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LET me start off by saying that, in a guide to Whitehaven, a trip 30 miles down the road to a country pub in the middle of nowhere is a little off the beaten track. But when I follow that statement by telling you that The Prince of Wales, Foxfield's only real visitor attraction, is the Cumbria Pub of the Year again for 2007 you might start to understand why it's worth the trek. Upon entering the pub you could be forgiven for thinking that you'd stumbled into the front room of a large house. It is a charming little place, none of the furniture matches and the decor is desperately out dated, but somehow it just works. So many pubs these days are basically a 'Wetherspoons' type -- they lack character because the decor is far too fashionable and less lived in, which takes away the atmosphere. That said Whitehaven's 'Spoons is one of the best I've visited. You can call in there for a quick pint of real ale before heading off to Foxfield, as it is fairly close to Whitehaven train station. Trains down towards Barrow are fairly infrequent, but on a Saturday the 11.24 train gets you down to Foxfield in plenty of time to sample some real ale, before making the return journey at 17.29. That is the only train returning back up north, and hotel beds in the area are at a premium, so don't miss it. The train journey down takes in some beautiful scenes, both of the countryside on your left and the coast on your right, it really is worth the £7.50 fare just for the views, and that's before you even think about what awaits. When catching that early train it can be pleasant to get off at Ravenglass, where three pubs serve fine real ale, and catch the next one down from their. The Ratty Arms, right on the station, usually has a range of ales on offer, with Theakston's being a particularly tasty tipple. A short walk out of the back door of the pub and across the car park leads you on to the Holly House, where Jennings is the ale on offer. The recently reopened and refurbished Pennington Arms is just around the corner, and if your quick you might just have time to nip a pint in each pub before you get back on the train to Foxfield. The first one arrives Ravenglass at 11.54 and the next at 12.47, so you'll have to be quick, or just have halves. Once you get to Foxfield you can't miss the pub, it's directly opposite the train station -- just follow the crowd of people who invariably seem to make the journey. The PoW is a cracking little pub, no music or television blaring away here and ruining the conversation, its people from all walks of life gathered around a bar enjoying a good crack and a great pint. You are guaranteed that the beer will be something special, and with at least six or seven real ales on (sometimes there are even more) there is something for every taste. Personally I like to try a pint of each, before settling on a favourite, which means I can be in a pretty sorry state when I get back on that train. The beer is well kept as the pub is also host to the landlord Stuart's Foxfield Brewery, and some of the brewery's wares are usually on offer, alongside guest ales from little gem brewery's from all over the UK. You're likely to get laughed at if you ask for a pint of lager, because the pub is so loyal to its real ale beliefs that it just doesn't stock it, however the lighter of the real ales are light enough for lager drinkers to enjoy If there is anything as good as the ale at the PoW it's the food. The best thing about the food is that it is all home made, and all genuinely tasty. The portion sizes are very generous too. All in all it's easy to see why the PoW has been voted pub of the year, and it's as a good place as any to start if you want to get on the ale trail. Prince of Wales Usual Opening Hours Wed and Thur 2.45 - 11.00pm Fri and Sat 12.00 - 11.00pm Sun 12.00 - 10.30pm Mon and Tues closed Bank Holiday Monday 12 - 11pm