Three years in York writing for Bar Talk and I'm ashamed to admit that I'd never visited the Black Sheep Brewery. Mind you, I've managed to take a few pints off boss Paul Theakston in my time.

The completion of his new £1 million brew house seemed reason enough to make our way to the Dales and sample some of his best products in their natural environment.

It's a good time to head out because the brewery is on course to double its output to 80,000 barrels a year, that's a staggering 23 million pints. Not a bad transformation for what was an empty warehouse in 1992.

And why stop there I thought? Forget the "gateway to Wensleydale", I said, let's hit the road and take in some other boozers. You never know some people may even want to follow in our wobbly footsteps.

We stayed at Lisa Webb's guest house in the lovely village of Kirklington, just off the A1M on the Masham road, and has a reasonable pub just off the village green, The Black Horse Inn.

The charming 17th century cottage is the perfect base for some forays in to the Dales and offers fresh eggs from its happy country hens for breakfast to help recharge the batteries.

At the brewery, beer heads will be engrossed in details of new hopbacks and mash tuns weighing several tonnes each which were lowered in to the building by crane through a temporary hole in the roof.

And day trippers will be pleased to hear that the brewery tour around these sparkling items, one of the few sanctuaries on a rainy Dales day, has reopened with a refurbished bistro and improved car park.

I was happy to take marketing supremo Pat Green's advice and head out to the Victoria Arms in Worton, tucked away in a small white cottage off the Hawes road, to get a pint.

Pat said the pub is like "stepping back in time" and he's not far wrong. Farmer landlord Ralph Daykin has run the place for at least 40 years and it looks as if he's never thrown anything out.

There are Christmas decorations, Hallowe'en models and stuffed animals galore, including a fox's rear with a surprise - don't say I didn't warn you.

Ralph said they want to make it a "theme" pub, heaven forbid, but thankfully he wasn't yet sure of the theme. Sitting by the roaring fire with the glow of a good find inside me I hoped he never would.

If you're heading that way The Crown at Askrigg also comes recommended, as does the Fox And Hounds at West Burton, but darkness was closing in so we dashed back to The White Bear at Masham.

Admittedly it's a Theakston pub, but it comes with a great reputation and manages to combine a comfortable dining area serving excellent meals with a proper neighbouring bar area for drinkers.

Oh we wanted to stay longer. But heading back down the motorway the next day I was already planning how to get back to the places we had missed.

Fact file:

Black Sheep Brewery, Masham. Telephone 01765 689227.

Morar House bed and breakfast, Kirklington. Telephone Lisa Webb 01845 567293.

The White Bear, Masham, Telephone 01765 689319.

Photo call for punters of the Tap & Spile

ONE of York's top alehouses is closing for a refit, and you could help with its new look, writes Joshua Titley.

The Tap & Spile on Monkgate will close after last orders on Sunday March 28 and is to reopen on Friday April 2.

Licensee Jack Merry said the pub is to be "freshened up", with the walls repainted and new furniture installed.

Jack also plans to expand the Tap's range of drinks. As well as the large compliment of British ales, he intends to bring in more foreign beers and ten wines.

He would love more local memorabilia to decorate the interior. Anyone who has photographs or other mementoes of the pub, either as the Tap or in its previous incarnation as the Black Horse is asked to get in touch.

Similarly if you have pictures or details of the old hospital or other neighbouring landmarks, Jack would love to hear from you on 01904 656158.

Updated: 09:53 Saturday, March 20, 2004