• About

Paul Bigland

~ Blogging on transport, travel & whatever takes my fancy.

Paul Bigland

Category Archives: The Moorcock Inn

5th December picture of the day…

05 Sunday Dec 2021

Posted by Paul Bigland in Musings, Picture of the day, The Moorcock Inn, Travel, West Yorkshire

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Musings, Picture of the day, The Moorcock Inn, Travel, West Yorkshire

The pair of us have had a lazy Sunday here at Bigland towers. Well, if walking several miles up hill and down dale counts as ‘lazy’ so maybe I’ll rephrase that. We had a slow start to the day – as neither of us dragged our carcasses out of bed at a silly hour and when we did rise it was to relax with a coffee and a bite to eat before planning anything strenuous. Whilst Dawn sorted out various Christmassy tasks and wished her dad happy birthday (he was 87 today, but if you met him you’d never know – to say he’s ‘wearing well’ is an understatement!) I prepared cinnamon flavored porridge with fruit compote, sultanas, and toasted coconut flakes to set us up for the day.

As the weather had improved we both decided to ditch thoughts of work and get out for a walk. We’ve both been chafing at being confined to the house so much – just for different reasons. Dawn’s been full-on with work as it’s the Community Rail Awards this next week and I’ve been knocked-back by a combination of the ‘lurgi’ and my Covid booster. So today we both thought ‘bugger it’ and headed out to walk up to Norland Moor and visit one of our favourite haunts – the Moorcock Inn.

Getting there from our home involves walking down to the valley bottom before a steep climb up the other side. It’s not for the unfit or faint-hearted although the views make it more than worthwhile – and there’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! Here’s what the route looks like – just under 3 miles each way which would be easy-peasy on the flat – but this ain’t flat as this image from Google maps demonstrates and walking back we took the long way home!

For once and despite the fact the weather was ideal for getting pictures I had a day off from the camera to make the day all about the pair of us – so the picture of the day shows one of the things we love about the place. The chance to sit at the bar, enjoy a drink and their fabulous smoked potatoes and home-made mayonnaise whilst chatting to staff, other regulars and watching the antics of some of the dogs that make the place their home too…

Worth walking for…

Now we’re back home and relaxing as the weekend slips away. Tomorrow I leave for London where i’ll be based for a night before heading home in time to repack and head down to Southampton for the Community Rail Awards, then return via London once more to attend a small gathering of railway folk. So, expect a few rolling blogs of very different character over the next few days! I’m looking forward to getting back on the rails to see how the latest Covid developments are affecting travel. Stay with me to find out…

I’ve a favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances appreciate all the help that we can get to aid us in bouncing back from lockdowns. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

A sublime evening at the Moorcock Inn, Norland

10 Saturday Nov 2018

Posted by Paul Bigland in Food and drink, The Moorcock Inn, West Yorkshire

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Food and drink, The Moorcock Inn, West Yorkshire

Last night we finally had the opportunity to sample the restaurant menu at the Moorcock Inn, Norland. We’re incredibly lucky to have this place so close to us and we walk up to the pub on a regular basis for a drink and chance to sample the bar menu, but until now, we’d never had the opportunity to sample the restaurant menu. As it’s our first wedding anniversary on Sunday we thought this would be a great start to the weekend. We weren’t disappointed. Here’s what was on the menu.

20181109_191953413453639998288166[1]

I couldn’t resist getting some pictures of the courses but as none of this was set up, these were the dishes as they came, so you’ll have to excuse the rushed nature of the shots – it was quick, get a picture and tuck in!

DG312670low

Bread (served with their home-made cultured butter) and the snacks, In the Foreground are sprouts in a Rosehip and Hogweed vinaigrette, ingredients that have been foraged. The sprouts were gorgeous and the dressing superb, reminiscent of a hoisin sauce but far lighter and less cloying.

DG312676low

Smoked Dogfish (sourced from Whitby on the Yorkshire coast and caught sustainably) with celery and horseradish.

DG312686low

Wood-roast pear and onion, sea herbs and walnut cider. A superb mixture of flavours and textures, salty, sweet and smoky.

DG312689low

Potato tart, plankton and chrysanthemum. This was a real surprise. There was an earthiness and variety of textures, from the layered potato to the crunchiness of the pastry base. – all perfectly balanced. Accompanying the tart was the fish seen below, which added yet another dimension. Aimee had done an excellent job in complimenting Alisdair’s amazing food with a range of drinks and served a NV Drie Fonteinen Geuze beer from Belgium. The sourness of the beer added yet another dimension to the dishes.

DG312692low

DG312693low

8 yr old Hebridean mutton, tomatillo and home-made feta cheese. Inside the lettuce leaf is braised mutton which had been cooked overnight in one of the smoke ovens at the rear of the pub. Dawn had never had mutton before and was blown away by the tenderness and taste.

DG312696low

One of the extras which I had all to myself as Dawn is allergic to cheese, so for me it’s a rare treat nowadays. I love veined cheeses and this Young Buck blue cheese from County Down was rich and full of flavour. It’s made from organic raw milk. It was served with wood-roast apple and soda bread. The balance of flavours, from the thick tangy creaminess of the cheese and the sweetness and smokiness of the apple, coupled with the texture of the soda break was a delight.

DG312699low

The meal was rounded off with Lavender ice cream with grapes and beetroot, served with sake from NV Kodakara Umeshu, Yamagata, Japan. The sake’s infused with plums and almonds, giving it a richness and roundness that makes it an ideal accompaniment to a dessert. Wow!

We had a wonderful evening and the food exceeded our expectations – which were already high after having eaten different items off the bar menu several times. Alisdair’s a wizard in combining tastes and textures to produce some unique and stunning food. His inventiveness is amazing. Couple that with Aimee’s talent in selecting just the right choice of wines, beers (or even sake) to accompany the food and a meal at the Moorcock’s a truly memorable experience. My wife’s no slouch when it comes to cooking (something we both enjoy doing) but Dawn was left in awe by what we had last night – and I have to agree. The food here is very, very special. We can’t wait until next time to see what the pair of them provide…

If you want to contact the Moorcock. Here’s links to their website and their Facebook page.

Recent Posts

  • Rolling blog. Roving again…
  • 20th March picture of the day…
  • 19th March picture(s) of the day…
  • 18th March picture of the day…
  • 17th March picture of the day…

Recent Comments

Paul Bigland on More right-wing tosh about Hig…
Justin McAree on More right-wing tosh about Hig…
KLS on Crazy anti-HS2 campaigner of t…
SteveP on Crazy anti-HS2 campaigner of t…
Paul Bigland on Asian adventure day 36. George…

Archives

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • June 2013

Categories

  • 'Green' madness
  • 'Think Tanks'
  • 144e
  • 2005 London bombing
  • 2017 General election
  • 3 peaks by rail
  • 3 Peaks by ral
  • 51M
  • 7/7
  • Abandoned railways
  • Abu Dhabi
  • ACoRP
  • Adam Smith Institute
  • Adrian Quine
  • Advertising
  • Air Travel
  • Aircraft
  • Airports
  • Airshows
  • Allan Cook
  • Amsterdam
  • Andrea Leadsom MP
  • Andrew Gilligan
  • Andrew Haylen
  • Andy Burnham MP
  • Anti Hs2 mob
  • AONBs
  • Arambol
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Australia
  • Bali
  • Bangkok
  • Bank holidays
  • Barrow Hill
  • Belgium
  • Bereavement
  • Berlin
  • Bigotry
  • Birmingham
  • Blists Hill
  • Blue passports
  • Boris Johnson MP
  • Brexit
  • Brighouse
  • Brighton
  • British Railways
  • British Railways (BR)
  • Byline media
  • Calder Valley
  • Canals
  • Carillion
  • Carolyne Culver
  • Censorship
  • Charities
  • Cheryl Gillan MP
  • Cheshire
  • China
  • Chris Packham
  • Claire Perry MP
  • Class 155
  • Class 313
  • Class 314s
  • Class 317
  • Class 320
  • Class 321
  • Class 365
  • Class 455
  • Class 456
  • Class 507
  • Class 508
  • Class 60s
  • Class 91
  • Climate Change
  • Communications
  • Community
  • Community rail
  • Community Rail Network
  • COP26
  • Corbynwatch
  • Coronavirus
  • Covid 19
  • CP5
  • Crap journalism
  • Crazy anti Hs2 campaigner of the week
  • Crazy kippers
  • Crewe Hub
  • Crossrail
  • Cuba
  • Cumbria
  • Customs
  • Cyberattacks
  • Cycle India
  • Cycling
  • Dawn
  • Democracy
  • Denmark
  • Derbyshire
  • Desiro City
  • Diary
  • Dispatches
  • Doha
  • Donald Trump
  • Doomed
  • Down memory lane
  • East Midlands Railway franchise
  • East Midlands Trains
  • Easter fairy stories
  • ECML
  • Economic illiteracy
  • Economics
  • election2015
  • Engineering
  • Environment
  • Essex
  • Eurostar
  • Euston
  • Extinction Rebellion
  • Fake News
  • Festivals
  • Film and TV
  • Flooding
  • Flora and Fauna
  • Food
  • Food and drink
  • Foot in mouth
  • Gardening
  • GBRf
  • General election
  • General election 2019
  • Georgetown
  • Germany
  • Glasgow
  • Glossop
  • GNGE
  • GNRP
  • Goa
  • Grand Central trains
  • Grant Shapps MP
  • Great Western Railway
  • Greater Anglia franchise
  • Greece
  • Green issues
  • Green madness
  • Green Party
  • Gt Missenden
  • GTR
  • Guido Fawkes
  • GWML
  • GWR franchise
  • Gwyll Jones
  • Halifax
  • Harvil Rd Hs2 protest
  • Harz railway
  • Heathrow 3rd runway
  • High Speed 1
  • High Speed UK
  • History
  • Hitachi
  • Hong Kong
  • House of Lords
  • HS North
  • Hs2
  • Hs2 Bow Group
  • Hs2 petitions
  • Hs2 Phase 2B
  • Hs2 to Crewe
  • Hs2aa
  • HS2Rebellion
  • HSUK
  • Huddersfield
  • Humberside
  • Humour
  • Hurricane Ophelia
  • Hypocrisy
  • I love my job
  • Imperial College London
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Infrarail
  • Innotrans
  • Internet
  • Iolo Williams
  • Ireland
  • Islamophobia
  • Jacob Rees Mogg
  • Jeremy Corbyn
  • Jeremy Corbyn MP
  • Jo Johnson MP
  • Joe Rukin
  • John McDonnell MP
  • John Poyntz
  • Johnathan Bartley
  • Journalism
  • Kanchanaburi
  • Kent
  • Kuala Lumpur
  • Labour election
  • Lancashire
  • Laos
  • Law and order
  • Lazy journalism
  • Leicestershire
  • Liam Halligan
  • libel
  • Lilian Greenwood MP
  • Liverpool
  • LNER
  • Local elections
  • Local elections 2018
  • Lockdown
  • London
  • Lord Berkeley
  • LRT
  • M62 motorway
  • Major Projects Authority
  • Malaysia
  • Manchester
  • Manchester Airport
  • Manchester Victoria
  • MAPA
  • Mark Keir
  • Marketing
  • Martin Tett
  • Melton Mowbray
  • Memory Lane
  • Merseyside
  • Michael Dugher MP
  • Michael Fabricant MP
  • Mid Cheshire against Hs2
  • Miscellany
  • Modern Railways
  • Monorails
  • Music
  • Musings
  • Mytholmroyd
  • Natalie Bennett
  • National Rail Awards
  • National Trust
  • Nepal
  • Network Rail
  • Never a dull life
  • New Economics Foundation
  • New trains
  • New Year
  • New York
  • New Zealand
  • NHS
  • Nigel Farage
  • Norfolk
  • Norland scarecrow festival
  • Northern Powerhouse
  • Northern Rail
  • Nostalgia
  • Nottingham
  • Obituaries
  • Old Oak Common
  • ORR
  • Ossett
  • Our cat, Jet
  • Oxfordshire
  • Pacers
  • Paris terror attack
  • Parliament
  • Pasenger Growth
  • Patrick McLouglin MP
  • Penny Gaines
  • Peter Jones
  • Peterborough
  • Photography
  • Photojournalism
  • Picture of the day
  • Poetry
  • Politics
  • Porterbrook
  • PR nightmares
  • Protest
  • Public Accounts Ctte
  • Pubs
  • rail ale
  • Rail electrification
  • Rail fares
  • Rail Investment
  • Rail Live 2021
  • Rail Live 2022
  • RAIL magazine
  • Rail Moderinsation
  • Rail PR
  • Railfreight
  • Railstaff awards
  • Railtex
  • Railway Benefit Fund (RBF)
  • Railways
  • Rant
  • Religion
  • RFEM
  • Richard Wellings
  • Ride India
  • Road accidents
  • Rolling blogs
  • ROSCOs
  • Royal Mail
  • Royal Wedding 2018
  • RSPB
  • Rugby Observer
  • Rushbearing
  • SAIP
  • Scores on the doors
  • Scotland
  • Scotrail
  • Sheffield
  • Shrewsbury
  • Shropshire
  • Siemens
  • Signalling
  • Silly season
  • Simon Heffer
  • Simon Jenkins
  • Singapore
  • Sleeper trains
  • Snail mail
  • Social media
  • South West Trains
  • Southport
  • Sowerby Bridge
  • Spectator magazine
  • Sri Lanka
  • St Pancras station
  • Stafford
  • Stamford
  • Station buffets
  • StopHs2
  • Surrey
  • Talgo
  • Teresa May
  • Terrorism
  • Tesla
  • Thailand
  • Thameslink
  • The 'Beast from the East'
  • The BBC
  • The Big 6
  • The Daily Express
  • The end of the line
  • The fog
  • The Grauniad
  • The Great Central railway
  • The Green Party
  • The Independent
  • The Moorcock Inn
  • The Piece Hall
  • The Railway Children
  • The Rodelblitz
  • The USA
  • The Woodland Trust
  • Tilford
  • Tony Allen
  • Torquay
  • Tourism
  • TPE
  • Traffic congestion
  • Trams
  • Trans-Pennine electrification
  • Transport
  • Transport for Wales (TfW)
  • Travel
  • Twilight years
  • Twitter
  • Twitter (and how not to use it)
  • UK
  • UK steel industry
  • UKIP
  • Uncategorized
  • Vandalism
  • Victoria Prentis MP
  • Virgin Trains
  • Virgin West Coast
  • Vivarail
  • Wales
  • Walking
  • Warwickshire
  • WCML
  • Weather
  • West Yorkshire
  • Wigan
  • Wildlife Trusts
  • Worcester
  • Work
  • World War 1
  • World War Two
  • Yorkshire
  • YorkshireStopHs2

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • Paul Bigland
    • Join 406 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Paul Bigland
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...