One in the Jungle

Castleford Tigers v St Helens

Castleford play their home games on Sundays, and is reasonably accessible from Sowerby on the sabbath.

We stopped off at the Junction, a Sam Smiths pub that also has drinkable beer as well.  As it was Sunday, there was help yourself bred and liver sausage.

Weldon Road is an absolutely cracking ground.  It is basically a lower league football ground from the 1980s, so a real bit of nostalgia.  If you haven't visited, get in whilst it is still untouched.

The ground was actually built by Castleford FC, before they went out of business and the rugby team moved in.  

There is covered terracing on two sides for the home fans.

Although there is no official segregation, the away fans tend to use the open terrace, which has the freight railway to Ferryhill behind.

For some reason, whenever I go to Castleford, it is always against St Helens.  Cas are really punching above their weight at the moment.  The coach, Darryl Powel keeps on producing young teams that are getting top six finishes, playing attacking, exciting rugby.  St Helens on the other hand, just grind out games.  This was no different, with the home team looking like they had opened up a winning lead, but St Helens punished second half defensive mistakes to bore everyone to submission, and win 20-30, through the sole tactic of giving it to McArthur-Scarsbrook for him to run down the centre.

We headed back to Halifax, and the must visit number 2, the Three Pigeons.  This is an Ossett tie that has been exquisitely refurbished and is now undoubtedly one of Britain's leading pubs, both for the interior and the ale.  The pies aren't too bad either.

We walked back to Sowerby via the equally excellent Big Six.  Dai surveys the shimmering lights of the Calder Valley.  So many people to talk relentless shit to.

The Wainhouse Tower alongside us in its pre-austerity illuminated state.