Ladybower Inn, Hope Valley

A roadside inn that has a bus stop right outside, so I've previously called in here after a walk with a view to a spot of refreshment before catching the bus back to Sheffield. There are benches and tables in front so you can be sure not to miss your bus. Today, typical June weather, was too cold for sitting outside, so I had my first good look around inside. The beer selection, spread over five hand pumps, is a tad unadventurous: Bradfield Farmers Blonde, Greene King Ruddles, Acorn Barnsley Bitter, Black Sheep Bitter and Wells Bombardier. The first two I always avoid if I can, the others are ok if well kept, but are not exactly set-the-world-on-fire beers. I went for the Barnsley, and this was fine. The interior of the pub is a little complicated, with basically three rooms in line but with nooks and alcoves too. Every table was set up for dining, though not aggressively so. What was aggressive was the smell of cooking, at first fried fish, and later sausages. What was downright in-your-face rude was the musak, the sort of vacuous modern pop that needs to be played, if indeed it must be played at all, with the volume control at 1, not 11. With my ears and nostrils assaulted, I looked around for some visual respite, but unfortunately the wallpaper is just that: unfortunate. In a more relaxed mood I might have been prepared to forgive the we-don't care-if-they're-obviously-fake beams, but for me today they were the final straw. The whole experience put together says that no one really cares if customers here have a good time or not; it's just an off-the-peg pub. Admittedly it's not so bad that I'd want to complain, but neither is it good enough for me to want to return. There are many delightful pubs in the Peak District. This is not one of them.

Called in on the 28th of May at dinner time quiet busy for food had a nice pint of Ruddles county its a pub to call in if in the area full of character. Well worth a run out too

Official site of the Ladybower Inn, contains menu - www.ladybower-inn.co.uk

Official site of the Ladybower Inn, contains menu - www.ladybower-inn.co.uk