After a grey start to the day, our journey concluded in the lush rural outskirts of Bilsborrow, Preston. Guy’s Thatched Hamlet was quite overwhelming, more like a village, or a theme park than a pub or tavern. A drink by the canal was good place to start, it seemed, after having to squeeze past the colossal queue for food leading out the door. I did however, manage to muscle my way to the bar.
From the long list of guest ales displayed on the blackboard, I selected the Pendle Witches Brew (a Lancastrian ale) and settled down canal-side to plan our itinerary.We decided to take a short stroll around the site, passing canal boats, and lots of locals with their dogs. We explored the various smoke emporiums, gift and curios shops, getting a great sense of nostalgia. This quaint hamlet holds many elements in its folds. And we were pleasantly surprised as we passed a three piece rag-time band, playing superb Clarinet and Trumpet solos outside Guy’s very own version of Hi-di- Hi. The red arrows passed overhead as we continued to the 18th Annual Oyster festival.
Upon entering the tent, we were greeted by the smell of hot carvery beef and bouncy castles, as hoards of children with hula hoops begged their parents to watch them. It was Family Fun Day after all. I just came for the Oysters though.
As I approached the bar to buy my first Guinness and my vouchers for the Oysters, my heart sank as I was informed that they were out of Oysters completely! After guzzling their way through 7,000 Oysters so far, in all honesty, I wasn’t surprised. So instead, I opted for the next best thing, clam chowder and a seafood salad...
At £3.50, the Clam Chowder was rich and creamy, not quite as chunky as I’d have liked but it had a lovely texture all the same. Contrasting with the coarse grain in the traditional Irish wheaten bread with lots of butter, this was a meal in itself.
The seafood salad was a more substantial £8.50 and plenty for two people to share! Consisting of crab claws, salmon fillets, mussels, prawns with Marie Rose sauce, king prawns, coleslaw and a salad garnish, there were so many elements to choose, from this fresh, simple dish.
The entertainment continued as we watched the cricket outside. The Irish band had taken a break and the children eagerly awaited the Punch and Judy show. We watched in awe as Uncle Martin persuaded the children to wake up Punch!
This festival has something for everyone. As young city-dwellers, used to going to pubs and clubs, this made a nice change, as we were able to explore at our leisure and sample the many delights that Guy’s has to offer. We wound down the day with a friendly game of pool in ‘Owd Nell’s Canalside Tavern and vowed that next year, we’d be getting there earlier for the Oysters!
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