The Ackhorne, York

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.