28/05/26 - West Midlands Metro Pub Crawl - Stage 5

The End, Again

The plan - testing AI to see the nearest pub to a West Midlands Metro stop, alighting at every third station. For the second time, I have reached the end of the line. 

Plenty (too much) variety, as I attack some of the stops in central Birmingham. Things learned? Broad Street doesn't open until the evening. And neither does St Chads.

Number	Station	AI Recommendation	Actual Nearest
18	St Chads	The Gun Makers Arms	The Gun Makers Arms

The Gun Makers Arms had been closed for a short while. Unsurprising, really. There were never any punters in there during my previous visits. Even with the Good Beer Guide recommendation, keen pricing and being a brewpub. Looking at Google now - it is labelled Mason Newman's Gun Makers Arms. Which seems a mouthful. Hidden in the small print is the fact that it doesn't open until 4pm. I'll have to wait for a weekend to determine what Mason has done with the gaff.

So the next obvious choice is the Old Contemptibles. A Nicholson pub that really could do with the patronage of a resident artist.

Tommy on the right has too much on his spoon

This is a much improved pub, beer-wise. The last couple of years it's quite rightly been endorsed in the Good Beer Guide. The beer selection is also rotating and you are never sure what to find. Keeping a perfect pint of Bass in this heatwave is something that should be heralded.

One of Birmingham's Best

There is no point catching the tram to The Town Hall. It's quicker to walk up Colmore Row.

Number	Station	AI Recommendation	Actual Nearest
19	Town Hall	The Victoria	Pure Craft Bar and Kitchen

I'm unsure which Victoria AI is suggesting, but if it's the theatre pub next to the Alex, then that is an awful long way away. There are a few contenders for the closest pub to the Town Hall. Across the road from Pure Craft is a Pieminster, with "Pie and Mash" emblazoned on the door. This might be a good idea, when the heatwave breaks.

Handsome

I've never really got on with the inside of the tap room for Purity Brewing. It's cavernous, all exposed ducting and completely soulless. Yet in the sunshine, it's a fine spot to people watch. I particularly like counting the number of people drinking who should be at work. And jealously wondering if they are on expenses. The one thing I miss during retirement is asking for receipts. I can do it in four languages.

A fine (expensive) Purity Helles.

Onwards to Five Ways - the far end of Broad Street. 

Number	Station	AI Recommendation	Actual Nearest
20	Five Ways	The Distillery	Barbara's Bier Haus

I don't know who Barbara is, but looking at Google Maps Street View, she used to be called Heidi. I don't suppose I will ever find out. A Germanic themed fun pub that opens at 4pm. I wasn't against a visit. They sell Lowenbrau by the stein.

Instead, I have a little backstreet pub called the Vine saved in my "Google Want to Go" list. With no description on why I want to go. 

Protect Ladywood

And everything about it is weird. It looks like a traditional Victorian corner pub - which has had a new build added to the top of it. The architecture is at odds with the rest of the street - which looks like a 1960s housing estate. I can't tell whether the area is commercial or residential. It would certainly be handy for Birmingham's nightlife and could save someone a fortune in Uber.

Inside, it's very traditional. Wood panelling, sports TVs and a pool table, being put through its paces by the bar staff.

The outside A-frame promotes Real Ale but I wasn't forced to make a choice. Both pumps off.... not that I would have trusted it in > 30 degree heat.

Sshh... please don't tell anyone

Next leg? Back to Wolverhampton.

Walk Details

Previous Metro Pub Walks - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Pubs - 3

Total Number of Metro Station Pubs - 20

24/05/26 - Kingston, Near Lewes

No Juggs for us

The heatwave is not abating. Social media is full of people berating irresponsible dog walkers. How would you like to walk barefoot on hot coals? In a fur coat?

So through common sense, rather than worrying about being a social pariah, we are up very early and out on the trail before the midday sun. Good news for the dogs, bad news for the drinkers. I pass two pubs, where my contribution to pubsgalore.co.uk will be uploading photographs.

At least the walk is a beauty.... a climb of Swanborough Hill to retrace forgotten steps on the South Downs Way before dropping down to Rodmell for the return walk in the hill's shadow.

Work completed - Swanborough Hill Climbed, Kingston Below

Back on the South Downs Way - Pre Breakfast

House hunting in Rodmell

A gorgeous walk - now let's look at what we could have won.  Rodmell has the inappropriately named Abergavenny Arms - used as a water stop. We admired the steaks from £13 A Frame Board, but with the broken glass in the front door, wondered whether this might be advertising from a bygone age.

More intriguing was The Juggs, such a great name for a pub and incredibly, unique in the country.

Let's not get too upset at missing out. 

Shepherd's Neame.

C15th, half tiled and I hear the only cask is Sussex Best

Walk Details

Distance - 6.5 miles

Geocaches - 3

Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine, February 2008, Walk 4 

23/05/26 - Rottingdean and into Brighton

For Two More Good Beer Guide Ticks

We are staying at the far eastern extremities of Brighton. Just where the city runs out and its all private schools (Roedean), rolling hills and pretty villages that end in "dean".

With the unexpected heatwave, we are up and out early to take the dogs to visit Ovingdean and Rottingdean, returning to base via Undercliffe.

Too early for pubs but not breakfast, I'll have to add the afternoon pub ticking onto the blog to make it worth-(my)-while.

Ovingdean Church - Doors Closed

Rottingdean Windmill

Rottingdean - a Story Telling Area

A rare image of Undercliff, without Pain in the Arse Cyclists

The dogs aren't really keen on built up areas, so we park them at home to head out to Brighton to see if I can add to Good Beer Guide Ticks I gained on a grim winter's afternoon in 2025.

More walking, but at least Mrs M can entertain herself by keeping a running count of how many people she spots with purple hair.

The Brighton Bierhaus is the first port of call. Classic pub architecture, with the purpose built alehouse built in the 1830s and formerly known as the Thurlow Arms. It's been resurrected by the Brighton Bier Brewery and made "Craft".

Mrs M recording purples in her app

With the temperature nudging the 30s, we take advantage of their German/Belgian offerings - the finest in the City. Hacker-Pschorr in a ceremonial chalice, after the kind barman pointed out the Rothaus was alcohol free.

We haven't got much time but on firing up Google Maps to find our next quarry, we notice the number one Brighton Tourist attraction. Far too many people use Quadrophenia Alley as a cut through to complete a comprehensively authentic recreation, so I console myself with a quick chant of "We are the Mods!"

Knee Trembler

And Google Maps is required to find The Hole in the Wall. Tucked away off the seafront down Queensbury Mews, it claims to be Brighton's smallest pub. That don't impress us much. It's at least three times the size of Manchester's Circus Tavern.

Two roomer

It is a quality drinking den, with a chalk board of beers and ciders to work through if you have time and a fine selection of snacks. Two flavours of Nik-Naks.

Germans all round - Flensburger and Ayinger. Plus Taytos.

Walk Details

Distance - 9 Miles in total, 5 on the plotted walk

Geocaches - 0

Walk Inspiration - AA 1001 Walks, Walk 240

22/05/26 - Lewes, for Mount Caburn

Sussex Best

There was never going to be much debate on where to start our latest walking break.

Lewes - a town full of history, birthplace of revolutionaries, satirical bonfires and the home of the unique taste of Sussex.

A Beaut

This is the Harvey's Brewery - a classic Victorian brewery, which can trace its roots back to 1790. Harvey's Sussex Best happily sits in my top 5 beers, although much more work needs to be completed to calculate the final rankings.

A pint will be a reward for completing an out of town walk at the start of the 2026 mini heatwave. This country is nuts. Last week, I was forced - under the threat of violence - to turn the heating back on in the Midlands.

A matter of moments, and we leave the busy town behind to complete a classic "downs" walk - up and across the golf course, before reaching lush agricultural landscape, with plenty of chalkland clefts and ups and downs. The photos don't do justice to the remoteness or the beauty. Mount Caburn is the target, a grassy dome of a hill that hosted an iron age hillfort. 

The current Mrs M, Child #2 and borrowed doggies on the way to Mount Caburn

More chalk uplands

Easy peasy and back into town to determine which of the 8 Good Beer Guide Ticks should get the Mappiman Dollar. The John Harvey Tavern ticks all the boxes;

• Tap room for the brewery
• Opposite the brewery shop
• T-shirts too cyan to suit my complexion
• But I was tempted by an out of season Christmas Ale
• Sussex Best and all of its mates on cask
• Although the Best was gravity fed
• Dog Friendly
• Food available
• An offer on Friday fish and chips

We chose well

If only we had come on the bus - I could have told you about the other 7 available venues.

Walk Details

Distance - 5 miles

Geocaches - 1

Walk Inspiration - AA Walks Through History Walk 29