The White Horse, Slough

Not much I can add to the excellent description of the White Horse by John below, except to say that the numerous CAMRA awards displayed above the serving counter have now been joined by one for Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead CAMRA pub of the year for 2011 and it apparently polled over a 3rd of the votes cast. As John mentions, as well as the permanent Rebellion IPA, there are up to 7 other ales available from the cask as well as real ciders and a draft Belgium beer. And the Ale choice is usually well balanced, with a choice of Mild’s, seasonal ales and strong ales usually available. For example last Thursday evening the range available was The Verulam Brewery Dark Mild, Allgates Sybilla, a Czech style Pale Ale. Milltown Sludders Gold (brand new Huddersfield Brewery opened in July 11) Hadrian and Border Brewery Farne Islands Bitter Wincle Waller, a Pale ale from the Wincle Beer Company Klein Kolsh, a Belguim style beer from the TigerTops Brewery in Wakefield And a Binghams brew from the Twyford Micro brewery. To confirm, a Grade II listed country pub, brimming with character and an extensive range of frequently changing ales. Pub’s don’t get much better than this.

Every now and then, I make a specific trip to visit a pub that has appeared on my radar. Sometimes one returns disappointed, thinking “Why the heck did I bother ?”. My visit to The White Horse in Hedgerley last Sunday certainly did not fall into that category. It’s a remote Grade 2 listed 15th century village pub with a fine setting in the Buckinghamshire countryside a few miles outside Gerrards Cross. A picture postcard cottage style whitewashed exterior features attractive flower boxes and an old style central entrance under a V shaped porch. Several old wooden plaques high up on the wall tell us that the pub won the First Prize in the Wethered Flower Competition in 1984 and 1988. The pub is next door to the village church and there’s decent walks in the area. On the left as you go in is the small characterful public bar. This features a flagstoned floor, wooden bench seats and an inglenook in which there are several padded seats ( mind your head !). A low ceiling with blackened beams complete the traditional feel. Walls are decorated with local pictures and maps and include a photo of a South Bucks Home Guard Platoon in 1944. Despite not being a big room, space is found for a dartboard. Board games and dominoes are also available. The lounge bar is larger, carpeted and retains a cosy comfortable and traditional unspoilt feel. Jugs and pots hang down from the dark beams. Horse brasses, timber frames and exposed brickwork also feature. A collection of pump clips and various framed CAMRA award certificates bear testimony to the extensive range of real ales that have been served here over the years. Of specific interest is a framed deed of sale document dating back to 1814 recording the transfer of the property from private ownership to Thos Wethered and Sons Brewery. Opposite the small bar counter is a small deli-style food counter where a variety of cheeses, meats, salads etc are sold. Home cooked hot food is also available at lunchtime, but, pleasingly, it’s most definitely first and foremost a drinkers pub. Needless to say, there’s no TV’s, music or fruit machines. From this bar, a door leads out to an outside covered patio area and an attractive sloping landscaped garden. This really is a proper working garden and features potting sheds and plant beds. Pathways lead off in a seemingly random fashion to a number of different seating areas with park style seats and benches. There’s also a few seats outside at the front of the pub. A BBQ was due to start at 4 pm on the afternoon of my visit. On the real ale front, beer is served to both bars from the cask from a room behind the small hatched bar counter. Rebellion IPA appears to be the one regular beer. A further 7 or 8 micro brewery beers from around the country are also on the go at any one time. My visit last Sunday lunchtime happened to coincide with the pub’s “19th Nervous Breakdown Annual Beer Festival” held over the Whitsun Bank Holiday in a beer tent at the top of the garden in which over 120 beers in total, largely from micros, appeared over the 4 days. There were a few names that I had heard of and encountered previously ( eg – Allgates, Blindmans, Church End, Ossett ), but a good number that I hadn’t ( Devilfish, Junction, Loch Leven, Raw, Stray Dog and Wood Farm to name but a few ) and it is pretty clear that the Gill Halfpints of this world would have had a field day. The beer list ( a copy of which could be obtained on receipt of a token donation to the chosen charity – Help for Heroes -) even had a box where you could record your tick. Of particular note was Beowulf’s Walsall Gold, a beer ( not sampled ) with an advertised ABV of 9.5% at a price of £ 4.00p per pint. Other beers of more modest gravities tended to range from £ 3.00p to £ 3.45p. The pub has been a CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular over the years where the narrative descriptions have included such phrases as “the word gem undersells this rural real ale drinkers paradise” and “pubs do not get much better than this”, sentiments with which it is difficult to disagree. It cost me £ 12 day return on the train ( Marylebone – Gerrards Cross ) followed by a 3 mile walk down country lanes to get there and I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again. This really is one of the best pubs that you are ever likely to visit and, irrespective of the beer festival, I have no hesitation in scoring it the full 10 out of 10. You really should make the effort to do this one.