The Hare and Hounds country pub at Westgate in Weardale

BBC - BBC Food blog: How to pair food and beer - part one

2012-01-31T09:42:00.000Z

BBC - BBC Food blog: How to pair food and beer - part one

Beer for dogs: Man's best friend can enjoy a pint at Newcastle pub Brandling Villa | Mail Online

2012-01-09T17:51:00.002Z

Beer for dogs: Man's best friend can enjoy a pint at Newcastle pub Brandling Villa Mail Online

This story has gone global to day

China, India Italy, Slovenia, France, Australia, Canada, ITV North East News, Chris Evans on BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio Newcastle, Real Radio, Sky, Talk Radio Europe, The Daily Mail & now....mighty Durham

Bye George

2012-01-09T17:41:00.002Z

George the famous ginger cock of Westgate has sadly died of old age, I found him this morning, as if he was sleeping sitting on 4 eggs in a nest box. A great old boy a truly gentle cockerel.

Congratulations to the Free Trade Inn Byker

2011-12-30T13:24:00.001Z

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/evening-chronicle-news/2011/12/29/newcastle-s-free-trade-inn-named-among-best-72703-30029008/

The Free Trade Inn has been named among the best ten pubs in Britain.

Gobble gobble

2011-12-29T13:27:00.001Z

New arrivals at cluckingham palace. Colin and Alison’s Christmas gifts from Dale Head.

MERRY CHRISTMAS , Note,,,These birds are not for eating.

Christmas dinner 2011

2011-12-28T16:24:00.001Z

Keith carving the Christmas dinners at the Hare and Hounds

WeardAle Brewery one year on.

2011-12-22T15:48:00.001Z

It’s practically a year now since Colin built his first brewery in the cellar of the pub. Since then he has been brewing great beers, which are now recognised by Camra and are in their Good Beer Guide.

WeardAle Brewery is currently expanding and Colin is currently building his new bigger and more efficient brewery.

Merry Christmas carols

2011-12-22T15:33:00.001Z

The Stanhope youth band entertained the good folk of Westgate with seasonal tunes.

more photos turn up from Beerfest.

2011-11-21T16:14:00.001Z

HAPPY MAN

Another happy man

Shock Horror, Colin drinks coffee!

2011-11-21T15:59:00.001Z

Liberation for Haswicks

2011-11-21T15:49:00.001Z

With work continuing at a slow pace on the upgrading of Haswicks Bridge, the people of Westgate were becoming increasingly angry and frustrated.

A temporary foot bridge has at last been built over the River Wear reuniting the Village again.

Graeme Pears memorial 2011 pool tournament

2011-11-12T14:49:00.001Z

Hi all hope to see you all again and remember Graeme and have another great day, entries in for around 1.30pm anyone who cant make it for that time either mail me or txt or call me on 07710124374

Carlos Graham

The Bear and Hounds

2011-09-25T19:00:00.002+01:00

Hare and Hounds Sea Angling Club go for a few drinks.

2011-09-21T18:11:00.003+01:00

WeardAle Brewery sent a barrel of Bitter & Twisty to the Darlington CAMRA Rhythm & Brews 2011 Beer Festival at the Darlington Arts Centre.
A few of us made our way out of Westgate, to sample the tough competition from over 50 cask conditioned ales by Great Britain’s finest small breweries, all on hand pull.
A wonderful time was had by all. Between our four beer drinkers we could only manage to sample 46 of the casks. (Must do better next time)
Alison and I also managed to see some art, what a bonus!
The Festival made a donation to the Great North Air Ambulance http://www.greatnorthairambulance.co.uk/

Happy boys!

Darts team venture out of the Dale.

2011-08-06T16:45:00.001+01:00

The darts team and their partners travelled in the community bus to The Four Alls pub, in Ovington for a social night. We enjoyed good food, real ale and darts. http://www.thefouralls-teesdale.co.uk

Kerens A braver girl than me.

2011-08-04T19:17:00.001+01:00

http://www.justgiving.com/Keren-Clarke

Keren is doing a parachute jump for charity, If you would like to make a donation please click the link to Just Giving above.

The best house. Sea Fishing Club at a big pond in Teesdale

2011-07-06T19:13:00.001+01:00

Top Dog and Top Cucumber

2011-07-05T16:56:00.002+01:00

As Colin launches his Top Dog Beer Ali launches her Top Cucumber (1st) from her Garden of Eden, or as she calls it the poly tunnel.

End of the darts season

2011-06-18T17:42:00.000+01:00

Micheal Ginty received his trophies for the highest finish in the league a 170 checkout and for being in the finals of the doubles.

Familiar furnishings

2011-05-07T16:18:00.001+01:00

These photos are from the peoples collection at Beamish museum and show the interior of the chapel at High town Westgate.

To regular drinkers in the Hare and Hounds the pews and metal grills will be familiar to them as they were to the regular congregation of the former chapel. The pub and the Chapel were built by the same masons in the early 1790's. When the chapel ceased to be a place of worship some of the chapel fittings were removed and had a new lease of life in another place of popular worship.

lips that touch liquor

2011-04-08T13:27:00.000+01:00

Buff Beer

2011-04-08T09:49:00.001+01:00

To mark the retirement of George, the pubs Buff Orpington cockerel Colin has brewed a new beer. George was Alison’s pet bird and she has named this beer “Ginger Cock” its 3.8%vol refreshing and bright, a beer for the summer. This is a brand spanking new beer on its first apperance in the pub and its selling well.

Colin's Bitter and Twisty

2011-03-18T00:32:00.005Z

Colin has produced the finest yet. the new brew 'Colin's Bitter and Twisty' is superb to say the least. The first barrel was released to the consuming masses and was gone within hours!! A barrel has been taken to the beer festival in Darlington this week. It's so good the locals have been rationed because he can't brew it fast enough.......yet!. To all those who love their beer - come and enjoy.
As an aside, the Hare and Hounds Darts team have almost slayed the giant of the Golden Lion (2nd in the League) by leaving them a difficult victory of 7-5 to the lion. Well done!

Worst snow storm of last year.

2011-03-11T12:04:00.002Z

BBC “Bang goes the theory” broadcast last night researched the worst snow storm in Britain last year was in Westgate in Weardale ,Co Durham :

On the 2nd of December 2010. In 24 hours, 55cm. of snow fell on Westgate with a temperature of -5 degrees centigrade, together with a wind speed of 40mph resulting in a wind chill of -30 degrees.

Michael Ginnty remembers it well. He said “That’s the night the mushrooms growing on my toilet door died”

Postscript: Last night the darts team were Winners

George retires

2011-03-01T23:10:00.001Z

George the big ginger cockerel from the pub has been replaced by a young pretender. George has gone to live in retirment and is very happy with a small flock of young hens in Westgate allotments.

WeardALE new brew due

2011-01-25T21:20:00.001Z

Colin's latest brew will be available on Thursday 27th Jan.

Yorkshire puddings to die for.

2011-01-17T14:36:00.001Z

The ever popular Sunday Carvery at the Hare and Hounds continues to attract dinners from all along the Dale and throughout the county. On Sunday 16th January, the kitchen and carvery excelled, producing good food for all the dinners. As always it’s all down to team work and the team certainly worked together this week. The Yorkshire puddings were exceptional, with the batter made by Margaret, using her authentic Yorkshire recipe.
Postscript : I forgot to mention, Colin and Alison were having a wonderful holiday in Mexico trusting their
staff to look after the hungry folk of the county.

170 check out from Michael (Haswicks)

2011-01-08T09:41:00.003Z

Extraordinary scores on Thursday when the H&H red shirts (the darts team) took on the Cross Keys. We came second, 5 games to their 7. It goes without saying we should have won more.

However some great scores from our team. Tony managed a brilliant 180 followed by a truly spectacular 170 check out from Michael (Haswicks)

Happy New Year

2010-12-31T16:22:00.000Z

Colin and Ali would like to wish all their regular customers a Happy New Year.

HARE O'THE DOG

2010-12-21T14:22:00.002Z

Coming very soon to the bar of Hare and Hounds Westgate.

It's very own brew. from the WeardALE Brewery.
Hare o'the Dog

2010-12-08T19:12:00.002Z

Carlos Graham

a very big thank you to every one who was at and contributed to the graeme pears memorial pool tournament was a great day

2010-12-02T10:02:00.002Z

Graeme Pears Memorial Pool Tornament

2010-11-26T11:08:00.000Z

Graeme Pears Memorial Pool Tournament
Time Saturday, December 4 · 1:30pm - 4:30pm
At theHare & Hounds, Westgate

Hi all hope to see you all again and remember Graeme and have another great day, entries in for around 1.30pm anyone who cant make it for that time either mail Carlos or txt or call me on 07710124374

Wax wings in Westgate

2010-11-13T18:30:00.000Z

Alisons Photos of Wax Wings that she seen today out side the bar.

WeardALE Brewery

2010-11-01T14:57:00.001Z

First Brew at WeardALE Brewery, bringing brewing back to Westgate in Weardale.

It’s a big day for Colin; it’s a big day for the customers of the Hare and Hounds at Westgate.

For a long time now, there has been talk of a new brew in the Dale. Brewing starts today at the WeardALE Brewery.

Over the last year Colin has been researching and building his own brewery at the Hare and Hounds. He’s gathered together all the equipment, the ingredients from across the UK, the certification and today he is lighting the blue touch paper and embarking on his new adventure.

Colin says that it will take awhile for the brew to be finished and that we will have to wait and see if these first barrels are good enough to sell.

He recognises that he will have a lot to learn. Knowing Colin he will stick with it and will make beer that he will be proud of and that his real ale drinkers will sup with pride.

The best house. Sea Fishing Club

2010-10-12T20:24:00.000+01:00

The Sea Fishing Club had a great day out on Monday

New Carvery Record

2010-10-12T20:13:00.000+01:00

On Sunday a new carvery record was broken at the Hare and Hounds. The previous record stood at 117. It only lasted for a few weeks.
The record for Sunday dinners to customers now stands at 150 dinners in a single afternoon. Congratulations to Ali and Colin and to all the staff.

We have no pictures of the Sunday Carvery but here are photographs of a tractor rally that dropped in for drinks that afternoon.

Norman Wisdom

2010-10-06T08:21:00.000+01:00

Norman will always be remembered in the Hare and Hounds together with Bobby Robson. RIP

norman wisdom - Google Search

2010-10-06T08:19:00.000+01:00

norman wisdom - Google Search

new birds on the block

2010-09-24T14:44:00.001+01:00

Colin and Ali have acquired more birds towards their menagerie of fowl. The latest arrivals are the two Gold Dutch Bantams. The tiniest adult chickens that I have ever seen.

Here a link to a video on You Tube that will give you an idea of these charming birds these are not the actual birds at the H&H.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmPeux5gSck&list=QL&playnext=5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uwv4kLuU6MY&NR=1

Friendly at Frosterly

2010-09-03T23:28:00.000+01:00

We won the game again 9/ 3 We had a great night down the dale. Thank you Frosterly Inn

The boys in the Black Sheep shirts are on tour again

2010-09-02T09:32:00.001+01:00

The boys will be decked out in the red shirts again to night for a friendly darts match with the Frosterly Fliers at the Frosterly Inn. One of these days they could beat us..................

2010-08-24T19:59:00.008+01:00

Gaping Gill

The Hare and Hounds speleological (Caving) trip.
Sunday afternoon and Monday
Gapping Gill is a big hole in the ground a few miles walk from the village of Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales and with the help of The Craven Pothole Club http://www.cravenpotholeclub.org/ Colin, Ellis, Charlie, Brian and Mike from Northern Pies were winched down 340 feet in to a huge cathedral sized chamber.
Do take a look at mikes blog Northern Pies for more great pictures.

Ellis and Brian

Gaping Gill

Charlie

Colin

progress in the poly tunnel

2010-08-09T21:18:00.000+01:00

Ten ton of soil in the tunnel ten more tomorrow..................

More history

2010-08-04T16:20:00.000+01:00

Writing about the pubs in Weardale, Lynn F. Pearson in her book: The Northumbrian Pub an architectural history, she wrote

The Hare and Hounds at Westgate is the one survivor there from the nineteenth century, when the Miners’ Arms and the Half Moon also severed the population of 820. The landlord of the Miners’ Arms and the Hare and Hounds took on other jobs to make a living, as stone mason and joiner respectively; this practice was not uncommon in Weardale, mirroring the combination of lead mining and farming which was pursued by many of the local smallholders.

The best house.

2010-07-26T22:20:00.000+01:00

A short history of the best house.

The Hare and Hounds is the only surviving pub in Westgate today. Amongst all the inns that once served a once more populate village, It was formerly known as the best house...

The Hare and Hounds was built in 1791 by masons who were in the village working on the Wesleyan Chapel at High Town. Some accounts say the masons were from Hexham while others claim they were from Haltwhistle.

Those Methodists that worshiped in the High Town Chapel would be horrified to know when the chapel closed; the original decorative fittings and the pews were used to furnish the bar.

Arrival of the poly tunnel

2010-07-13T00:50:00.000+01:00

Very good news for the bar at the weekend.
First of all , George, the ginger cockerel was on his feet again and looking for his hens. He had been very ill the past few weeks.
Also on Sunday the long awaited poly tunnel was erected in the garden.