Subterranea II (supplementary) - The Road To The Irish Centre

Conclusive proof, as if it were needed, that nobody tells me nothing! The moment I hit 'Go' on the triumphant concluding post on Corby’s world class Subterranea, I just knew there'd be another one. And not just any old 'another one' neither, no, we're talking about arguably Corby’s cutest subway, a well-worn beaut’ of an underground walkway that I'm sure everyone knows about, and yet nobody thought to tell me.

The Harlech/Patrick Road subway delivers pedestrians shortly but sweetly under the monstrously busy Sower Leys Road. There's a long skateboard-friendly descent from leafy Patrick Road (right), the grassy banks forming a natural linear arena that's ideal for viewing the action, of which there was none on the day I visited. Onwards through what must be regarded as Corby's finest graffiti daubed concrete portal, destination the urban sprawl of Kingswood, Coldermeadow, and the bright lights of Danesholme beyond. A psychedelic headrush reminiscent of a scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey. It's perhaps just as well the lighting doesn't work. Miss it, as I nearly did, and miss out.

Whilst a transit of the subway this way is something of a rush for sure, I urge you not to ignore the historic Stairway (left) on the Harlech side, pausing momentarily to enjoy the architecturally important Seat (above) halfway up (or indeed down) the stairs. A brutalist design classic to rival anything in Tate Modern, statutory listing surely imminent. In truth it does look as if it's overdue a spot of sympathetic restoration, and I'd be interested to see Corby Pub Safari readers old photos and reminisces of the seat for my forthcoming book, 'Concrete & Corby Rolls - A North Northamptonshire Icon', due out whenever I can find a ghost writer willing to work on the project for a couple of pints in a Corby pub of my choice.

On a slightly more negative note, whilst I've quite rightly drawn attention to the stunning wall art on show, the recent addition of a clumsy installation 'Four Wheels, Four Tyres - Strewn' is very poorly conceived and executed in my view. Very much yesterdays art of a type I thought we'd finally seen the back of, although I understand the Turner Prize judges have viewed it in a more favourable light...

Back to the positives though, this subway is a must visit on a walking tour of Greater Corby, and I can also heartily recommend the refreshment facilities available at the nearby Grampian Club and Irish Centre. It was the latter I headed to, principally because the Grampian is closed Mon-Wed, the Irish Centre open every day from 2pm, earlier at the weekend. Yay!

Corby Irish Centre lives cheek by jowl with the Grampian, rubbing along nicely I'd imagine, though I'm sure there's a little friendly rivalry during the annual 'Corby's Flattest Roofed Pub & Club' competition, both strong contenders in a packed field. Clubs like the Irish Centre are of course all about their membership, which is to say the bar is somewhat functional in appearance, it's function being to accommodate the membership in comfort whilst all manner of entertainment, sporting events, and general shenanigans occur on a regular basis. On a Wednesday afternoon the shenanigans were happening next door in the function room, a senior members event that sounded pretty wild to me from the comfort of the bar. I wasn't entirely sure a non-member like me would be welcome at the bar, but a cheery "You'll be alright in that shirt" from the ladies taking a fag break at the door boosted my confidence no end. Nobody else commented on my shirt though. Ah well...

If there's anywhere in Corby where it's clearly advisable to drink the Guinness, I'd say it's here, and I can confirm my (probably) first out of the tap pint tasted reassuringly like Guinness. Other beers are available of course, ale fans amply catered for with what appeared to be a Smoothflow Doom Bar font, sadly falling just short of qualification for Corby's burgeoning craft beer scene then.

Not much more to be said then, other than as a few of the afternoon locals trickled in the atmosphere warmed a little, the language a bit more authentically sweary. Everyone seemed properly friendly in the bar, and I guess this is the place to be when the Irish are winning everything in sight and the Guinness is truly flowing.