East Lancashire Railways to boost tourism with Rail Ale Trail (From Lancashire Telegraph)

East Lancashire Railways to boost tourism with Rail Ale Trail

11:28am Wednesday 18th January 2012 in Rawtenstall By Peter Magill, Chief reporter

A MAJOR tourist route celebrating the heritage of some of Rossendale valley’s most historic pubs is set to be launched later this year.

No fewer than 10 hostelries, from Rawtenstall to Summerseat, will feature in the Rail Ale Trail, which has been drawn up by East Lancashire Railways.

Since the relaunch of the leisure line in 1987, train enthusiasts have been renowned for bringing thousands of visitors to the valley for nostalgic steam and diesel loco excurisons.

But the arrival of the trail should provide a timely boost to East Lancashire’s licensed trade, amid tough times for publicans.

And there’s plenty of history in play along the Rawtenstall-Irwell Vale-Summerseat-Ramsbottom stretch for even teetotallers.

Rawtenstall’s famous temperance bar, Fitzpatrick’s, lines up alongside Summerseat’s ‘hidden’ pubs, The Footballers Inn and Hamers Arms, which were built out of sight of absentious 19th century mill owner Joshua Hoyle.

An ELR spokesman said: “The rail ale trail takes you on a journey to discover some of the valley’s most beautiful locations and exceptional pubs, all linked together by the railway.

“Whether you are an ale enthusiast, lover of a good pint of bitter or a tee-totaller, you will find something to suit your taste buds at every station along the route.”

Full tours are set to be announced later this year by ELR and plans are being formulated to produce their own ale, from the Outstanding Brewery, to coincide with the fact.

Several drinking houses in the Ramsbottom area feature in the round-up, from Holcombe village’s The Shoulder of Mutton to The Oaks, The Grants Arms, The Railway Hotel and newcomer The First Chop, in Bolton Street.

And the Riverside Inn in Rawtenstall, the site of a pub for 100 years, showcases the industrial heartland of the River Irwell.

A behind-the-scenes look at the Irwell Works brewery, in Silver Street, which is also drawing up proposals for its own bar, is also included.