The Colchester and North East Essex CAMRA Ale Trail is back for 2026, and the Victoria Inn is once again part of the route.
After a year away, the trail returns on Saturday, 4th April, giving you the perfect excuse to explore some of the best pubs across Colchester and north east Essex.
The idea is simple. Visit any of the 22 pubs on the trail, buy a pint or half of real ale or real cider, and collect a sticker for your trail card.
Once you’ve collected 20 stickers from different pubs, take your completed card along to the 39th Colchester Real Ale and Cider Festival. Hand it in, and you’ll receive an exclusive Ale Trail 2026 pin badge plus a £20 beer card to spend at the festival.
Not a bad return for enjoying a few good pints along the way.
At the Victoria Inn, we’ll also be making sure there’s plenty worth stopping for. Alongside some excellent local beers from Essex breweries, we’ll be pouring guest ales from different parts of the UK, giving Ale Trail visitors the chance to try something a bit different while you tick another pub off the list
The trail is a great way to discover some brilliant pubs around the area, meet fellow ale lovers, and support the venues that keep real ale and proper cider flowing.
Pubs taking part in the 2026 Ale Trail
Chapel Inn, Coggeshall
Woolpack, Coggeshall
Ale House, Colchester
Castle, Colchester
Fox and Fiddler, Colchester
Kings Arms, Colchester
Magnet, Colchester
Odd One Out, Colchester
Three Wise Monkeys, Colchester
Victoria Inn, Colchester
Bell Inn, Feering
Sun Inn, Feering
Courtyard Tap, Halstead
White Hart, Halstead
Hare & Hounds, Layer Breton
Peldon Rose, Peldon
Anchor, Rowhedge
Ye Olde Albion, Rowhedge
Live & Let Live, Stanway
White Hart, West Mersea
Horse & Groom, Wivenhoe
Station, Wivenhoe
The trail starts on Saturday, so grab a card, plan your route and enjoy a few proper pints along the way.
See you at the bar!
