The word Glossop almost sounds like a big glug of ale doesn't it? And it just so happens that luckily, there are plenty of unique and brilliant boozers dotted about the town. These points of refreshment constitute a quite lovely day of ale trailing, where you’ll also get to see the beautiful sites of the town, perched on the edge of The Peak District National Park. 

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Wikipedia says:

The name Glossop is thought to be of Anglo-Saxon origin, named during the Angles' settlement in the 7th century, and derived from Glott's Hop—where hop could mean a valley,[2] a small valley in a larger valley system,[3] or a piece of land enclosed by marshes[4] and Glott was probably a chieftain's name

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But for the purposes of this exercise, let’s take ‘hop’ to refer to - a valley where you can [2] hop from pub to pub and [3] sample delicious beer hops as you go. So let’s hop to it!

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Here we present you with some options for a grand day out in Glossop, compiled by talking to the people who really ought to know, and including stories and points of interest along your (very) merry way. 

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You can mix and match from the options below, but one thing for sure is after reading this, you’ll have everything you need to plan a great day and night out in Derbyshire's most up and coming destination. 

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Never visited Glossop before? Find out more here and for those of you who already know that it’s the best darn place on planet earth, read on…

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Let's start your trip at the train station, because chances are you shouldn't drive today. Glossop is glorious enough to keep even the designated drivers in the group happy, but let’s see this is a chance to peruse glorious Glossop's streets on foot. 

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Travel

Trains run from Glossop - Manchester every half hour, with the last train generally leaving Glossop station at at 10.53pm most days, including Friday and Saturday. If you miss your train then don’t worry, here’s some local taxi companies that will sort you out. Ubers also make it this far of a weekend too, but support local! 

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Now the station itself is quite lovely, with rotating mini art exhibitions in the waiting room and local history info boards and poetry spilling onto the ticketing and platform areas, all curated by Friends of Glossop Station. There’s some lovely scenery from the platform and the journey to Glossop by rail is worth the trip in itself.

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Accommodation

There’s also a big Travelodge in the town centre if you’d like to make a weekend of it (quite a good idea), and some very pleasant boutique hotels and glamping spots dotted about too. Perfect! Nearby Woodcock Farm is lovely, within walking distance and you can get 10% the listed price if you book directly through their website here. Guests need to quote this article in the booking notes to qualify for the discount.

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Anyway, we digress from the real business at hand…

You've probably woken up early to get here, so grab a coffee and snack from Twig Coffee at the station to start the day (it's the sensible thing to do) or check out Dukes, A’bout Thyme, Two Hares, Glossop Cafeteria or Shepleys who all serve breakfasts, brunches and caffeinated kick starters for the fuel you'll need before you begin your trail in earnest. 

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And it’s at this point that you need to choose whether to-

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1) opt for the expanded route option and head to Old Glossop (15mins on foot) 

OR 

2) stay in Glossop town centre  and focus your crawl around here.


3) Stay overnight and do the lot!

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And here's a handy map you can save, share and create your own trail with.

Here's some details of your options...

Option 1:

Beginning in Old Glossop- The Hop and skip

Start time- 10am

End time- up to you!

Start location- Old Glossop (via the train station)

End location- Harvey Leonards/ Crystal Ballroom

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Starting in Old Glossop you have 3 or 4 historical, traditional, countryside pubs that are all about roaring fires, friendly dogs, muddy boots, sunny beer gardens and boast friendly atmospheres in a village setting. In terms of charm and looks, Old Glossop is hard to beat in terms of picture postcard credentials . 

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These establishments are, in no particular order, The Wheatsheaf , The Bull's Head and The Queen's Arms and all offer real ale and a lovely relaxed setting to begin your day. From these you absolutely MUST go to the Distant Hills Brewery  (open Thursday - Saturday) a 2 minute walk away. It is simply one of the best breweries in the UK, with a food offer to match so be sure to stay for lunch. On a sunny day their beer garden is the most vibrant and fun place to be in town.

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On the way back into Glossop centre (or on your way to Old Glossop) you should stop at The Commercial Inn (opens from 12pm Fri-Sun). This place has been serving thirsty Glossopians since 1839 and today is a brilliant spot for great ale and grub, with a programme of events that wouldn’t be out of place in neighbouring cities.

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So to sum up, the first part of Option 1 is:

Duration: 12pm- 3pm (ish)

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After this little excursion, you should be ready for a brief yomp back into town to pick up the trail where the less intrepid/ more sensible adventurers begin, at-

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Option 2:

Sticking to central Glossop- The Hop

Start time- 3pm (ish)

End time- late (if you want to)

Start location- Glossop train station

End location- Harvey Leonards/ Crystal Ballroom

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From the station exit, turn left and pop across the road into The Star Inn , Glossop's premiere cask ale pub (open from 1pm Saturday, 4pm Friday). This is the kind of pub without concepts or themes, just tables and chairs, conversation, catch ups and quality booze in a setting that could place you at any point in the last 100 years. A timeless place to socialise. Perfection.

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You won't want to leave, but leave you must. Your next stop in terms of proximity would logically be Harvey Leonard's (opens,but we'll save that beauty for a little later (it’s nice and lively later on). Instead, head to Cask and Kitchen on Norfolk Square, where you'll find quality craft beers and a modern twist on a traditional pub grub menu. It's small, warm and intimate here and the perfect place to grab a quick drink to maintain your momentum.

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You'll be back at Norfolk Square a little later on your loop, but for now, head to the historic hotspot that is The Oakwood joining former celebrity clientele like legendary philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, the one and only L.S Lowry and sharpshooters Annie Oakley and Buffalo Bill Cody himself, who used this spot as residence during his Wild West Roadshow tour  through the UK. Glossop has always been something of an atmospheric frontier town, as the gateway to The Dark Peak, but we'll save the cowboy shenanigans for another time eh.

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You could easily spend the whole afternoon in The Oakwood, now ran by Robinson's Brewery, but you've got places to go and people to see! As you leave The Oakwood, hop (again) across the road to The Bottle Store, an artisan spirits, cocktail and beverage related gift shop of the very highest order. This establishment would not be out of place in any major city! This is the perfect opportunity to pick up a local souvenir from The Hop so do give it a browse and you may even be allowed a sample! After getting your souvenirs sorted, 4 minutes of fresh air before The Globe will do you good.

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The Globe is perhaps Glossop's most famous public house, mainly due to its noisy heritage as a rock music venue (on the touring route between Manchester and Sheffield) that has welcomed stars way bigger than the room's capacity would suggest is possible to draw. That, coupled with the fact that The Globe was serving vegan pub grub before almost anywhere else in the country, make it a unique and surprising setting. The Globe continues both its loud and leafy traditions today, in another setting that time forgot, which allows the venue's stories and charm to take centre stage. It's impossible to have a bad time here.

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We really had to fit those High Street staples in, but now we’ll head back Norfolk Square and we’ll be there or thereabouts for the rest of your evening...

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By this time (6pm - ish), most of Glossop’s pubs and bars will be filling up, especially in the summer time. 

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In no particular order, you have to check out these places in and around Norfolk Square:

• The Two Hares Bar, just around the corner on High Street East has a couple of entrances, with the bar itself hidden away at the back of the deli or down a well signposted ‘warren’. Two Hares is the latest venture from the team that brought us Good Food Guide staple Hyssop (due to reopen soon). The bar serves high quality beers, wines and cocktails in a cavernous venue that’s a little different from the others on the list. Well worth a pit stop and by this time, you might want some of their award winning food.
• The brilliant Bar 2 is a must for cask ale fans. A friendly and lively micropub in the heart of town, serving a rotating, locally prioritised cask and keg offer. Not to be missed!
• Square West serves craft beer and cocktails if you’re getting a bit pint weary… It’s a great place to sit outside and soak up the atmosphere on the square, people watch and relax.
• The Victoria Lounge is a lovely traditional pub with great pizza and ales aplenty!

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The end is in sight and it’s one of the finest joints in town to end on. Harvey Leonard's is a veritable wine and craft beer library, with hundreds of tipples to choose from. Set in the dramatic old Conservative Club building (no political affiliation) it is safe to say this is one of Glossop’s favourite places to go for a drink and we’re sure you’ll see why! 

Above Harvey Leonards, The Crystal Ballroom is Glossop’s late night destination. Check out their listings for their eclectic club nights, which attracts DJs of international quality to the edge of the Peaks. We particularly recommend Dance Local, but you can check out their listings here.

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So to sum up Option 2:

Option 3:

Making a weekend of it and visiting these too-

The Hop, Skip and Jump!

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You can extend your crawl a little, as a bit further south, but really worth a visit are:

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The Labour Club

Open to non members and not affiliated to the Labour Party itself, The Labour Club, offers a wonderful friendly atmosphere and some great cask and keg beer options at very affordable prices. There’ll be performances and talks all year round so you might catch something interesting if you swing by on a Friday or Saturday, when they're usually open.

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The Crown Inn

From the town centre cross roads, heading 5 minutes down  Victoria Street and onto Charlestown Road you’ll come across this brilliant Sam Smith’s establishment with a pool and darts room and lots of handsome original features. It's a Camra guide favourite, so you know it’s good.

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The Beehive

Glossop’s worst kept secret! Into Whitfield and another 10 minutes walk from The Crown Inn, you have The Beehive, sitting on the edge of the hills. In this quirky and unique setting, you can choose from a dizzying range of whiskeys, a good selection of ales and order authentic, home cooked Thai food from the truly amazing in house kitchen. The surprising blend of traditional english pub and south east asian cooking gives this place the X factor and it really is worth the visit!

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The Mixologist

We have a feeling this will make it into most people's itinerary... Glossop's newest cocktail bar offers brilliant blends of gorgeous liquors in a lively environment, perfect for the ale weary amongst the crowd. They also do brilliant Mexican food as snacks in the bar or in the restaurant Taqueria upstairs. The Mixologist is open until late and definitely worth a visit towards the end of your trail.

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Thus concludes your crawl! We hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as we did testing it out (not that we can remember how it went). Below is some more practical information, very honourable mentions and an option to deviate ever so slightly from the plan.

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Remember to drink responsibly, stay hydrated, and pace yourself throughout the evening. Ensure you have a safe way to get home, such as designated drivers or public transportation options.

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Cheers to an unforgettable pub crawl experience in Glossop! Enjoy the lively atmosphere, meet new friends, and create lasting memories in the gateway to The Dark Peak.

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Have we missed somewhere that you love? Have any more recommendations? Let us know at hello@glossopcreates.com

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