11-Apr-2023
A visit to Colston Bassett -- home to one of only six dairies licensed to produce Blue Stilton -- had been on the cards since last year.
The famous six are found in just three counties (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Leicestershire). Our objective was the Colston Bassett Dairy (by far the best kind of CBD). But on our way back to Newark we drove through another Stilton-producing village -- Cropwell Bishop -- so you can't help but feel that a second pilgrimage will have to be undertaken on another occasion...
But let's start at the very beginning, with lunch in Car Colston, a neighbouring village. At The Royal Oak, to be precise. Highly recommended. Definitely in the Would Go Back category:
Awesome fish pie
There's a lovely green out front
And the village looks nice. But no time to explore today, because we're on a cheese mission...
And here it is, the home of one of our favourite delicacies:
The business end...
... and the shop
Now, don't imagine anything fancy. There are no jams or jellies or other distractions. On offer here are the two types of cheese the dairy produces: Blue Stilton and Shropshire Blue. And that's it
The village is really pretty
On the way home we stopped for coffee at Caffe Velo Verde in Screveton. It's oriented towards cyclists, but don't let that stop you if you're not on two wheels. The farm location is interesting, and the coffee is great:
One of the area's green giants
Excellent day out, and when you get home, you have cheese and port to look forward to:
Stilton on the left, Shropshire on the right