CAMRA - Campaign for Real Ale logo
Pubs & Clubs
Events
Beers & Breweries
Pubs & Clubs
Events
Beers & Breweries
CAMRA - Campaign for Real Ale logo
Join Us

Welcome to your
St Albans – Fleetville & Camp

This is a longer walk, taking in some countryside, for the more energetic pub explorers – but if you are less mobile, you could consider travelling some of the stops by taxi or bus instead. 

To the east of the Midland railway line St Albans developed a wide variety of industrial activities in the 20th century. Aircraft manufacturing (driven by De Havilland in Hatfield and Handley Page in Radlett), electronics (Marconi), hosiery (Ballito), light engineering, ship design and a host of others including Sanders Orchid Nurseries. Fleetville is so called because the area was developed around the Fleet Print Works and The Camp from the military training camps held in the area. These developments overwhelmed what had been a rural area, but created, and left, some interesting pubs. 

Trip Map

Route

1
Speckled Hen at St Albans. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 01-01-1970
Speckled Hen, St. Albans Greene King, Pub
Speckled Hen at St Albans. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 01-01-1970
Speckled Hen, St. Albans Greene King, Pub
1 Regular Beer • 2 Changing Beers
Starting at The Speckled Hen – originally ‘The Bunch of Cherries’ - now owned by Greene King. It was originally a Whitbread pub opened in 1948 and housed in two remodelled sheds. The current building replaced these in 1963.
Directions

25 minutes

On leaving the Speckled Hen, turn left into Hatfield Road, right into Colney Heath Lane, then at the mini-roundabout right into Hill End Lane. At the next mini-roundabout bear left into Hixberry Lane with the school on your left. You will find that the road soon becomes a track, and this leads all the way to the village of Tyttenhanger. At the end of this track, turn right and you will find the pub.

2
Plough at Tyttenhanger. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 11-08-2024
Plough, Tyttenhanger Pub
Plough at Tyttenhanger. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 11-08-2024
Plough, Tyttenhanger Pub
2 Regular Beers • 2 Changing Beers
Worth visiting to see the large and amazing collection of over 1,600 bottled beers, pump clips, beer related posters and the idiosyncratic beer mats.
Directions

25 minutes

On leaving the pub turn left and walk through the village, then at the end of the road turn right into Highfield Lane. Continue in a straight line, keeping the football pitches on your right until you eventually reach a mini-roundabout. Cross the road here and follow a footpath leading to Drakes Drive. Turn right into Drakes Drive, then left into Camp Road. Just after you pass the Organ Theatre and Camp Primary School on your left, you will see College Road on your right, which is the location of the next stop.

3
Royston Social Club, St Albans. (Pub, Bar, Customers, Key). Published on 27-05-2017
Royston Club, St. Albans Club
Royston Social Club, St Albans. (Pub, Bar, Customers, Key). Published on 27-05-2017
Royston Club, St. Albans Club
1 Regular Beer • 3 Changing Beers
Situated in College Road, the club was established in 1936 as the College Club. Renamed The Royston Club it is a very popular CIU affiliated Social Club with a good range of cask beers. It is a frequent winner of South Herts CAMRA awards.
Directions

7 minutes

On leaving the club turn left, then left again into Cambridge Road. At the fish and chip shop, turn right into Sutton Road and follow this until you reach the next pub.

4
The Rats Castle, St Albans. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 01-07-2015
Old Toll House, St. Albans Star (Heineken UK), Pub
The Rats Castle, St Albans. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 01-07-2015
Old Toll House, St. Albans Star (Heineken UK), Pub
2 Regular Beers
Until recently known as The Rats’ Castle prior to a major refurbishment. The original name was said to come from when the previous building, a toll house, was demolished and thousands of rats flooded out around the workmen.
Directions

12 minutes

Walk along Hatfield Road with Morrisons on your left. You will then pass the former CAMRA HQ building and a cemetery (both on your left) before reaching the next pub.

5
Crown at St Albans. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 03-07-2025
Crown, St. Albans All Our Bars, Pub
Crown at St Albans. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 03-07-2025
Crown, St. Albans All Our Bars, Pub
3 Regular Beers
Once a hotel close to the Midland Station it is now a large and busy pub that would not look out of place in Liverpool or London.
Directions
Journey time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Why you will love this trip

Named for the Fleet Print Works and the military training camps once held in the area, this longer trip includes a countryside walk for those who want to really explore St Albans.

Real Ale

Discover real ale from your route

GREENE KING IPA PUMP CLIP FRONT
Greene King - IPA

Session Bitter

ABV: 3.4%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No

You could see this beer at the following pubs:

Fuller's - ESB
Fuller's - ESB

Premium Bitter

ABV: 5.5%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No

You could see this beer at the following pubs:

Fuller's London Pride Pumpclip
Fuller's - London Pride

Session Bitter

ABV: 4.1%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No

You could see this beer at the following pubs:

Church End - Pews Porter
Church End - Pews Porter

Session Porter

ABV: 4.6%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No

You could see this beer at the following pubs:

Sussex Best Bitter - Harvey's
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter

Session Bitter

ABV: 4%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No

You could see this beer at the following pubs:

Taylor's Landlord Pump clip
Timothy Taylor - Landlord

Session Bitter

ABV: 4.3%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No

You could see this beer at the following pubs:

Tring - Side Pocket for a Toad
Tring - Side Pocket for a Toad

Session Bitter

ABV: 3.6%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No

You could see this beer at the following pubs:

St Austell Tribute Pump Clip
St Austell - Tribute

Session Pale Ale

ABV: 4.2%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No

You could see this beer at the following pubs:

Morland - Old Golden Hen
Morland - Old Golden Hen

Session Golden Ale

ABV: 4.1%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No

You could see this beer at the following pubs:

Route Pub Gallery
Pub Walk Shoes Icon

Love Cask Beer?

Join CAMRA to support the campaign to access more features plus access to a range of different benefits.

Become a member
© Campaign for Real Ale 2023 - 2026 (ce-9)
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube
Home

Privacy Overview

We use cookies, which are small text files, to improve your experience on our website and to show you personalised content. You can allow all or manage them individually.

Necessary

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information. More information

Non-Necessary (Analytics)

These cookies help us to improve your web experience. They allow us to gather feedback on your behaviour and to show adverts relevant to you. You can turn this off here.

Cookies

We use cookies, which are small text files, to improve your experience on our website and to show you personalised content. You can allow all or manage them individually.