The Woodman, Fernham

Supposedly a pub since 1652, the Woodman is a friendly village pub near Shrivenham with regular GBG entries. It is currently run as both a pub and restaurant, and while it has a good selection of ales, the food seems to take priority. It appears to have been recently renovated, which makes the decor look a bit contrived. Three gravity dispensed beers in barrels behind the bar, pleasant staff and quiet clientele made this an enjoyable visit, topped off by an excellent pint of Abbott, which, although not always my first choice, was one of the best pints I've had for a while. Well worth looking for for lunch if you're driving in the Farringdon area, and would make a good inclusion in a motorised or cycle crawl in the White Horse area.

16 Sep 2010 06:43

Fox and Hounds, Uffington

This is a really pleasant country pub, 3 rooms, set in a quiet working village near the White Horse monument yet off the beaten track with a fairly new landlord. Dogs, ramblers and various other mammals are heartily welcomed. The food is excellent, the egg and chips being great value for money. Fish is a speciality, but only when delivered that day. I had a pint of Hobgoblin which was in first class condition. Well worth including in a country crawl, on a good route for cycling or it makes a good location for a meal and a pint. Most definitely worth seeking out.

15 Sep 2010 06:35

The Prince of Wales, Shrivenham

By far the best pub in the immediate area, the Prince of Wales is a lively, thriving business which caters for locals and (mature) students from the nearby Defence Academy. The bar single is large, but due to its construction (appears to be two houses knocked together) it seems to ramble and is difficult to negotiate at busy times. No electronic distractions, good food, real ale and a popular Tuesday pub quiz (which has been going on for at least 15 years), run by enthusiastic and pleasant staff, this is a pub worth going out of your way to find. There were 6 ales on this week, all Wadworths. I had a pint of George and Dragon, well-kept and highly enjoyable. Could be included in a motorised crawl, taking in the local villages, and I would be happy to spend an evening here anytime

2 Sep 2010 09:22