04/07/20 - Super Saturday from the Anchor Inn, Leek Wootton

Distance - 9 Miles
Geocaches - 5 Found
Drink - Old Hooky
Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine, Feb 2011, Walk 10

106 days since my last hand pulled pint in a pub (Loweswater Gold, Dog and Gun, Keswick) and I am in with the chance of ending this most barren of runs.

I will see what the Anchor Inn at Leek Wootton is like at the end of the walk.  If its all ambulances and fire hydrants spouting 20 foot geysers, I may walk on by.

First the walk - from a reliable source, Country Walking Magazine, but unlikely to trouble any "best of...." awards in the end of 2020 review.  Should we get there.

It starts off with promising Geocache laden woodland - where I find exactly 0 out of 10.  Too embarrassed to log them.  If I hadn't have found the last five, I would be sending my GPS off for a calibration check. Thank god I was on my own.

Geocaching - Still got it, just about

Out of the woodland and into Ashow - a tiny village that wikipedia claims has 50 houses, a C12th Church and no forms of employment or industry.

Good signposts, though

Ashow Church - St George Cross proclaiming Super Saturday

Rocky Lane is a pretty, sunken green lane that doesn't make a good photo and then bizarrely, our route has two miles of what must be Kenilworth's roughest housing estate.  Quite why Country Walking Magazine wants us to dodge white goods left on the roadside, I am unsure.

But even this is marginally better than following the rights of way through the that most terrible urban horror - the golf course.  The signage is always fierce in terms of telling you to keep to the path and lacking in signs as to where the path is.  All this completed whilst men in silly caps and trousers look at you incredulously, asking the question, why would you want to walk here without dragging a big bag of clubs?

Lets park the walk and check out the pub situation.

The Anchor Inn is not in the Good Beer Guide - or even carrying the cask marque accreditation.  It does have good social media presence, so I knew they would be looking forward to welcoming me from midday today.

Homely

One way system is in evidence, along with hand sanitiser and perspex screens on the bar.  No indication of needing to leave my details on a form for 21 days - which is a shame, as I have been memorising my mobile number and am thinking of using the nom de booze, "Hugh Jardon".

I've also had 15 weeks to practice what I am going to say to the Barkeep on arrival at my first post lock down pub.

I confidently stride to the bar and ask "what's fresh on?".  The barkeep doesn't even miss a beat or raise a smile when he replies "everything" and then recommends the Doom Bar.

Hook Norton, Old Hooky it is then

So, this is the new normal.... not so bad.   Like the old normal, but with more hand sanitising.