As we appear to be heading into another month of unsettled and wet weather, one advantage of drinking real ale is that it can be done indoors in one of the many excellent pubs we have in the branch. But drinking on a lovely summer evening is something we all look forward to.

For the branch, the first few months of the year are hive of activity with the following all happening:

1. Good beer guide selection
2. Pub of the Year voting and presentation - well done to the Egerton Arms in Chelford
3. Community pubs month
4. Preparation for and involvement in the Macclesfield Beer Festival in May

I've also, somehow, got onto the team running the first beer festival in Bollington in late July. Part of the Bollington Festival fund raising process for 2014. There won't be a big CAMRA presence at this festival but several CAMRA members will be helping out.

Whilst there are still too many pubs closing, we're blessed in the area with some good news stories and general increase in "good pubs serving good real ale": The Wharf & The Macc in Macclesfield; Young Pretender & Lord Mountbatten in Congleton; Egerton Arms in Chelford and Alderley Sports & Social Club. The Cotton Tree in Bollington is undergoing a refurb and it looks much improved. This, on top of the well established and well run pubs gives us hope. There are rumours of a new bar opening in Alderley Edge, selling real ale which is, aside from the social club, a bit of a real ale desert.

CAMRA struggles to come to terms with the pressure to embrace what has been called "Craft beer" and trying to categorise it is probably doomed to failure. Let's just accept that we simply like good beer in a good pub and not get negative about the small scale  resurrection of keg. Whilst we don't have to actively campaign for it, neither should we criticise it or be negative about it. We, as a campaign, should remember that we are a campaign FOR something and not against something. After all, variety is the spice of life.

Nationally, our favoured drink is under threat from both the government with the beer escalator as well as a slightly uneasy increased pressure from the anti-alcohol lobby. Whilst we can't do much at branch level, CAMRA centrally has a big role to play. Please sign the e-petition at the bottom of the page.

My "other job" is writing www.camrahops.com and I'm pleased to report that all the London branches are coming on board this year. That adds a lot of pubs into the system and will give a great push to the national CAMRA online guide www.whatpub.com which will be launched soon. Quite where that leaves the GBG in a few years time is something CAMRA needs to debate...

Look forward to meeting some of you at the Macclesfield beer festival or at any of the socials.

Cheers, Rob
April 2012

PS. And PLEASE submit more beer scores into HOPS at www.camrahops.com

A great day was had by all those who went on the 12km walk arrange by Dave Atkins from Litton in Derbyshire, to Little Longstone, up (definitely up!) and over Longstone Moor to Wardlow Mires and then back to Litton. This route took in the stunning scenery of the white peak in the beautiful Peak District. Along the way, we visited three great pubs:

1. Packhorse, Little Longstone - a lovely quaint pub serving great food as we sat near the roaring fire looking at slightly unexpected but most welcome sunny weather
2. Three Stags Head, Wardlow Mires - a step back in time to this well known and treasured gem serving Black Lurcher from Abbeydale, a very dangerous beer when you plan to use your legs afterwards, which we did...  (note: only open Fri evening & Sat & Sun all day)
3. Red Lion, Litton - a popular food orientated pub (esp. so on a Saturday) for a pint

The group then took an unplanned detour via Buxton to Nats Kitchen (by car I hasten to add!) which at first glance seems like a very nice restaurant and not the kind of place you'd find four excellent real ales. Ideal venue to a meal with beer. There should be more of these around.

It was agreed that we should try and arrange more of these walks as we really are lucky in our branch to be so close to such lovely countryside and pubs. Of course, the weather has to be as kind as it was today.

Rob Nicholson, March 2012