No.50 - Angel Hotel, Halesworth, Suffolk

Saturday 30th June, 2012

Well, the final pub visit of the day was upon us. It was now about 4pm which gave us about an hour or so to enjoy the delights of The Angel Hotel before our train departed from Halesworth station at 5.40pm. We left our bikes still secure at The White Hart and walked through the Thoroughfare to the pub.
Again, this was a 'walk in' off the town streets kind of pub, but a lot more classy to where we had just been. The building actually doubles up as an Italian restaurant in the evening, so it was very clean and bright. The 16th century former coaching Inn is in a prime spot, right in the heart of the town, so attracting regulars and day guests like ourselves would appear to be no problem.
The layout of the pub was quite different too with at least 3 fairly large bar areas for sitting and eating in, and also a large outside area which when we arrived was packed. We made base in the back bar and again had pleasant conversation with the girls behind the bar. Once more my efforts to obtain a couple of pump clips were flatly denied, even though originally one of the girls thought we wanted an actual barrel of beer!
With a good choice of beers on tap (Broadside, Bitter, Spindrift and Flame Runner) it was a final Spindrift of the day for me, very nice and very cold. Some of the spare change in the whip was now being used in the duke box and quiz machine, and Oh we were so close to winning big, but alas, thats all it was - just so close.
Time had caught us up a little and at 5.15pm we departed the Angel and sauntered back to where our bikes were locked up - thankfully they were still there. We biked back up to the train station where bang on 5.40pm our train arrived and by 6.10pm we had made it back to Wicken Market. A 10 minute bike ride and we were back at HQ in Blaxhall. A little leg weary, a little bum achey, a little beer tired, but all in all we were very pleased with our days work.
As a result of earlier discussions, a decision was made that we would head back to Wicken Market for a chinese meal for dinner. This would be via the showers and The Ship Inn just down the road from our YH. Not a great deal happened during the evening and we were home in time to see Murray win the tennis at 11pm - although I will just mention a racist taxi driver, a telephone plant, a Fish called Damo, Antony Worrell-Thompson !!
It had been a brilliant weekend and much thanks to my mates Ade, Andy and Damo. Thoughts now turn to Norfolk next summer. Cheers chaps !