06/03/26 - The Mug House, Claines

Ghostly Goings on in the Good Beer Guide

I'll never get around to visiting every pub in a Good Beer Guide, but I can set myself a target of keeping my home county of Worcestershire "greened". 2026 saw five new entries.

The Mug House, Claines, becomes my latest quarry.

Now part of the Marston's chain

It probably comes as no surprise that this pub is detailed in two of my other books. Worcestershire's Historic Pubs and Haunted Pubs of Worcestershire. Let's deal with the stories.

Book 1 incorrectly claims it is the only pub on consecrated land in the UK. It is indeed housed within the Churchyard of St John the Baptist but book two says it is one of two, without providing details. AI confirms that the Ring O'Bells in Kendal is the other. With a name like that, it certainly sounds plausible.

Both books agree that during 1947 renovations, the silver head of a bishop's crozier was recovered, hidden in the walls. Handed to the Bishop of Worcester, it has been used in annual celebrations since.

Ghost tales? The usual hysterics in Haunted Pubs of strange noises, dogs that won't settle, and the tapping mallet going missing. Both books comment on a haunting by a ghost from the English Civil War - who goes to the front door, shouts "Beware!" and then heads to the church to play the organ.

No organ playing today, but it was "doors open".

The pub is as higgledy-piggledy as you would expect. The front room packed with solo men drinking. No photos from there, but it is the obvious place to see the wares and order. HPA and Butty Bach are a rather pedestrian offering for this part of the world.

A rear dining room offers fine views of the Malverns and a large mural painting by someone whose main career wasn't art.

The distant Malvern

How the pub looked in 1745

Finally, a smoke room/snug - where mugs hang from the rafters and a fox's head is nailed to the wall.

Butty Bach in fine condition

A perfectly good GBG recommendation and surprisingly easy access to public transport. Waiting for the 303 back to Kidderminster, every other car is flashes me as I look out for the bus.

The drivers of Worcester giving it to the man. Speed traps ahead.

04/03/26 - The Crown, Peopleton

Serendipity

Time for a Hidden Places of Worcestershire walk. The process? Spin a random number generator for a page number, see the place on that page and then plot a walk.

Number 73 today:  Peopleton.

Located near Pershore. Home to around 600 souls. Not any of them are out on a lovely spring day - no gardeners, no dog walkers. The place can be classified as quiet.

The walk turns out to be better than hoped for. The map indicated agricultural fields, so I was expecting a mud-fest. With the exception of one field of calf height grass - which actually gave the boots a good clean - this was easy going.

The ford at Barrel Bridge

Three highlights;

#1 - Wolverton Hall. Commandeered by Hattons jewellers in WWII for the "Industrial Diamond Trade". The guide book attests to rumours of tunnels packed with treasures.

Diamond Lights

#2 - St Nicholas Church. Back into Peopleton and an unassuming and quite simple church. Doors open - and in-the-field research suggests the wooden beamed barrelled roof is the standout feature.

St Nicholas Church

The roof looking towards the altar

#3 - The Pub. How's this for fortune? We're there on the first day of opening for the new landlords. If I hadn't been looking at curved roof beams in a 13th-century church, I would have been the first customer. Coming in late did provide the opportunity to gauge the cask quality based on the punters in the queue before me.

The London Pride looked good in the sunshine. The crisps, four days after their BBE - I'll let it slide and wish the new patrons luck in their endeavours.

Mrs M could have got the round in whilst I was on church duties

Take Pride in the Wye Valley

Walk Details

Distance - 4 Miles

Geocaches - 0

Walk Inspiration - Hidden Places of Worcestershire and Walks in the Country, Worcestershire - Walk 7

03/03/26 - West Midlands Way - Stage 11 - Lichfield to Tamworth

Hazards to Overcome

I am well off-piste on the West Midlands Way. For some reason, known only to 1970s walk planners, they manoeuvred around Lichfield without actually visiting it. I couldn't resist the triple spires and the easy public transport.

I now need to get myself to Kingsbury - a distance that is too far for a day's walking and again, with limited public transport options. Instead, I set my target slightly North. To Tamworth. For reasons that anyone with an interest in pubs will know.

But there are many hazards to overcome. This is HS2 Country - a thing I thought I had left behind, not expecting there to be any works north of Birmingham. But no - Komoot shows a shaded red danger area right across my planned route.

Then there is Whittington Heath Rifle Range. A MOD facility that hosts live firing several times a week. 

Finally, I intend to enter Tamworth along the River Tame. A river that has been in flood for the last few weeks.

How to mitigate disaster? Ask the hive mind of the Internet. Walk 1000 Miles contributors provide the answers needed - I should be OK to progress unhindered. Provided I go on the first Tuesday of the month and when there is a Wolf Moon.

A surprisingly decent walk ensues.

Borrowcop Hill - Home of Lichfield Legends

Discussed in the last blog

Low risk of fire - would you progress on Yellow or Orange?

What they are shooting at

Hopwas Hays Wood - pretty walking for those brave enough to face bullets

Easy navigation on the Birmingham and Fazeley

After the unflooded river Tame plains - the prize - Tamworth Castle and Queens Bridge

Onto the pubs. Not as easy as you would think. The Old Bank House was recommended - but not open on a Tuesday. The Tamworth Tap - which has to be visited - doesn't open until 4pm.

Sir Timbo can save the day for the traveller prepared to wait around a little. I am one day too early for the latest beer festival but the landlord tells me what I could have won and even gives me a leaflet to read at my pleasure. The usual great value can still be found - £2.35 a pint, but the guest ales choice completely limited to IPAs. If you are going to have an IPA, have one from the Indian Brewery.

Hard to tell what this building used to be

Still need to wait. I poked my head in the door of the Sheriff of Tamworth. Google reviews pointed to a fine Belgian Beer Range at good prices. I saw nothing of interest and an unmanned bar allowed me to make a quick escape to the Joules House, the Market Vaults. The house beer - an Aurora Golden - was in poor nick. 

Functional and opposite the ultimate destination

Finally, the clock strikes four and it's over to the Tamworth Tap.

And why was I prepared to wait? It's been CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2022, 20223 and 2025. The only venue to win three times. 

This suggests very good promotion or a very active local CAMRA. Personally, I think open hours should have been used in the selection criteria.

That said, it's exactly my kind of pub. Multiple levels, brew paraphernalia on the walls, wingback Chesterfields and an exceptional beer range. How often (excluding my own garage) am I forced to choose between a Bathams and a Straffe Hendrik, in the presentation chalice?

There is no denying it is gorgeous

All in all, a very successful day.

Now to try and plan the next leg. I am getting closer to the end, with Meriden almost in striking distance.

Walk Details

Distance - 8.5 Miles

Geocaches - 12

Previous Stages - Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 5, Stage 6 (Part 1), Stage 6 (Part 2), Stage 7, Stage 8, Stage 9, Stage 10

27/02/26 - Coffee at Ferryside

Please, No More Mud

Even the route planner, Julie Royle away from her usual Worcestershire patch, states that there isn't much in Ferryside.

A lonely but frequently served railway station. A pub that opens at the odd time of 13:00 on a Friday. A cafe, taken advantage of. Free parking, taking advantage of with thanks. Golden sand/mud dependent on the tide, as the River Towey flows into the sea. A well maintained coastal path. Rain. Deep mud.

Willow, exploring the Ferryside foreshore

The walk follows the Wales Coast Path up and over the headland. Past converted farmhouses with ambitious outdoor swimming pools. The going is unpleasant. Streams where there shouldn't be streams. Mud everywhere else. We have had enough. The route suggests a 2-mile excursion to Llansaint. I've already checked and the pub is "temporarily closed". We can see the church. We aim to make our way back to civilisation on lanes, rather than fields.

Disappointment with the White Lion opening hours more than made up for with the beach hosted coffee shop. Attention to detail and a friendly service. 

The coffee shop - looking over the estuary

The of-little-use-at-midday White Lion Hotel, Ferryside

I might to change the name of the blog to Mappiman's Real Coffee Walks. 

Walk Details

Distance - 4 Miles

Geocaches - 0

Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine, October 2016, Walk 20