One of the best ways to get out and about in West Yorkshire, especially if you fancy a beer while you’re out, is to take the bus.  The following trip starts at Keighley, gets on to a 760 bus, and we’ll work our way into Leeds over the next few issues.  The bus is cheap too; if you only want to use the 760, a day ticket is only £3 for the able-bodied under 60s.  If you want to use other buses, a Metro Day Rover is a snip at £5. Either way the bearer can get on and off the bus as often as they desire.

The pubs on the route of the 760 bus route from Keighley to Leeds. There are a lot of them, if not quite 760 in number.  Let’s start at Keighley Bus Station, but let’s look around before getting on a bus.

Livery Rooms, Keighley

Our conveyance will start west out of the bus station, head briefly north, before turning east down Cavendish Street. The first four pubs can more readily be reached on foot from the bus station. Near to the traffic lights at the top of Cavendish Street is the Livery Rooms,  a typical JD Wetherspoon’s outlet with 10 handpumps, one dispensing cider and often six different and rapidly changing guest ales.  This pub does all the things that Wetherspoon’s are famous for, some of them a little better than other similar outlets.

As the bus passes the vehicular entrance to the bus station, on the other side of the road is the Cavendish, a busy two-room town centre pub which features Tetley Cask Bitter.  A little way down Lawkholme Lane, which runs at right angles to Cavendish Street is the Volunteers, a cosy Taylor’s pub selling Golden Best and Best Bitter. Decorated with award-winning floral displays, outside both front and back, many of the regulars enjoy a horse-racing bet and are able to follow their choices’ fortunes on the many TVs.

The Volunteers, Keighley

Just before the bus turns right at the bottom of Cavendish Street, on the other side of the road, is the Victoria, which serves no real ale, so is best passed by. Having passed the bus stop for the train station and the new Asda, the route takes us past the sad sight of the Eastwood Tavern. This pub was part of a parcel sold to a property company based in Mayfair who appointed a part of Scottish and Newcastle to manage the pubs. Within months the pub closed, its boarded windows and door a monument to the dysfunction of the country’s pub ownership regime.

Set back off the road, just before the roundabout where the A650 dual carriageway ends, disgorging its traffic onto Keighley’s inadequate roads, is the Beeches, a Toby Carvery with accommodation that serves Tetley Bitter and Dark Mild. Banner advertisements for bargains on ale and/or food often adorn the boundaries to entice occupants of the passing traffic.

When the bus has negotiated the roundabout (now with added traffic lights in the forlorn hope of coping with the additional traffic attracted by the Asda), the next pub is the Bridge, a spacious opened-out pub with a conservatory and a fine garden featuring children’s playground architecture. The only cask ale is Tetley’s Bitter, but beware of being offered the smoothflow facsimile. There is a bus stop outside.

Having crossed the bridge over the River Aire, less than half a mile further on, is East Riddlesden Hall to the right next to the traffic lights at the junction with Granby Lane – the bus stop is just before the lights. The 17th Century hall is owned by the National Trust and often features events where Old Bear brewery beers are sold. Ian Cowling, of that ilk (the brewery, not the hall) recently celebrated his 50th birthday there.

However, a short way up Granby Lane, is the Marquis of Granby, a canal-side gem featuring Theakston’s Mild, John Smith Cask and Wells’ Bombardier. A warm welcome awaits from Joan, her son Ian, and a coterie of pretty barmaids (have you had your eyes tested recently? Ed), but not before 4pm Monday to Thursday, as the midday opening time only applies Friday to Sunday.

Nearly a mile further on is the Airedale Heifer, a former coaching house with a splendid garden for those clement days which seem all too rare. This food-led pub has three handpumps, but, on a recent visit, had only Taylor’s Landlord for sale – reflecting, perhaps, a lack of demand for the ale occasioned by the enticing wine list.

A further few bus stops takes us to the boundary of Keighley and Craven CAMRA branch’s area, which seems a good place to pause.  This part of the trip ends on a sad note with the Dalesway, a motel extension which serves no real ale. But, What Ho? I see some beguiling pubs ahead in Bradford branch’s area.

To be continued …