26/06/26 - Pig's Nose, East Prawle

The Annual Return to a Top 5 Pub

We rarely notice the moment a one-off outing becomes an annual pilgrimage. This is our third time completing a variation of this walk. Having honed our technique, this is the second time we have had an identical two-centre lunch.

Yet the roads to East Prawle are no easier. I have now taken to turning the radio down so I can better see the high hedges, the grass growing down the centre of the road and the local lunatics who take national speed limit as an invitation to career around blind bends. I am not sure how many years I have left in me for this tradition.

After two days of country-wide record breaking June heat, a storm broke in the South Hams last night. Today's walk starts in 19 degree temperature with a sea fret offering air condition like conditions. Just perfect.

Officially the coolest two people in the land

This walk was found on Komoot - the slight variation - a permissive path that took us down to the cove that the pub was named after. From then, the coast past Gammon Head, to the Coastguard's Station at Prawle Point and the undercliff around Langerstone Point to Horseley Cove. All varieties of walking - from hands-on rock scrambling to pleasant meadow fields encountered.

The permissive path to Pig's Nose

Water break for Ziggy at Gammon Head

To Prawle Point Coastguard Station

 A swim (for Ziggy) at Horseley Cove before the stiff climb back for the annual refreshments.

First, crab sandwiches at The Piglet Cafe (monopolies commission have been informed). They are expensive, but I challenge you to find a finer crab sandwich in the country. Possible, if you find one that doesn't come with a side of salted Doritos. B-Tec crisps, according to Mrs M.

This is enjoyed whilst we await the scrape of the midday bolt at the pub. A regular in "best of" guides in Devon from everything from the food, to the beer (you must have the gravity fed Eddystone), to the live music. And not forgetting the superb walking.

2026 Photo

An investigation to find something new to tell you. Previously, I commented that it might be the only pub loos with shower facilities. I noticed we can add laundrette services to that list. And the trap, at least in the men's, is called the "poop deck".

Their website details their musical heritage. There cannot be many remote pubs that can have such a roster of previous performers;

The pub’s music hall has hosted an extraordinary range of artists over the years, from Atomic Kitten, Stanton Warriors, Lee Scratch Perry, Damon Albarn, The Animals and The Boomtown Rats, The Blockheads to name a few.

Today, there were many reasons to be cheerful.

Walk Details

Distance - 5 Miles

Geocaches - 0

Walk Inspiration - Komoot

24/06/26 - Frogmore Creek

Escaping the Heatwave, Evading the Pub

A walk from "Best Pubs in South Devon" holds plenty of promise.

Yet compromises need to be made. We are on day 2 of the heatwave that has had the news outlets reaching for ever darker crayons. Mrs M wants us up and out early - 6am was mentioned - and on the shortest walk I have for the area. I'm up for the early start. England vs. Ghana last night provided no reason to stay up celebrating.

The Globe at Frogmore will have to wait. With opening hours of 3pm - 11pm midweek, it was always going to be a tall order to get the tick. 

Heating up at 7:18am

It's a beautiful ramble. Frogmore Creek is a drowned river valley in the Kingsbury Estuary. The village at the head was once a thriving port and the pub served the working community. Low tide when we drop down to access it. Occasional views along its length to Salcombe.

First glimpse

Salcombe in the far distance

Fields take us to West Charleton - where the Charleton Inn awaits those in cooler climes - before a delightful green lane in the sheep hills drops us back to the start.

In car - the temperature is 24 degrees. And we haven't even had breakfast.

Ziggy the hot dog looking forward to his sardine brunch

Views from the green lanes above Frogmore Creek

Walk Details

Distance - 5 miles

Geocaches - 1

Walk Inspiration - Best Pub Walks in South Devon 

19/06/26 - The Slow Way - Stourport to Droitwich

PID360 / VideoGuard 360

I walked much of this route in reverse, when completing the Droitwich to Hartlebury Rail Trail. It was a disaster of overgrown paths with terrible signposting. I really shouldn't have bothered this Slow Way, but someone has to review them.

To save repeating my moaning, I will simply put up my Slow Ways review. 

This is a disaster - particularly around the east side of the A449 around Stinton Pool and Acton Farm.

Before I start listing the problems, I think I have worked out that these slow ways have been developed on line and no one has actually walked them until they are on the website. I am the first to review this one.

I started at Stourport and ended at Droitwich. I have previously walked much of the route in reverse and it was a disaster then.

The issues? The paths are badly overgrown, signposting is minimal and in many places impassable.

52°18.606'N, 2°13.352'W - path disappears, Dense vegetation. Impossible to follow on the public right of way.

52°18.106'N, 2°13.099'W - a new solar farm. Approaching from the North - there is a clear path between the two fenced off solar farms. Later on, the path completely disappears at a brook. When approaching from the South, I wasn't even able to find my way through. Then, in the middle of the PROW at the co-ords, there is a machine. I have googled it. It is a PID360 / VideoGuard 360. On approach, it sparks up an alarm akin to an air-raid warning, which sounds twice. Lights come on and a very sinister Northern Irish Voice tells you that "Your approach is being recorded. The police have been notified". I am exaggerating when I add "So they have". I have seen the film Aliens. I thought it would shoot me.

52°17.986'N, 2°12.955'W - path disappears at a thicket brook. If you are approaching from the South, you won't even get this far. Forced to battle my way through.

Once (if?) you reach Doverdale Church - its plain sailing on lanes until 52°16.376'N, 2°11.516'W - the Monarchs Way at Nunnery Wood. There is high wheat in the fields. The farmer has left a path but not accurately where marked on the OS Map. Easy to lose it - and I ended up going around in circles on existing tractor tracks, trying not to make a crop circle.

I have reported the issues to Worcestershire County Council Rights of Way Management.

I seriously recommend that no one else attempts this walk.

Seems I am not the only rambler to fall foul of this device. Check out this BBC Story.

For what it is worth - here are the photos.

The Monarach's Way - Not quite where it is meant to be

Westwood House, on the approach to Droitwich

It's not all misery. The Hop Pole Inn is still serving a choice of Bathams beers in perfect condition.

12 miles of misery for this

And the 133 bus - which only runs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday - was bang on its 13:30 departure time. 

I was the solo passenger.

It was like a big Uber.

Walk Details

Distance - 12 miles

Geocaches - 0

Walk Inspiration

17/06/26 - Rail Trail - Langley Green to Smethwick Galton Bridge

Back to my roots

A combination of sources for today's walk, which is possibly the most personal one undertaken.

This month's History West Midlands Podcast is about racism in 1960s Smethwick and specifically Malcolm X's 1965 visit to the area. The next leg of my "rail trails" series is between Langley Green and Smethwick.

Peter Griffiths became Smethwick’s Conservative MP in the 1964 general election after running a notoriously racist and anti-immigration campaign, winning against the national trend and displacing Labour’s Patrick Gordon Walker. A few months later, on 12 February 1965, Malcolm X visited Smethwick at the invitation of Avtar Singh Jouhl and the Indian Workers’ Association to see the discrimination faced by Black and Asian residents, including the colour bar at the Blue Gates pub, where he was not served. He described the situation in Smethwick as even worse than America, and his visit became a powerful symbol of international solidarity against racism. Malcolm X was assassinated in New York on 21 February 1965, just nine days after the Smethwick visit.

I was born in Birmingham and spent the first two years in Smethwick. In a street very near and similar to where Malcolm X visited. My parents - white, working class, moved away in 1971. I never heard them be racist but their reasons were "they didn't want their kids to be in the minority at school".

With this as a backdrop - I trace a route between the two stations, taking in key locations to the story and from my life. It's an urban walk - so certainly not pretty.

Mappiman's First House - Remembered only through photos

There's not that many pubs in the area. The first seen, the Merrivale - a burnt-out shell that is bound to be demolished soon. Most in the area are "Desi-Pubs" - a perfect blend of beer and Indian Food, mixed grill platters a speciality. The Old Chapel is a surviving traditional pub and also the oldest non-secular building in Smethwick. Long been of interest, as we drive past it from the Albion. My mom tells me stories of sharing half a cider with my dad, unable to afford a drink each, having mortgaged themselves to the hilt to purchase the two-up, two-down.

I was hoping to visit today, but it appears to be going through a change of ownership. Stonegate has it up for sale and Facebook has an enthusiastic post suggesting a new chapter is starting soon. 

Old Chapel - I can claim a tick from my pram in 1970

Blue Plaque

Lunch and an interlude at Smethwick Heritage Centre in Victoria Park. A tiny room celebrating Smethwick's industrial past and West Bromwich Albion's former glories.

Picnic in a Park

The Red Cow - Peter Griffiths, the Racist MP, used to campaign from there. Now Desi

The Blue Gates - Visited on my Metro Pub Crawl Walk

My acting career died a death before it had chance to flourish. In Smethwick High Street - where I was busy photographing the mosque, I was approached by a film producer who needed white Caucasian males to appear as extras in a movie being shot. Photos taken and paperwork part completed until I asked how long I would be needed for. Alas, shooting was between 2pm and 8pm. I couldn't commit.

A statue to Sikh Soldiers in WW1

Marshall Street - not far from Smethwick Galton Bridge - is the logical conclusion to the day's activities. A blue plaque marking Malcolm X's visit to Smethwick.

A street of terraced houses

Malcolm was here

Walk Details

Distance - 5 miles

Geocaches - 2

Previous Stages on the Wyre Valley Line - Worcester to Droitwich, Droitwich to Hartlebury, Hartlebury to Kidderminster, Kidderminster to Hagley, Hagley to Stourbridge, Stourbridge to Cradley Heath, Cradley Heath to Old Hill, Old Hill to Langley Green