Mappiman's Real Ale Walks: 14/05/16

Saturday 14 May 2016

14/05/16 - The Wimbledon 8

Distance - 13.8 Miles
Geocaches - 13
Pubs - 6

A walk that was born whilst on holiday in Valletta, Malta. You see, we were in a pub - handily called "The Pub" - and got to reading about it's most famous patron. A man, who died as he lived. On the floor of a drinking establishment. On the floor of The Pub in Valletta, in fact.

Oliver Reed - Arm Wrestler & Drinking Champion

After reading the wall mounted memorials, I completed some further research into his life. It seems he had a pub crawl, "The Wimbledon 8", named in his honour. I instantly thought it worthy of investigation and to make a day of it, tie it in with a decent walk. More on this later.

Maps were perused but in reality, I needn't have bothered. Through my own volition, I created a route that ran nearly 14 miles from West to South West London that followed the Capital Ring almost step by step. It was fun to revisit this long distance path that I walked over several summer evenings 5 years ago.

Train to Southall, West London. A place that seemingly has little going for it with the exception of providing access to the Grand Union Canal.

Grand Union

Its a decent stretch of easy walking, running past St Bernards Hospital and meeting the River Brent, where it shares the route with the Capital Ring. When I was here five years ago, I must have been a hopeless cacher, as I recorded a 50% fail rate. Today, I am on fire. There is nothing better than righting wrongs and the cache count increases all the way to the green bridge at Brentford, where the canal is left behind.

Back on familiar ground again, as I revisit the Thames Path, heading through Syon Park and picking up the river at Isleworth. At least I am going in the opposite direction to previous walks, which throws a quite a different perspective on things. On another day, there is little doubt that I would have stopped at the London Apprentice, where a artisan market is in full flow. The pubs can wait till the end of the day.

Syon House

The Thames at Isleworth

One of my favourite pubs - The London Apprentice, Islewoth

A quick note on the joys of geocaching. When I started the Capital Ring in 2012 - a small cache had been placed on Richmond Lock. I spent an age looking for it in the rain. I had another go last year when walking the Thames Path. Failed again. This is what it looks like when you spend 4 years and 3 attempts and meet success.

The small things that make you happy

Enter Richmond with a spring in my step. To be honest, it's hard not to. What a delightful place this is. Again, I have to walk past a handful of great boozers that I have visited in the past but this just makes me vow to come back another day.

At night, the sign glows. Red.

View from Richmond Hill

This of course, leads me to some of the finest walking that London has to offer, Richmond Park. I will never tire of it.

This is London. I could see the Shard moment earlier.

And so is this.

And with just the cross of a road that would be better described as a motorway, I am in the wilds of Wimbledon Common. Finding caches, annoying golfers and humming about "things that everyday folk leave behind".

And now, blog fans, the walking stops and the pubs start. #Walk1000Mile and #WFP aficionados can depart here. Lovers of www.beerintheevening.com and www.pubsgalore.com, pay attention.

The Wimbledon 8 Rules
So, our dear friend Ollie set the rules. It was 8 pubs and 15 minutes to get from one to another, downing a pint in between. The most times he completed it in one night was apparently 3. But you know how these legends go. I found out yesterday that Dylan Thomas was practically teetotal.

Anyway, I am not going to attempt this. For one, it would be like challenging Linford Christie to a race. Sometimes you need to know your limits. So, its as long as I like in each pub (train departure at 16:08 permitting) and half pints.

And, in another indication of the killing of our culture, two of the pubs have disappeared, leaving me with a manageable 6.

The Fox and Grapes is the first encountered, as I reach civilisation from the Common.

Fox and Grapes

There are two doors - one marked "Bar" and one marked "Lounge". I should have taken it as a warning when the one marked "Bar" wouldn't open. For this is the worst kind of pub. A Gastropub. Where the only place for drinkers to sit is a handful of stools at the bar and every other table is handed over to diners. I think we all know what Ollie would do, faced with this abomination. He'd have showed them his special tattoo.

Next up its a BOGOFF. Crooked Billet gives two pubs for the price of one - the Hand in Hand and the Crooked Billet. There is nothing to choose between them - both Young's Pubs, both with lovely outdoor areas and both serving Youngs Special at £2.10 for a half. Presumably, you have to pay more if you want the head.

The only choice to make is whether to have it in a plastic glass and sit on a deckchair on the green (yes, really) or partake inside.

Leave this scene of the English summertime behind by aptly enough, finding a Geocache. Its on to the Swan on the Ridgeway, which is the only "Cask Marque" pub on the route. Blogfans will know that last week two geocachers in Ledbury introduced me to the app that enables you to collect real ale pubs for prizes. I was keen to get number 2 into the system. 48 to go before a free glass.

The Swan on the Ridgeway

Quite why this is the only Cask Marque pub on the round is unclear to me. It may be because you pay for the privilege. This pub had five pumps but only two ales on - the ubiquitous Doombar and Speckled Hen. Still, my Doombar nearly had a head, so its winning the prize for best half so far.

Finally, with the clock showing 15:08pm, its time for the two pubs in the "village". The Rose and Crown was pleasant enough but instantly forgettable and the Dog and Fox was the pick of the bunch. It's the only one that played on the tennis heritage but its size, position and outside beer garden to watch the hullabaloo of village life made it my favourite of the day.