The Railway Hotel, Marsden

 

The Railway Hotel, 34 Station Road, Marsden HD7 6DH

01484 841541

 

Like all 'railway' pubs, this is near a train station - less than a quarter of a mile from Marsden station - but it is also within walking distance of the dramatic scenery of Marsden moor.

 

decor - 4

ambience - 4

comfortable furniture, light and spacious interior, if a bit bland. Has one single large room.

 

service - 4

very friendly

 

features - 4

beer garden

serves food

child friendly

permits dogs

 

ale - 3

 

toilets - 5

pristine and fully supplied

 

Score 24 out of 30  

 

 

A couple of interior shots, early on a weekday

 

 

Marsden Moor, with the Spillway leading down from the reservoir to the left. There is currently a local campaign to preserve the Spillway, as United Utilities are planning ot replace it with a concrete version, instead of the local gritstone (which is much more pleasing to the eye and blends with the landscape.)



The Carriage Horse, Marsden

The Carriage Horse, Manchester Road, Marsden HD7 6NL
01484 844419

Bryn Clough reservoir and the Pennine Way, are just a few hundred yards along the A62 from the Carriage Horse. Many walkers doing the Pennine Way use it for an overnight stop. This small reservoir used to supply water to a local mill, and was later used to supply water to the Huddersfield Canal, which runs under the hills here through the Standedge Tunnel. You can see the ventilation shafts for the tunnel on the hill next to the pub, and across the road is an ancient spoil heap produced when the tunnel was being dug out.

The Carriage Horse is another restaurant pub and also a B&B, quarter of a mile nearer to Marsden than the Great Western on the same road; you can see one pub from the other. It also has a camping and caravan site next to it. It is open from 6pm weekdays, 12pm on Sunday. 

Ambience - 4
decor - 4
well maintained

service - 4
Prompt and welcoming, slightly better than the Great Western, at least on the day I was there

ales - 1
One guest ale

features - 4
serves food
location - fantastic moorland views
child friendly, children permitted in the restaurant area
has accommodation (look at the pub's own website for details)

Toilet - 3
clean, but was short of loo paper

Score 20 out of 30

The Great Western, Marsden

 The Great Western, Manchester Road, Marsden, HD7 6NL
01484 844315

Redbrook Reservoir, across the road from the pub. It has a sailing club, and people do outdoor swimming here during spring and summer.

This pub is just over the Lancashire border into Kirklees. I have stepped off the Oldham-Huddersfield bus here several times, but am always awed by the wide open spaces. It is right in the middle of the Pennine Moors. The Pennine Way crosses Manchester Road just 400 yards from the pub by  Bryn Clough reservoir. On the side of the nearest hill you can see chimney-like structures, which are ventilation shafts for the Standedge Tunnel on the Huddersfield Canal; it runs under the hills here and comes out at Marsden, from where the Canal and River Trust (formerly British Waterways) runs boat rides through the tunnel in summer. 

    The Great Western serves food at lunchtime and in the evenings, but you may want to phone to check the opening times in case they change; last year (2012), it seemed to be frequently only open in the evening.

Ambience - 4

Decor - 4

Light and bright, newly decorated

Service - 3

Pleasant, friendly staff. 

Ale - 3 

Usually three guest ales available

Features - 2

Serves food 12.30 till 2pm and 5pm - 8.45pm Tuesday to Saturday. Phone 01484 844315 to book

Location (more pictures below)

Toilet - 5

Can't fault it - newly decorated, clean, and fully stocked with loo paper and soap

Score 21 out of 30

About a mile from the Great Western on the Pennine Way you come to this view, which is looking down on both Uppermill and Castleshaw valleys.