Pints of View Summer 2026 - the branch magazine of Mansfield & Ashfield CAMRA.
Stagecoach 1 Route
Woodfordes Nog complementing Batemans Eggs-B and a brace from Full Mash in Shoreline and Illuminati - the latter of which I had to look up, as it was hard to tell from the pump clip. There seemed to be a party of some kind going on, so I retired to one of the front rooms where I could read a CAMRA branch magazine I hadn't seen before while enjoying my ale.
I again mulled over whether to walk to the next pub or take the bus, and in the end decided to walk. Either way, it doesn't take too long to get to the Bold Forester. The Greene King pub, situated on Botany Avenue, operates under the Hungry Horse banner and hosts drinkers and diners alike in a split- roomed arrangement, where one half is over 18's only and features a pool table and numerous large screens to show live sport. Ales on offer were Greene King Abbot, Titanic Plum Porter, Abbeydale Deception and Ossett Excelsius.
Back onto the bus and into Sutton, my first stop was at Speed The Plough. The pub has been in the care of Alby and Mandy since 2007 and is very much community-focused, with most nights of the week featuring activities such as guitar lessons, open mic, karaoke and bingo. The pub has LocAle accreditation, with up to three ales available, usually from Blue Monkey and Shipstone's. On my visit, Blue Monkey BG Sips and Shipstone's Gold Star were available, from which I picked the BG Sips - a lovely session pale, which is one of my favourite Blue Monkey ales.
Speed The Plough
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Back on the bus for the short ride into Sutton town centre brought me to the 2025 branch Pub of the Year winners, FireRock. The pub is another LocAle champion, with all three sticks regularly featuring local breweries, from Pentrich to Two Matts, and of course, their own ales brewed on-site. There's an embarrassment of riches for craft-keg fans, with over ten always available, including sours and often one or more imperial stouts. On my visit, two of their own were on cask: core stout Kill The Ghosts and Phantom Pigeon Sticker Bomber, and one from Weekend Project called The Circus.
FireRock
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Deciding it would take longer to ride the bus than to walk, the next pub was again reached on foot. The Picture House is a JD Wetherspoon pub and former cinema in the centre of town, which opened at the turn of the century. During my visit, it was as busy as ever, and four out of the six guest pumps featured Magpie Brewery, with Nottingham Mild, Nottingham Session, and Cherry Raven Porter complementing Titanic Plum Porter. I find Cherry Raven is always a good choice, and it was no different in this instance.
One last ride into Huthwaite and my last stop before heading home was at the Market Inn, where the bus drops you off right outside. There's usually one or two ales available, often from Lenton Lane, Shiny or Ossett. The pub picked up branch Pub of the Season awards in both Spring 2024 and Summer 2025 and has featured in the last two Good Beer Guides, which is a testament to the quality of the ale here. On my visit, I had Hazmat from local brewery, Beermats, which was a nice way to round off the day.
Of course, you could jump back on and head out of the branch into Alfreton, but these are my picks for the Stagecoach 1 route within the branch borders. Would you have done it any differently?
Market Inn
Summer 2026 Pints of View | 13