Anyone done the real ale trail?

We are going tomorrow but just wondered whether we'd be better buying a Day Ranger which will cost £20.50? I have priced up all the individual little journies and it comes to roughly £27. What are the chances of there not being a conductor on some of the journies to make it worthwhile just paying individually?

Or if anyone knows of a cheaper way regarding passes etc I'd be interested to hear it.

Cheers.

 

Last time we did part of it was on a Saturday afternoon, and we bought return tickets to Stalybridge (from Huddersfield), so we could hop off at Marsden and Slaithwaite on the way back in, which I think cost about half what you've quoted above. I've only done the full run once before and naturally I can't for the life of me remember how much we spent on tickets/travel as I was nicely oiled before we even left Huddersfield!

However if you're intending to manage all the stops on the trail, I'd think the £20.50 day ranger sounds like decent value. Although I've enjoyed plenty of journeys between Barnsley and Wakefield Kirkgate in the past where I've not had to pay due to no conductor, I've certainly never been on any of the trains on the real ale trail where that's been the case (it's probably too lucrative a route to slack off) so it's up to you if you want to take that risk.

Have yourself a cracking day tomorrow mate, and sink a few for me!

 

Not done that one....just buy the day ticket though and enjoy yourself rather than wondering if you can nab a ride for free.

We did one just on the Barnsley - Huddersfield line and had plenty pubs on the way.

 

We got a West Yorkshire Day Rover, a family rover costs £10-50 and is good for any 2 adults (and 3 kids). Slaithwaite is just outside of W. Yorkshire but we didn't have to pay any extra. We started in Leeds got a train to Slaithwaite then worked our way back to Dewsbury then to Wakefield to finish.
http://www.realaletrail.net/

 

Thank you all for your input, really appreciated.

 

I did it a few weeks ago and it is excellent. I would set aside a couple of hours to spend in Marsden. There are a few knobheads who can't handle their drink but overall it's a good atmosphere. I wouldn't worry about the train fare if you're spending £50 on ale. I think it cost us £17.

 

Cheers mate. Can I just ask if you or anyone else has done it on a Saturday before? A few stories online saying it's mad busy, both on the trains and in the pubs.

 

I've done it before. It does get very busy but IIRC we only paid for a return ticket and just got off and back on again.

 

Slawit is well within Yorkshire, as is the next stop, Marsden. The Riverhead (an Ossett brew-house pub) is an essential stop on an ale trail.

 

No but I've left a few....

 

Slawit is well within Yorkshire, as is the next stop, Marsden. The Riverhead (an Ossett brew-house pub) is an essential stop on an ale trail.

Oh and the Day Rover is £10.30 for 2 adults (+ kids if you must) and does you from Darton (which isn't in West Yorks, I know, but does count.)
Saturday ale trail is becoming a victim of it's own success. 'Udders train pubs have their platform side doors locked now and plastic glasses are the order of the day in many of the pubs along the line. One pub (The Brittania in Mossley, if you are doing the full trail) now only allows regulars in on Saturdays. Locks the doors upon the arrival of the stopper!
Half the tw*ts that do the trail now are drinking cookin lager and flaming Sambucas anyway so "ale-trail" has also become a misnomer.
Anyone thinking of doing the original Real-Ale trail (from long before Oz and James minced along it) it goes.

Leeds - Scarborough Taps
Batley - Cellar Bar
Dewsbury - West Riding Refreshment Rooms
Mirfield - Navigation Tavern
Huddersfield - Kings Head (old Station Tavern, not the horrible Head of Steam)
Slaithwaite - Swan (but Commercial is better now)
Marsden - Riverhead
Greenfield - Railway Hotel
Mossley - Brittania
Stalybridge - Station Bar (Black Peas essential)
Man Vic - Hare & Hounds (on Sudehill)