Take the M66 J1 and head south towards Bury. An innocuous side road, a few hundred yards off the…read moreA56, called Walmersley Old Road takes a surprisingly cobbled and twisting rise towards Nangreaves and the village of Mount Pleasant, high up on the moorland that dominates the landscape between Bury and Rochdale. The Lord Raglan stands proudly near the top of the hill at the edge of the village - an oasis in the midst of the barren, yet beguiling Lancashire moors.
There is probably nothing this pub lacks. One might quibble and say - a decent jukebox or pool table, but although I would usually cite both of those as key ingredients in the Ideal Pub - the pub that bides its time, unchanging and enduring in the realm of Platonic Forms - both would be out of place in this somewhat comprehensive establishment.
Essentially The Lord Raglan is a three legged dog, but as Michael Stipe once said, A three legged dog is still a dog and what a hound it is. The first leg is the restaurant, the main attraction for anyone travelling more than a few miles to this beautifully isolated outpost (although there is a very regular bus service to Bury and Manchester). Leg number two is the pub itself, nourished by leg number three - The Third Leg, if you will: Leyden Brewery, situated in the cellar beneath the pub itself.
The pub is eclecticly furnished with all manner of curios including ornate thrones, the odd far eastern relic and more traditionally rural items pertaining to the world of hunting. Somehow though, none of this is overfacing and the pub treads the fine line between cosiness and clutter very steadily. It is split into three large rooms - the restaurant, the main bar area which includes a small lounge and a further main lounge which affords spectacular views towards Holcombe Hill and Ramsbottom. Sunsets to through the lounge windows to the west are often mesmerising in the summer.
There is a congenial atmosphere throughout with a good ratio of locals to visitors and everyone seems happy to chat. That's not always the case in such rural establishments. The landlord and bar staff are efficient and friendly though not effusive - they leave the small talk out of it by and large. The service is of a good reliable and consistent standard, though there can often be a long wait for food - so prepare for this by arriving in plenty of time befor ethe hunger pangs become too painful. This is due to the small size of the kitchen, also situated downstairs.
The restaurant serves the gamut of traditional rural pub fare with the emphasis on meat. That encompasses grills and burgers, steaks, gammon and some excellent Bury Black Pudding Tower dishes. Hot steak sandwiches and the like are also served as lighter bites with specials including bakes, fish such as Red Snapper and Thai curries adding a less usual flourishto the menu. Whatever you order, make sure it comes with a helping of Raglan Fries - they are an essential part of the Raglan Experience. Desserts are also highly recommended and come in the form of traditional staples such as sticky toffee pudding, spotted dick and apple pie.
Diners are welcome in the restaurant itself or anywhere throughout the pub. My advice would be to go for a table in the one of the lounges as the ambience and mix of clientele is one of the main lures of this place. As you enter the main lounge, skirt along the bar and head up to the enormous table in the far left corner. It is surrounded by a very comfortable high backed leather couch and offers great views towards those sunsets.
The pub is dog-friendly and often hosts a variety of canines, even in the main lounge. Children are also welcome although there may be a time limit on having them at the bar. In summer, the outside seating also comes into its own for such puposes, althought the beer garden in the yard to the rear could be improved with a bit of TLC.
Perhaps the best reason to visit The Lord Raglan is the Leyden Brewery, the brainchild of Brendan, brother of Terry the landlord. It's a formidable micro-brewery offering a wide selection of fine ales. Four or five of those ales are usually on offer at any one time, including staples such as Raglan's Sleeve and Nanny Flyer (named after the local bus to Nangreaves) round about the 4% mark, the latter being the lighter. They range from Leyden's own wheat beers and premium style lager to Crowning Glory which approaches the sweeter style of 6% ales. Inbetween are classics such as Bury Forever (depicting the crest of Bury FC), Balaclava and Sebastopol Road and Charge of the Light Brigade. Other ales come and go and many are included in the annual (July 20th) beer festival - though it appears to me that the Raglan houses a permanent beer festival, such is the variety of choice available. Of course, they also serve the usual suspects such as lagers, Guinness and ciders on tap, but even those are accompanied by Frambozen fruit beers and white beers.
The Lord Raglan is a classic
