27/05/19 - Town Walk and The Prince of Wales, Ledbury

Distance - 4 Miles
Walk Inspiration
Geocaches - 2


Mrs M has never been to Ledbury.   I needed no further excuse to take her to one of the finest pubs found my travels - The Prince of Wales.

First, a walk needs to be found for Guide Dog in Training, Joy.   It must be getting close to her leaving us to go to "big school" as the adult kids want to come along for the walk too.   How lovely to spend a bank holiday with my immediate family.

The round has just doubled in price.

Ledbury has a Town Trail which is a perfect sounding 3.5 miles.  It starts at Leadon Valley Picnic area and follows the river north until the water disappears.   Joy has been with us a year and despite loving a good paddle, will not progress in the water above her shoulders.  There's plenty of chance for her to practice until the river runs out and she emerges from the nettles with four muddy "boots". 

We hope she is clean by the time we get to the pub.   There's plenty of time, as we leave the river to pick up a disused railway line for more free running. 

A fine walk for families and dogs.

Today's Walk

Guide Dog Joy unnecessarily using a bridge

Easy Walking along a disused railway line

To visit the town, you can either take a detour from the railway line or pop in after the walk. 

And what's there?  Lots of independent shops, some classic "black and white architecture" and of course the Prince of Wales.

I have so many versions of this photo over the years

You can tell from the photo, its a classic.   Dating from 1545 and Grade II listed.  In completing research, I found a story that sums up Britain in two acts.

Act 1)  In March 2009, the landlord woke up to find that pranksters had painted the pub pink overnight.  A group of "workers" in overalls were observed setting up dust sheets and ladders.   They were assumed to be legit, as they looked so professional.   They even dropped an invoice "for works completed" through the letterbox.  The landlord had no idea who did it or what for and exclaimed;

"We have no idea who did it. We've never had any bother with vandals and we keep a good house here – there is never any swearing or being abusive"

Act 2)  West Mercia Police made the Landlord re-paint back to the original black and white, as it broke Grade II listed building standards.

There you go - Britain in a nutshell - bizarre practical jokes, no doubt forged after one too many and bureaucracy.

I'll drink to that.   Thornbridge California Sun in perfect condition.

25/05/19 - Jefferey Bernard is Unwell at Soho's Coach and Horses

Let me start by telling you how I discovered Soho's Coach and Horses.

Back in the early 1990's Gallon Drunk, a band I was aware of but never really listened to, put the words of Derek Raymond's, "I was Dora Suarez" to music.

The book, part of the Factory series of Police Procedurals,  is a staggering piece of fiction.  Timeless, unique and highly influential to the over-saturated crime series market that exists today.

The NME sent a team to interview Derek Raymond, where they met him in "his office" - the Coach and Horses.

I vowed to check it out next time in London and I now class it as one of my "locals", despite living 120 miles away.   An annual visit has been completed for the best part of 25 years. 

And it's never changed in all that time but I have a feeling its going to.

Fullers are threatening the current landlords by not renewing their lease.  This happens as soon as June 2019.  Having pulled out of the brewing business, there's every danger they will do something tragic to a classic piece of Soho "in the name of gentrification" as they support their pub and hotel real estate portfolio. 

Coach and Horses - Romilly Street, Soho

I can't help but think that the interior - all wooden panels - is going to be ripped out for something bland that could be found in a 1000 other establishments. 

If they do, I only hope that they let me bid on the bar background.   I have half a lifetime invested in staring at a wooden back board that offers things I've heard of but never sampled - "Skol, Ind Coope and Double Diamond".

This is how I remember it - Quiet on a mid week lunch time

Its not just the furnishings (or lack of them) that make a great pub.   Its also the people.   Lets go back to Derek.

Born into riches and an Eton dropout in 1948, at the age of 17.  After a spell abroad, rubbing shoulders with William Burroughs in Paris, he returned to London in the 60s, fronting criminal scams for associates of the Krays.   On the cusp of arrest, he started writing about the criminal underworld under the name Robin Cook.  It met with limited success but some books were published.   Bankrupt and going through multiple divorces, he headed back to the continent, abandoning writing and making a living as a farm labourer and slaughtererman.

By the end of the 70s, divorced again, he returned to London and started on the Factory Series, first published in the mid eighties.  His reputation was just starting to spread before his death in 1994.

Some life story and he is not even the most famous writer to frequent the pub.

That accolade belongs to the journalist Jeffrey Bernard and in what could well be my last visit to the establishment in its current guise, I'm here for a fitting finale.

Keith Waterhouse wrote a play about Jeffrey getting locked in the Coach.   Its a riot of cracking one liners, cat racing and a trick involving an egg, a biscuit tin lid and a shoe.   It defies explanation and has to be seen.

For a limited time - and breaking down the 4th wall of theatre - the play is being staged in the pub - with punters like me unwitting extras to a perfect performance from Robert Bathurst.  It takes some doing to have a keep a one man show going from midnight to 1am but I was in awe.

Some experience and it was an honour to be there.

I've signed the petition to keep the Coach as it is and hope for a successful outcome. 

25/05/19 - London Countryway - Stage 14 - Great Missenden to Berkhamsted

Distance - 13 Miles
Start - Great Missenden
Finish - Berkhamsted
Geocaches - 21
Pubs - The Blue Ball, The Rising Sun, Berkhamsted
Previous Stages - Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 7, Stage 8, Stage 9, Stage 10, Stage 11, Stage 12, Stage 13


Officially, the London Countryway does not go to Berkhamsted but if you don't, you have a monster 21 miler to Kings Langley to pick up the train home.

When previously faced with a route choice, I've consulted the two on line oracles.   Des De Moor took his time.  Dick Bowman ploughed on through.   It can't have been good for him.   His domain name has expired since I started this long distance path at the end of 2017.

I suppose this means my blog moves into 2nd place for on-line resource on the London Countryway.

The book's author, Keith Chesterton, doesn't have too much to say about this leg - "..... with no buildings or places of particular note - it is just a jolly good walk".

Pretty much sums it up.   Its similar to the last leg, with a lot of ups and downs across the dry chalk valleys.  Agricultural walking through grass fields, occasional sheep.

Here's the views;

Great Middenden Church in Chalkdell Wood Nature Reserve

Country Walking on the Countryway

Another Up and Down in a Dry Chalk Valley

Stopping for a breather, having peaked another

Entertainment wise, there's plenty of Geocaching.   Having stared at the huge 100+ trail, appropriately named the Chiltern 100s, for many years - I finally get to knock a few off.  One day, I will complete the set.

And Keith was doing the architecture a disservice.

Too Early for the Bell at Chartridge

But the Asheridge Blue Bell timed to perfection - walked up on the scrape of the midday bolt

The Good Beer Guide was checked before setting off and Berkhamsted has a single entry - the Rising Sun.

Hot day and the water had run out at the little shelter on the Green at Ashley Green.   An understatement to say that I was parched. 

Its a tidy little canalside boozer.   Once fighting my way past some very stubborn but particularly talented bar hoggers, I was faced with 5 handpulls of previously unseen beers.   Deciding they might not be cold enough for the circumstance, I went for a Camden Hells Keg Lager.  It comes in a rather unique stubby glass that I would like checked by weights and measures to ensure it holds a pint.

The Rising Sun, Berkhamsted

Sun shining and legs weary, I can think of nowhere better to sit that a canal side beer garden.

Until the manky pleasure craft that was burning far to much oil choked us all out, as it pottered through the locks.

Berkhamsted has a nice little surprise waiting at the station.

The railway cafe is a proper chip shop. 

The other passengers were jealous as we waiting for the 16:12.   I could tell by the way they were looking at me and my open cone.  To be fair, there were plenty enough to share.

18/05/19 - Heart of England Way - Stage 26 - Mickleton

Distance - 8.75 Miles
Pub - The Fleece Bretforton
Geocaches - 3
Previous Stages - Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 7, Stage 8, Stage 9, Stage 10, Stage 11, Stage 12, Stage 13, Stage 14, Stage 15, Stage 16, Stage 17, Stage 18, Stage 19, Stage 20, Stage 21, Stage 22, Stage 23, Stage 24, Stage 25


Stage 26 of the Heart of England Way brings me to Mickleton.   A village that has been a regular in this blog over the last 7 years, where there has been an adventurous pub walk, the pudding club and a geocaching round.

To avoid familiarity (and because they were poor to average), I'll be forced to find a post ramble refreshment other than the Kings and Butchers Arms, but that's for later.

I also remember from my previous walk that it might be nice to descend from Kiftsgate rather than having another pant up the grassy ride.    That's the direction sorted, anti clockwise.

Leave Mickleton heading South and picking up a church micro geocache.   An attempt was made to gain access to the building to see the stained glass windows but I only met with a locked door.   Instead, a chance to test Google Translate with a dead language.

Lovely Honey Stone Church

Law of God, Light of the Day

My climb is onto Bakers Hill, where an extraordinary FYI (for your information) Geocache brings something to my attention that I would have possibly missed.   Carved into the side of the tree is an image of a Belgian Soldier made by a veteran convalescing from injuries received in WWI.

Amazing.

The geocache involves getting info from the information board and plotting co-ordinates for the treasure.   Great fun and a delight to be shown a 100+ year piece of art/graffiti.

Views from Bakers Hill

Can you see the face in the tree?

How about now?

The remainder of the walk is agricultural Cotswolds.   Emma and Rob's wedding is taking place at Mickleton Hill Farm, there are goldfish in the trough at Hidcote Boyce and downhill from Kiftsgate is a nice change.

Mickleton Hill Farm Drive - the Way to Emma's Big Day

Who does this?  Why aren't there herons in the Cotswolds?

Downhill to Mickleton

A decent ramble, as you would expect from this part of the world.

So the pubs - as mentioned, the Kings Arms looks much better than what is delivered.  The Butchers Arms is better but all Sharp's Beers - although a lesser spotted Sea Fury did line up next to the ubiquitous Doom Bar on my last visit.

Instead, I head to the Seagrave Arms on the way home in Weston Sub Edge.  It stunning looking and the last time I walked past was outside opening hours.   I vowed to investigate when I had the chance.

Like all good ideas, this is a mistake.

What's not to like?

Its the worst type of Gastropub.   I may have missed something, but after walking through room after room of empty fine dining tables, I found a (the?) bar.   It was both unmanned and devoid of any proper beer.

No one saw my entry.  No one saw my exit.

Always with something up my sleeve, I instead head to Bretforton.   If you know anything about pubs in the UK, you won't need me to tell you the name of where I am heading.

The Fleece Inn, Bretforton

The Fleece is owned by the National Trust and is a half timbered medieval farm house, converted to a pub in the 1800s.   My blog tells me its been 6 years since my last visit, where I was at the launch of that year's asparagus-fest.  They take this vegetable very seriously in the Vale of Evesham.

This year, they were merely selling asparagus on the bar.   I declined to see how it would pair with my Uley Brewery Pig's Ear.

Last Pub Blog was Pork Scratchings in Gornal.  Today, a bundle of Asparagus.  £3.50.

16/05/19 - Bathams Pub Walk - The Britannia, Upper Gornal

Distance - 4 Miles
Good Beer Guide Ticks - 383 and 384
Walk Inspiration - Best Pub Walks in the Black Country - Walk 18
Full list of Bathams Pub Walks

Regular blogfans will know that I am slowly recording a pub walk from all of the Bathams pubs.

Welcome to the first from 2019 and I'm hoping you will be as equally taken by the Gornals as I have been.   For I bring you not one great pub, but two - the other being a Holdens.

I think I will be looking at their tied houses for the next series of thematically linked ale rambles.

Lets start with the Gornals.   There's Upper, Lower and I have no idea where Dudley ends and Sedgley starts.   All I know is that there is some some genuine countryside to be found next to a fast food joint called "Kents Tuck Inn Fried Chicken".

I also know how fiercely proud the Black Country is.   After all, I am a baggies fan, still lamenting what could have been on Tuesday.

The Black Country Wellbeing Centre is not one of my two pub visits

Start at the Britannia on Kent Street for some road walking down Jews Lane, Robert Street and into Ruiton Street.   The occasional views through the houses are extraordinary.  From Upper Gornal - all my usual stomping grounds of Clent, Kinver Edge, Abberley Hill, the Malverns and the Cotswolds ridge are laid out before me. 

Photo does not do it justice

I've arrived at Ruiton Street and may as well get a bonus Good Beer Guide 2019 tick.

I know from my guide book that the Chapel House used to be known as the Miners Arms and was first registered as a pub in 1834.  Before that, it was a religious house used by a group of Methodists known as the Gornal Ranters.   A pub full of ranters.   Nothing changes.

Oldest Pub in Gornal

This pub ticking malarkey gets me crossing the threshold of many new pubs but I cannot think of an occasion that made me feel as welcome as this place.   Everyone said hello to me.  The landlord said hello twice.   It was full on an early evening Thursday.  Everything a pub should be.

And the beer.... unbelievably good Holdens Best Bitter that did not touch the sides.   Retired Martin was here a month ago.... he does words (and photos) better than me, so read his review.

On with the walking and into the wilds.  Don't follow my map route too closely, as there were a couple of dead ends but I found Turners Hill, made my way across a public footpath on a golf course called the Straits and before I knew it, arrived back to the Britannia.

Wilderness of Turners Hill

The Straits (not dire)

The pub has the corporate colours, the bulls head tiling, the old school charm that I've come to expect.   No point discussing the beer quality.   There's a reason why I want to be a Bathams Completist.

Two more to do.

Corporate Colours

Yet to master the clandestine art of pub photography

12/05/19 - The Bulls Head, Wootton Wawen

Distance - 4 Miles
Geocaches - 18
First Cache


Wootton Wawen in Warwickshire.  Jonathan Ross's least favourite village.

I'm here for a 18 cache geotrail - that takes on a short section of the Stratford Canal, Austy Woods and a section of the Monarch's Way long distance path.

Beautiful morning, gorgeous skies, easy walking, fine caches waiting to be found - apart from when muggle barge owners are moored up at GZ.   Austy Woods had the bluebells out and rape seed was in the fields, creating a beautiful yellow contrast to the blue skies.

Starting along the Stratford Canal

Bluebells in Austy Woods

Simply Gorgeous fields of Rape Seed on the Monarchs Way

Lovely little round that was perfect for my Sunday morning needs.

The day got even better when I looked for post caching refreshment.   I've lost track of the amount of times I have walked from Henley in Arden and Alcester but never once have I been to Wootton. 

The OS Map showed a Big Blue Cup of Joy.   At first, I wondered if a pub was still there and open. 

There aren't necessarily signs of life from the road.

Car Park at rear

There's a lot of claims in the UK to the oldest pub.  Ye Olde Trip in Nottingham, Fighting Cocks in St Albans and the Porch House Inn in Stow on the Wold have all been visited.

This one almost matches their claimed date - although Porch House - I'm not sure people even lived in houses in 947 AD.   I thought it would be all mud huts.  At least Ye Olde Trip is a cave.

This ramshackle former cottages/farm houses has a stone dated 1317 inside.  Beerwise - a tired of Marstons Pedigree was never going to tear up any trees but that was not really the point of the visit.

I doubt your local hungry horse is going to have thirsty ramblers stumbling upon them and admiring the internal joinery in 700 years time.

To add further historical emphasis, its opposite the oldest Church in Warwickshire.  Saxon, dating from 800AD.

Maybe I've been too harsh on the Porch House and domestic buildings were there in the first millennium.

Couldn't find an angle without a Red Nissan in front of it.

10/05/19 - A Tour of Holy Island

Distance - 5 Miles
Gecocaches - 3
Pub - The Ship Inn, Allendale Brewery Pennine Pale Ale
Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine, Nov 2010, Walk 24

A trip to this part of the world was never going to be complete with a visit to Holy Island.

Tide Times checked and we have from 10:30am till 4:30 to complete a quick circuit.

Nice to leave the day tripping tourists behind at the car park.   They make their way to the priory and castle, we make our way North along a farm track.   Knowing when to stop is not as easy as you would think - the OS Map marks sand dunes almost identically to beaches.

Heading North through the Dunes

Its some reward when we do get there, as we have  a Emmanuel Head Bay almost to ourselves.  Guide Dog in Training Joy behaves herself impeccably with a Black Lab she makes friends with.

To have this bay almost to ourselves

Guide Dog Joys Playmate

The good behaviour disappears when we walk down the easy coast of the Island.   Multiple disgraces involving dead birds.   We accepted it when she came back with a cormorant in her mouth but back on the lead she went,  after scaling a cliff to get at an as yet unidentified cadaver.

If it was a bird, it was a bloody big one.

Lindisfarne castle and priory are the honeypot highlights - the daytrippers were right - and we have saved this but of the walk for last.

Lindisfarne Castle

Plenty of photos before we have to make a decision on which pub for lunch.

Unlike pubs called Railway Arms, Ship Inns never fail and this was no exception.   After a week of unseasonably cold May temperatures, it was a delight to be in their sun trap beer garden with a superb Allendale Pennine Pale Ale - waiting for fishfinger sandwiches.

Another great Ship Inn

Guide Dog in Training Joy is not having my Pale Ale

A fitting end to a week of walking in a special part of the country.

09/05/19 - Double Pub Walk - Seahouses to Beadnell

Distance - 7 Miles
Pubs - Ye Olde Ship, Seahouses and Craster Arms, Beadnell
Geocaches - 1
Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine, Jan 2018, Walk 20

Is there anything better than a coastal pub walk that starts from your own front door?   Maybe one with two great pubs, equidistantly placed.

The footpath behind our holiday rental takes us inland across farmers fields, where the output appears to be long grass.   Guide Dog in Training Joy rather enjoyed gallivanting through it.    A welcoming committee greets us at Beadnell.

An agricultural start to the walk

The Beadnell Welcoming Comittee

Beadnell is simply stunning.   There's a huge golden bay, where the sand stretches out for miles and when you are bored with that, a rather handily located pub at the mid point of the walk.

Through the dunes and onto Beadnell Bay

For these views

Which Guide Dog in Training Joy loved

The Craster Arms has a handsome exterior and is dog friendly.   Inside, it's tailored for hungry tourists.   Three real ales on and it was my first introduction to Hadrian Border Brewery and their Farne Island Bitter. 

Crasyer Arms from earlier in the week, where I first found Farne Island Bitter

This traditional bitter has been the beer of the holiday and a real find.   I'll see if I can get some bottles for export back to the West Midlands.

Refreshment had, its a case of walking back along the coast to Seahouses.   How you do it is probably tide dependent - low tide, you can pick your way across the rocky fingers of Lady's and Nacker's Holes until you reach the sand.   High tide, there is a path along the dunes running parallel with the road.

I've plenty of photos of sandy beaches and the Farne Islands to bore you with but will just load the one onto the blog.

Farne Island - The place, not the beer

Into the four pub metropolis of Seahouses.   Last year on the Inn Way to the North Yorkshire Moors, I got talking to a fella about my adventure.   We got talking about the Inn Way to Northumberland when he got all misty eyed about Ye Olde Ship at Seahouses.   Not sure if its was the beer or the crab sandwiches which he extolled the virtues of the most.

A Must Visit, said the man in North Yorkshire.

I'm not one to turn down a recommendation.

On first impressions, I was underwhelmed.   It's the only pub in Northumberland that we have found to be dog unfriendly.   In fact there are rather too many signs.   The one outside promising Bass is a good thing.   The plenty of others banning all manner of potential crimes are not. 

This is a bit of a pet hate of mine.  I mean, is it really necessary to have laminates telling you to take off your backpacks before entry?

They Promised the Red Triangle - They Lied

No Dogs.  No Rucksacks.  Toilets for Patrons

Pub Ticker waiting for the Bass to come on

A chat with the exceptionally friendly bar staff - one of whom had 35 years of service - revealed the reason.   The gorgeous bar is too small for dogs and you wouldn't get in carrying a large rucksack.  I take it back..... the signs were necessary for fear of dislodging nick nacks.

Gorgeous Bar and the Rucksack Rule makes sense

We were directed to a little dog friendly summerhouse in the beer garden - offering shelter and views to Farne Island.   It makes sense to look at what you are drinking.

Farne Island - The Beer - At the Wheel in the Summer House

And the drinking was exceptional.   Well worthy of its place in the Good Beer Guide 2019.

Walk over, we head back through town for supplies.   The independent deli has what I need to remember the week by.

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