosie on tap, plus more Old Rosie and Rosie’s Pig being dispensed from a couple of boxes on the end of the bar.

Easy to miss located down a narrow cobbled alleyway off Micklegate this is a nice and friendly pub well worthy of seeking out. There is a low beamed ceiling, a flagged floor around the bar area then boarded at the far end where there is a slightly raised area, it is clearly quite an old building. There is a fireplace at the far end and a high shelf here contains toby jugs, various jars, pots of trailing ivy and other bric-a brac. The pub name is actually pronounced "acorn" and in fact the pub sign depicts a trio of such. I seem to recall someone telling me that this is an old English spelling of the word. Six handpumps, Hobgoblin, Rooster's Yankee, Saltaire Blonde, Cameron's Strongarm, something from Atom that I couldn't read properly plus Old Rosie cider. Three other Weston's ciders were in boxes at the far end of the bar. Live music was advertised and there is a small garden area through a door to the rear.

Well worth a visit we found it by accident been to York many times but it was one we missed but will make it a calling spot from now on when in York

Hidden away down a side street just off the micklegate. 5 real ales on and live music advertised.