28/07/19 - The Great Orme and Llandudno's Oldest Pub

Distance - 5 Miles
Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine, July 2019, Walk 22
Geocaches - 1
Pub - The King's Head, Llandudno



This is one of those routes that we will have to repeat.

Weather conspired against us, with a sea mist coming in and obliterating the fine views over Snowdonia.   We couldn't even see the tops of the cable cars, which of course were not running and it was very nearly the first walk abandoned through the taking of a tram.

Pray for better conditions should you come to do it.

We start from our AirBnB in the town and head up to the west coast path of Great Orme.  This headland is very nearly an island and in a time of uncertain weather conditions, where last week, the UK recorded it's highest ever temperature, it may well be soon.    That would be the end of Llandudno.

At this point, the views are nearly there and we can see the sweep of West Beach and the blue cafe, where we took advantage of their "Full Welsh" only a couple of hours before.

Good Paths

The West Beach of Llandudno

The path turns into a military road and then eventually a sheep track.   The rain comes in.  We shelter in a gun emplacement that had a roof but no bench.   Its not going to lift, so onto exposed cliffs and a careful ascent between a gully to reach the road at the top.

Normally, Snowdonia

Path gets a little hairy, as we climb up a gully between the cliffs.

From this point, I have to paint pictures with words.   We are walking through sea mist and there's no point taking photos.

There's a limestone pavement, similar to Malham Cove, picnic areas (Ha!), sheepfolds and somewhere on the top at the Cable Car Station, with a pub.   We do no find it.   Mrs M proclaims we need to "have a rethink and get down as soon as possible".

Hope is provided at the Tramway Half Way Station - but only when you understand how it works.  Punters disembark one tram here and join another to take them to the pub summit.   We ask the one man working there if we can buy a ticket to town.   The answer is no - you can only buy at the top, or the bottom.   After careful negotiation - won more by the pity he takes in Mrs M's dodgy PacAMac, he says he will let us on if there is room. 

There is no room.

It's a vertiginous drop along the roadway and just as we reach the terminus, we see what we could have won.

At least its all down hill

No Room for a very damp Mrs Mappiman

Soaked to the skin, I'm surprised Mrs M wants to take refreshment but the lure of Llandudno's oldest pub is too strong.   Who knows, there may be a roaring fire to dry off next to.   Even in July.

Cask Marque and Oldest - We shunted with care

Right at the Tram Terminus

It's all very standard.   The beer was mainly Greene King but there was an aptly named Sea Fury from Sharps, the home of doom bar.    It ranged from quiet to packed solid, when the tram had just arrived and this fluctuation in customer numbers may have explained their fierce protection of lavatory access.

Who knows what previous crimes had been committed.

We did the walk.   We missed the views and there, deep in the sea mist, is a pub waiting to be ticked.

One to be repeated.

27/07/19 - Good Beer Guide Pubs of Llandudno

Pubs - 3
Good Beer Guide Ticks - 403 - 405


Basking in the heat of the hottest July day ever recorded, Mrs M books us a weekend away.   Weather reports are evaluated and North Wales promises "Wall to Wall Sunshine".

Here's the Albert, the First of three Good Beer Guide Pubs visited in Llandudno.

You cannot see the Great Orme, tomorrow's walk, for drizzle

The Albert is a functional Gastro Pub, which the bible states "has the beers on offer clearly marked on a Chalkboard".

Good job, as you cannot get near the pumps for the bar hangers - who are very protective of their front row seats.

I tried to put my head between the conversation, but this was met with disapproval

I found the chalk board - above the bar and with lettering that rendered it unreadable with or without my glasses.

There was nothing for it, I went to the end of the bar with space and where the serve the kegs. 

The man next to me had a lovely looking pint - dark, malty colour with a pefect 1/2 inch of creamy head.   I'll ask him what he's on.

How do you back away from John Smiths  :-) ?

Instead, I went LocALE for a Conwy brewery Beachcomber.   A refreshing Pale Ale that lived up to the Untappd review of "grapefruity notes".

Functional.... and we move over the road to Tapps - a Micropub.   I'm having to think which word before pub makes my heart sink the fastest.... Micro or Gastro.

To be fair, when they are done right, micros work well.   They either need a lot of variety of interesting Continental Bottles (a la the Beer Emporium, Kidderminster) or good music, played at a comfortable volume masking the hum of refrigerators in silent Micros (sadly lacking in the Bull Baiters, Worcester or  Little George, Stroud).

This fell into the good music category and with a healthy representation of clientele,  we were hard pressed to differentiate this from a regular pub.

And the Welsh Pride by Conwy Brewery was perfect.

No external shots of Tapps - Smokers in the Rain

After a lengthy walk along the prom and a couple of false starts finding restaurants that are both high on Tripadvisor and with Saturday night availability, we find ourselves walking past some horror shows of karaoke pubs, a Wetherspoons that surprisingly isn't in the bible (they usually are, I can only wonder what crime the Palladium has committed), arriving at the night's third tick and easily the best of the lot.

The Snowdon hotel has a lovely open covered terrace at the front, so the gentle noise of conversation filling the night air tempts the ardent pub tickers in.

But unfortunately makes for a poor photograph

A lovely looking bar, with plenty of choice that is not evaluated in the slightest when I see the Red Triangle.

I would be drummed out the pub tickers society, had I refused a Bass.

Mrs M's limb, checking in her diet coke into UnTappd.

A fine pub.   We walked past it again in the rain-light on Sunday's walk.  The only reasons not to revisit was to check into Llandudno's oldest and see how Tim's vision for turning a theatre into a boozer from the inside had worked out.

Snowdon in the Rain.

27/07/19 - Conwy - An Adventurous Pub Walk

Distance - 7.5 Miles
Walk Inspiration - Walk 36, AA Walks through Britain's History
Geocaches - 3
Pubs - 4 Good Beer Guide 2019 Entries - Liverpool Arms, Albion, Bank of Conwy, Erskine Arms



A lot to love on this walk - not least the fact that it heads past the front door of four Good Beer Guide 2019 Pubs.  In addition to quality beer, we can throw in a postcard perfect castle, a lovely stretch along an estuary, an optimistically labelled mountain and some wild moor land.

This ramble has it all - and the only thing we regret is parking in the 4 hour maximum stay Short Stay Car Park beneath the castle walls.   There's so much more we could have done.

The first 20 minutes of the 4 hours are spent taking photos.   Conwy is that sort of place.

All Walks should start at a Castle

Too Early for the GBG Liverpool Arms

Welsh lady hurrying up the tourists.  20 Japanese Tourists booked in.

We've gained a delightful walkaway along the estuary, passing what is marked on the OS map as a "Butterfly Jungle" before cutting inland on the Wales Coast Path.

Views back to the castle, along the estuary

The Coast Path is going to take us over Conwy Mountain.   At 800ft, its a stretch to give it such a serious name but its a joy to climb through the purple heather, along remote paths and with views to the proper Snowdonia mountain ranges.

Mrs M, not sure if she signed up for Mountain Walks

Gorgeous paths, views and colours

The rest of the walk is gorgeous but with similar views to those presented.   Wild moorland, views either to mountains or over Anglesey.  Many photos but they are mostly the same.

Rest of the Walk is either this, or the sea

A drop down back to the town, the only drama of the day navigating a field of bulls.   Mrs M sends me first but after I make it successfully across, refuses to come, heading off in a direction that won't get her to the three remaining pubs of the day.   If she want's lunch she's going to have to man up.

Of course, the bovines bellow to greet her bravery.

Into the town and entering through the town walls is suitably epic.

How to end a walk

In December, there will be a look back and a review of my adventures.   Here we have 2019 "Walk of the Year".

Onto Refreshment.

With three remaining pubs and only an hour left on the Parking ticket - its going to have to be whittled down to 2.

As a Baggies fan, the Albion Ale House, was always likely to be a winner.   From the outside, its doesn't look much - a slightly down at heel old mans pub that Mrs M needs all of North Wales Camra's recommendation to enter.

We're the Albion

Advertising from 2016

Any concerns dissipate on entry.   The decorating budget has been spent inside this two roomed boozer.  All soft wooden hues and lighting more suited to a 1920's ballroom or the lounge on an ocean cruiser.

Home of the Lovely Lamp Shades

Two friendly and knowledgeable bar ladies explained their wares and pointed me to a Purple Moose Lifeboat - which a beer that I couldn't find on UnTappd and must have been a renamed pale from their range - presumably with contributions to the appeal.

Successful first stop and we have 30 minutes for lunch.

The Bank of Conwy looked like it was doing a roaring trade but we bypassed for the more traditional Erskine Arms.

Bank of Conwy

The Erskine Arms is a huge, smart hotel.   With tourists, families and a wedding party in the main lounge, a touch of exploring was required to find tranquility in "the study"

Good Beer Guide Goes Posh

My sort of space

Timothy Taylor Bolt Maker and a top quality fish finger sandwich rounded off a superb walk.

And we were back to the car two minutes before trouble.

21/07/19 - London Countryway - Stage 17 - St Albans to Brookmans Park

Distance - 8 Miles
Start - St Albans
Finish - Brookmans Park
Geocaches - 5
Pub - The Woodman, Waters End
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


Plenty of route options on Stage 17 of the London Countryway. 

Keith Chesterton's original book had a loop over the top of St Albans and seemingly taking in Hatfield Airfield.    That's long gone and is now a business park.  I'm not going anywhere near a place of previous employ.

Des De Moor has two options - both finishing at Welham Green Station.

The now missing Dick Bowman website, where I had the foresight to download the GPX's, has us ending at Keith's original location - Brookmans Park. 

This is the one we take and it couldn't be easier to walk on a Sunday morning, although it won't get the pulse racing in terms of views, variety or places of interest.   I do it a slight disservice.   You have to play human frogger proficiently to get across the four lane race track that is the A414 North Orbital Road.

After a more than comfortable night in Lenny Henry's favourite Hotel Chain, we work our way through town.   Down the main street, past the museum and head east along Victoria Street.   More pubby landmarks to point out to Mrs M and its great to see the Horn, a top music venue, still apparently going strong.   Tribute bands, The Smyths and a Bit of A Blur, would certainly be attended, if we didn't live 130 miles away.

Our aim - and our path for the majority of this walk - is the Alban Way - A 6.5 mile disused railway line.   The shade offered means we are more than happy to put up with annoying cyclists dinging their tinny bells at us.

Another St Albans Landmark

Alban Way - with one those bell ringers approaching

But the shade is more than worth it

Dead straight, dead flat walking on tarmac is surrendered at Sleapshyde.  Probably early anglo saxon for "Sleepy Village".   The thatched pub, the Plough, looked a delight but hardly likely to open its doors at 10am on a Sunday morning.

Another one slips the net

Our reward for a terrifying crossing the insanely busy A414 is a "green tunnel" to Colney Heath and ultimately North Mymms Park.

Safely across the A414 

And into North Mymms Park for a team Photo

and North Mymms Church

Fortunately, we have a footbridge over the A1(M), which leads to the tiny hamley of Water End.

When Keith wrote the book, he mentioned the two pubs here - next door to one another.   Alas, the Old Maypole has bit the dust - even if it does proudly display its "Best in the West" signage in the wall.   Ever one to look into the history of dead pubs, www.beerintheevening.com reveals that it "never recovered from the manslaughter".

Interesting,

It's 11:40am and we wonder whether to wait the expected 20 minutes for the opening of the Woodmans Inn.   It's a nice day and they have lovely outdoor seating, so we take off rucksacks only to notice the door is open and Mrs M to exclaim "there's people in there, with pints".

Woodman Inn, Water End, with the Old Maypole a couple of buildings along.

A rare example of an 11:30am opener on a Sunday.   Super.

Its only half a mile along a delightful path called Wise's Lane to Brookmans Park.

Half hourly trains to the Smoke and a two day adventure on the London Countryway comes to a close.

20/07/19 - London Countryway - Stage 16 - Kings Langley to St Albans

Distance - 8 Miles
Start - Kings Langley
Finish - St Albans
Geocaches - 4
Pub - Fighting Cocks, St Albans
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


If you told a stranger that you were walking a circular loop around London, 20-ish miles from the centre, they would probably assume you were walking the hard shoulder of the M25.

The previous 15 legs have largely avoided it - but not today.    The roar of the traffic is never out of our ears, as we complete this easy section - with the added reward of an ending at St Albans.   It's always been one of my favourite cities.   I spent 12 years with a company who's head Office was just up the road at Hatfield and one thing you can say with certainty is that St Albans is a far better bet for evening entertainment.

We leave Kings Langley Station, fail to spot the Ovaltine Egg Factory and find a good farm track for today's first crossing of the M25.

Looking back over Kings Langley - failing to identify what an egg factory looks like

Nothing at all memorable, as we skirt the edges of Abbot's Langley and thank the lord that they remembered to maintain the public footpaths, allowing the rambler to cut across Junction 21 - where the M25 meets the M1.

Not every blog brings you the M1 from underneath

Junction 21 - from the handily placed footbridge

A climb of Bone Hill and through recently planted woodland on paths that bear no resemblance to my elderly copy of the OS map.   Its easy enough to navigate and we're grateful of the tree cover for shelter for a 20 minutes monsoon - that was originally forecast to last all day.

Safe to come out from the trees - Monsoon over Essex and we are approaching St Albans

It's always nice to enter a City at the end of a walk and Verulamium Park is quite the gateway.  Plenty of ancient architecture to admire - including the remains of the Roman Wall.    The only question is whether to turn left for the Six Bells in St Micheal's Street or go straight on for one of those "Oldest Pubs in Britain" - Ye Olde Fighting Cocks.

Either way - its a twenty minute wait before the midday scrape of the bolt - heralded here by the peel of the Cathedral Bells.

Roman Walls of Verulamium Park

It was Ye Olde Fighting Cocks that won out.

• C11th Building
• Unusual Octagonal Shape - due to its former use as pigeon house
• Put up Oliver Cromwell for a night in the English Civil War
• Has an old Cock Fighting Pit
• Location for my first ever pint of Hophead 13

Hanging around, waiting for the midday bells to announce its opening

The Old Cock Fighting Pit

Mind you head

Knowing how much there is on offer in St Albans (it is the home of CAMRA, after all) we are staying the night.   Plenty to see and do and I was hoping for my first visit inside the Cathedral.  Alas, there was a wedding on and Mrs M thought it would be inappropriate for ramblers.

Many times seen, never entered

Abbey Gate at Romeland

Clock Tower - opposite the Boot Pub

Plenty more pubs to do too - but these have been blogged here and here. 

Even I drew the line at revisiting them all.  There's more London Countryway Walking tomorrow.

17/07/19 - Worcester City Urban Ramble and the Dragon Inn

Distance - 4 Miles
Walk Inspiration - Urban Rambles
Good Beer Guide Tick #400 - The Dragon Inn


UrbanRambles.org is a web site I have had my eye on for sometime.   There are 40+ City walks in the UK and four overseas walks - New York, Lisbon, Buenos Aires and Rio De Janeiro.   We're hoping to put the South American ones to the test by the end of the year.

The closest to me is Worcester.   A City I know well, but unbelievably have never been inside the Cathedral.   This walk will fix that - entering one side and exiting through the other.

No need for me to go overboard with the walk locations - a detailed commentary at their website.

A few photos and then concentrate on post walk refreshment.

Elgar Monument at the bottom of the City

The walk takes a meandering route through the City Centre - which is not always the prettiest.   Some serious 1960s vandalism improvements took place in the name of shopping.   Surprisingly, we don't take in Friar Street, where prime examples of this are represented.   A Medieval merchants townhouse (Greyfriars) opposite one of the worst car parks (aesthetically and to navigate) known to man.

Entering the Cathedral from the North

Inside

Exiting via the Cloisters

Hours could be spent in the Cathedral.  A quick internal circuit but more time is required than we had.   We will be back.

First English Civil War Site - Fort Royal

A short hop to Fort Royal, overlooking the City, which played a key part in the Battle of Worcester 1651.   Charles II watched the fighting here from the Cathedral tower before legging it, hiding in an Oak Tree and getting a Long Distance Path (Monarch's Way) created in his honour.   Fine views over the City and Malvern.  The Commandery, at the bottom of the hill, can be visited for more Civil War history.

Worcester - Birmingham Canal to the River Side

Head North until you get back to the bridge

Some walking, unhindered by history or attractions.   The canal takes us to the river (mid point refreshments available at the Anchor) before a walk through playing fields and back along the river from Diglis Lock, turning back into town when we reach Worcester Bridge.

The beauty of this City Walk is we pass very close by to 6 of 8 Good Beer Guide pubs that are available in the City.   You could make a real boozy day of it.

We decide to head to the previously undocumented Dragon Inn at the Northern end.

Dragon Inn - purveyor of Church End Brewery's Wares

One of the major employers in the Town was Kays Catalogue - their head office was directly over the road.   I had my first IT job there, and one of my last responsibilities before leaving in 1995 was to review the impact off the fledgling Internet to the business model. 

Wikipedia shows it was defunct, 9 years later.   I called it - but failed to take advantage of Internet Domain Name Bagging - where we could have registered the names of well known enterprises before they had even thought about it.

Mappiman.Blogspot.Com was free.

In those days, the Dragon Inn was a run down joint that you'd visit only when you fancied a change from the Guinness at the Lamb and Flag.

Today, its had a refurbishment, maintaining its pubby interior and adding a rather splendid outdoor patio area.    There's not enough in the architecture alone to make it a destination pub but the beer, from the award winning Church End Brewery, does.   Most of their range was on and I chose Goat's Milk.

Supreme Champion Beer of Britain, 2017.   I can see why.  A beautiful golden ale, that shone that nicely in the sunshine, I really should have included it in the photo.

Traditional Pub - viewed from a smashing beer garden