Saturday 2 September 2023 was a busy day for enjoying beer and cider. The Royal Oak at Perranwell ran a beer festival in the garden. Treen's Brewery by the viaduct near Ponsanooth had a Birthday Bash to celebrate six years in production. Neighbouring Dynamite Valley Brewery's Beer Cafe was also open. Then there was the CAMRA South West Regional Cider Pub of the Year 2023 presentation to the Tom Cobley Tavern at Spreyton.

So plenty going on and the need for transport around Cornwall and Devon. So the rail unions decide to have a strike which stopped a lot of our members getting to any of the events. Great.

Those of us lucky enough to be able to get buses, ride a bike or have a dedicated driver in the Perranwell/Ponsanooth area went to one or other or both events there. I opted for the Royal Oak beer festival.

The Royal Oak is an attractive traditional pub and restaurant in a picture postcard village.

At any one time there were numerous members in the festival marquee, outside the pub in the sunshine or inside the pub. Apart from the usual suspects we had a visit from members that we have not seen for a long time. Welcome all.

There were nine beers variously on gravity or handpump in the festival: Dark Star Hophead; Dartmoor Jail Ale; Sharp's Sea Fury; Skinner's Lushingtons; St Ives Zennor Oatmeal Stout (my favourite), Hella and Meor; Wadworth's Horizon and Blazing Hop. Indoors on the bar on handpump were Exeter Avocet and Ferrymans; Penzance Crows-an-Wra and Pale Ale. Talk about spoiled for choice! Then there were ciders!

Words and photos by Steve Barber