The Waggon and Horses, Nottingham

The Waggon and horses is a lovely looking village pub set back from the road in the green settlement of Bleasby near Southwell. We walked a few miles down country lanes from Fiskerton to get here so were ready for a drink. Despite what Whatpub claims there are only five beers available here and not seven, something the barmaid conformed. There are two rooms to choose from as you enter but I only ventured into eh right hand side bar room. Low ceilings and a small standing space with the small bar on the left hand side that passes through into a knocked through room with a few tables, several Winchester chairs and a lovely open fire in the colder months. The decor is nice and traditional but with a modern, high end feel to it with white walls, exposed brick and hard wooden floors, everything feels very new and clean. The beer options were the bland and boring Doombar (seriously why even bother) Timothy Taylors Landlord and two from Blue Monkey (BG Sips and Infinity) as well as one hand pull reversed. The landlord, a beer I a feel publicans find notoriously difficult to keep right no matter how competent was cool, rich and rather good but at an alarmingly hefty price of £4.10!! That is rally pushing it even for a well off village like this one. Overall this was a very pleasant sop off on our tours of greater Southwell villages and probably the pick of the bunch. I would return here when doing the run again but at £4.10 for Taylors would probably choose one of the local brews.

Enjoyed our visit here yesterday, and had a good meal as well as some good beers. It is very much a friendly locals pub, and welcomes walkers even with muddy boots and paws. Enjoyed our Blue Monkey Funky Gibbon here.

I nearly didn't stop here, as I initially approached the pub through the pot-holed car park, from which aspect it looks particularly unattractive, but when I stopped to photograph the pub sign further down the road, it became clear that what I had seen was the back of the pub. The front is another thing altogether, so I leant my bike against a fence and made my way inside. There are two doors off the entrance porch, the "village lounge" to the left being unexplored be me on this visit. The main bar to the right is a fairly basic room, though very pleasant and featuring a brick fireplace. Further round is a lounge with low arm chairs and a piano. On the bar are six hand pumps, most of which had beers available - one being changed soon after I arrived. The vast array of former pump clips testifies to an enthusiasm for real ale, and the landlord was friendly and welcoming too. Beers available were Batemans XB, Sharps Doom Bar, Blue Monkey PG Sips and Ludlow Best. I had the latter, which lived up to its name, being a very good beer in good condition. One for the notebook.

A very attractive and friendly village pub situated close the the River Trent. The landlord is welcoming, knowledgeable on both his own beers and the local real ale hostelries and is very happy to discuss them and make recommendations. Our visit found Warwickshire Beer Company Duck Soup, Worthington Red Shield, Blue Monkey BG Sips, Vale VPA and Nottingham Rock Mild on. Everything we tried was in good condition and the landlord encouraged us to try one or two of his favourites. An excellent country pub with a good selection of top quality ale.

A genuine and very friendly country pub with a particularly good selection of real ales.To the left of the entrance there is a room set up for dining with rustic type furniture and it's own bar counter.We were only there for the beer and so went right into the public bar which has a settle and a few tables and chairs infront of the handpumps with another section with a fire place and more seating.Locals gather here but the old school landlord makes stangers feel at ease and there is much chatting and banter.Among the five handpumps ,there will always be a Blue Monkey beer on,the excellent BG Sips on my trip,together with rotating guests which normally include a mild. Dog friendly,and happy to have walkers and boaters from the nearby Trent ,The Waggon is correctly listed in the 2012 GBG,and has won local CAMRA awards. I would strongly recommend a visit for a step back in time to when a landlord really cared about his beer and the many customers of his house,be they local or visitors.