Walkers heading for the pub

Walkers heading for the pub

Many lovers of the hills say the walk is only half the story, and no trip on to the fells is complete without a good visit to the pub at the end of the journey.

Visit any drinking hole in the popular walking, climbing and caving areas and the conversation will be thick with the relived glories of the day: the best view; the boggiest bog; the tightest squeeze; the most hair-raising crux move.  Now the National Mountain Centre is celebrating the alcoholic side of the outdoors with the introduction of its own beer and a series of alcohol-themed events.

Plas y Brenins Bootliquor

Plas y Brenin's Bootliquor

Bootliquor is the name of the new Plas y Brenin beer brewed especially for the centre, near Capel Curig in north Wales.

The first pint of the real ale, created for the mountain centre by Nant Brewery, will be served at Plas y Brenin on 7 June. To celebrate the brew, the mountain centre is offering a couple of booze-themed courses, combining hillwalking and beer and wine tasting.

Snowdonia Uncasked and Snowdonia Uncorked are for lovers of ale and wine respectively and offer the opportunity to get in a few hours on the fells followed by a sampling of real ale or fine wine.

The Snowdonia Uncasked walkers will be joined by paddlers from the Boating for Beer course, which offers the chance of tandem canoeing on estuary waters ending in a brewery tour and a talk and sampling session from a master brewer back at Plas y Brenin.

Details of all the courses and how to book are on the Plas y Brenin website.