29/06/24 - Mare and Colt, Summerfield

From a 200 Year Old Coaching House to a Chef and Brewer

Inspiration from my oldest series of Pub Books. Published in the 1960s and separate books by counties. Sometimes, even the counties have disappeared, let alone the actual pubs.

How much in new money

With a couple of hours spare, I chose a local survivor. The Mare and Colt, on the outskirts of Kidderminster. The route would take me around four sides of the new build Spennells estate. I had low expectations for the walking, but pleasantly surprised. Good sandy footpaths, pretty Captain's Pool (must be home to Kiddy's Des Res's), a nature reserve and back along a railway line.

Captain's Pool

Nature Reserve - contains cows - 3 is not a herd

... looms, like a bird of doom

Onto the pub. The 1960s description showing that things were better in the old days. Who wouldn't want Sherry served straight from the wood?

And old school opening hours

Today, its been gastro'd to within an inch of its life. The signs proclaim "Fizz Friday". With Lemonade at £4.20 a pint, I can only guess with horror at the cost of a bottle of fizz. A very tidy beer garden, but you've got to admire the bulldog spirit of the punters utilising it. Shouting at their colleagues above the roar of the A449 traffic.

60 years of progress

Soft furnishings and wine racks

All as anticipated from a Chef and Brewer but it's always important to get something out of the day. An unexpected sign in the entry with a QR code to a handful of local walks.

"The best hobbies are the ones that make you realize how much time you’ve wasted on them."

Walk Details

Distance - 3.5 Miles

Geocaches - 0

23/06/24 - Trowbridge Pub Crawl

Why did the Romans call Bath, Bath?

Because it is next to the toilet that is Trowbridge.

This was the punchline to a joke found in my google inquiry as to why Wiltshire's County Town was so - how can I put it delicately? - grotty.

The architecture is similar to Bath. The maintenance isn't. This is a row of fine houses called the Parade, containing the blue plaqued home to the Great Grandmother of Queen Mary II and Queen Ann.

Architecture

Sunday is never the best day for pub ticking, but there are more street drinkers than pub customers. The Blind House - a windowless jail from the C18th - a particular favourite spot.

Maybe the best way to experience the town is from on-high.

Up, up and away

There's even an anomaly with the Good Beer Guide. The 2024 book has two entries. Yet the on-line database lists only one. Investigation required.

The Kings Arms is the pub that appears on both. A solid enough drinking pub, with a very pleasant beer garden with music piped in at just the correct volume. A freehouse, with Butcombe Original and Dartmoor Legend on cask.

The Pick of Trowbridge

I probably should have stayed longer, but needed food. The international gauge of Indian restaurants is the runniness of the mango chutney. Daz powder whites is going to have to earn its corn.

Euro's are on - so I catch the first half of Scotlands brave attempt to entertain nations with a stop off at a railway pub. The Rose and Crown goes as far as having a genuine electronic departures sign above the bar. Who knew you could get a direct train to Portsmouth from here? A plan is hatched but then instantly discounted for its own stupidity. All the football fans on EuroFizz and Cider and happily, I can report the Exmoor Gold was in good shape.

Railway Pub ahoy....

Stallards is the GBG anomaly, which I can only assume has been dropped. This is rather annoying, through the windows I can see a crowded bar, with the half time punditry on TV screens. Yet the door is firmly bolted, with the sign saying "Closed at 8pm". I am not even sure if the Dubious Ticks committee needs to be informed.

The one that got away

But I'm not giving up. The Greyhound has to be worth a go for the 2nd half. Cash only for transactions less than a fiver. The Stella is £4.80. Its one of those bonkers pubs that makes travel a joy. I can't say I have ever met a more friendly crowd. Or more pissed. Two men introduce themselves independently, shaking my hand and asking "why am I here?". That sounds more sinister than it should. New friend one sees I am interested in the football and tries to pal me up with the only punter focused on the game. New friend two is keen to help him win an argument about egg and spoon racing. The conversation could have flowed better but I needed Gerald from Clarkson's Farm as a translator.

A lot can happen in 45 minutes and I cannot be sure, but I think the youngest of the drinkers was trying to pair off his mother with a new step dad, of which there were two main suitors. Music and dancing was involved in a courtship ritual, the like of which I have not observed elsewhere.

"Make sure you tell the West Midlands about the Greyhound" shouted the friendly but bemused bar staff as I made my eventual exit.

I'll tell the world

I was keen to try the solid Wadworths house - The Lamb - spied as I entered the town for the first time earlier in the evening. A temporary kebab van outside is always a good sign of free enterprise in action.

Kebab van stopping me moving further backwards

Unsparkled 6X, an outside bench and a chance to ponder the eternal question of the vagabond.

Where next?

23/06/24 - The Cerne Abbas Giant

Dorset Fertility Folklore

This is the blog that possibly gets me a suspension. 

A new book - Weird Walk - is organised in chapters based on the seasons. We may have slipped into Summer but I've only just got around to the first route - Cerne Abbas, Dorset.

High on the hillside, a strange figure is carved into the chalk. Photo's really need to be from the air to do it justice.

Couldn't work out how to blur a photo

Weird Walk's Description;

His feet twist to the left in the manner of Egyptian figures, while his enormous manhood is flanked by stark ribs and topped with slightly wonky nipples.  An elongated arm runs to the right while the other bears a formidable 121ft club. The face is curiously framed, with eyebrows and mouth producing a slightly startled expression, as though you have interrupted the colossal geoglyph in a particularly arousing, yet private, cudgel-wielding session

It certainly holds appeal to tourists. A coach load of Poles taking group selfies stopped me from getting into the last space in Giant's View car park.

The walk is a simple circuit. Through Up Cerne and Minterne Parva before skirting under the Giant and through the Abbey Grounds.

Looking down over Dorset on the Wessex Ridgeway

The best view - apart from by hot air balloon - already experienced

The origins of the Giant are lost in time, but folklore dictates that it is a fertility symbol. Couples who want to conceive encouraged to get busy within the appendage, presumably performing for an audience looking on from the A352. And there's more. Inside the Abbey Graveyard is Silver Well. Its iron rich waters also said to aid conception. All this, and the finding of a 3ft eel in the well, are recounted in the Adventure Lab Cache.

Silver Well - Eel Free today

The final stage of the ALC is simply labelled "Pubs". That will do for me. Cerne Abbas was once a brewery town, supporting 17 pubs. Three remain, along with the Cerne Abbas brewery tap. Alas, not open of a Sunday, otherwise I am sure to have brought back presents.

It's a stunning, timeless village. The sort of place that would encourage Eastern Europeans to travel for days on a bus.

One of the first buildings encountered.

The Royal Oak simply couldn't be ignored. Free standing, ivy clad and with a sign saying "built 1540". Reportedly from materials stolen from the abbey after dissolution.  

Bench to the right had my name on it

Perfect for all seasons - outside seating for the warmer months - low ceiling, stone flagged floors for atmospheric cooler nights. The Cerne Abbas brewery wares are found.

A half of legless jester

Over the road is the Giant Inn - a must tick.

The Good Beer Guide may prove a lifetime challenge too big but at least I can say I have 100% of the UK's pubs where the sign contains an erect member.

Contained a half of Cerne Abbas Blonde

Art

Walk Details

Distance - 4 Miles

Geocaches - 2 and an ALC

Walk Inspiration - AA Pocket Walks of Britain, Walk 3 and Weird Walks

22/06/23 - Bewdley to Ribbesford Circular

 Understanding British Hospitality

The route comes from one of my oldest book. A "Concise Edition of No Through Roads" was published by the AA in 1975. Old school lever arch folder, with removable pages. Thankfully, the paths around Bewdley are timeless. At least once you can decipher the instructions from hand drawn maps.

Designed to be taken with you

It's an easy route, heading out on the Worcestershire Way to reach St Leonards Church in Ribbesford. A Norman sandstone church, I should put as much effort into spotting things as this page does.

Cat on guard duty

Wooden porch extension from 1633

Doors unlocked

Up into Ribbesford Woods, before dropping down at the site of the long gone but never forgotten Woodman Inn pub. River walking back to town.

A gap in the woods for Severn Valley views

And town provides plenty of refreshment options but with it being 11:45am, our usual establishment choice is unavailable. We could wait 10 minutes but its a busy day.

So we go for the licenced Courtyard Cafe, with outdoor seating in front of the bridge and prime location to watch progress on the year long project of Beales Corner flood defences. Once complete, Bewdley will never get on the national news again.

Bewdley, in the sunshine

But what can we have? The menu states that breakfast is served until 11:45am and Lunch is served from midday. We are in a deadzone. I'm sure that we can order sandwiches.

We can - but the chef won't start work on them until midday.

Try explaining this to an American.

Walk Details

Distance - 4.5 Miles

Geoacaches - 1

Walk Inspiration - AA No Through Road, Walk 102

17/06/24 - City of London Pub Crawl

Bob Steel sets the route

I've certainly got my money's worth from Edition 1 of CAMRA London Pub Walks. The first walk I used for reference was way back in June 2006. 18 years later and I've got 6 of Bob's routes to complete. Before I start on the book's 2nd Edition.

City of London this time - so not much walking at all and a chance to see if the bankers really are keeping to a TWAT working week. It appears so - Monday and the streets are deserted. Whereas I would have expected pavements thronged and hushed deals over copper topped tables in a quiet corner, I have most pubs more or less to myself.

The Bell in Bush Street, a case in point. 

A leaning ledge with no-one in a suit leaning

Not actually in Bob's guide, but I am always looking to maximise an evening. A couple of Good Beer Guide Ticks before I get in the route properly.

A former Courage pub with a fine bar back, things got off to a great start. A decision to be made between TT Landlord (ubiquitous), Doom Bar (formerly ubiquitous) and the winner - Harvey's Sussex Best. Like choosing between your two favourite children and the one that followed 9 months later, after a quiet night on TV.

Euro fever at the Bell

Whilst in the Canon Street area, I included the tricky to tick Pelt Trader. Only open on a weekday, when I am usually in the smoke on a Saturday. A modern craft bar, with all the trappings you would expect. Not what I would go for in the area - where I demand history and tradition - but a fine choice of craft and yet another go at trying to understand the Kernel hype. I've enjoyed their cask bitter but the IPAs don't seem wildly different to any other.

I do learn that Big D Dry roasted are B-Tec nuts.

Modern Craft in the City

Bob now takes charge - leading me to the only dead pub since publication. The horror - The Red Lion in Lombard Court is now an exercise bike gym.

Never catch on. Hopefully.

They come thick and fast in this part of the world and somehow, Ship's Tavern Passageway has a pub called The Swan. A small but perfectly formed Fullers house. I hatch a cunning plan to avoid bankruptcy by moving to halves.

A Small ESB Please

The Counting House is another Fullers. A former Nat West Bank, with an opulent domed ceiling reminding me of its brother in Birmingham. I could be in the Old Joint Stock. 

Look Up.... 

...or down.

That's it for Fullers houses and I have two weeks to find another. France's win getting me a free pint of Asahi in the in-pub promotion. Would have been two if Belgium could have stayed onside.

Onto Shepherd's Neame next, so one for the wine drinkers. Jamaica Wine House has a history going back to 1652 as London's first coffee shops. Loads of info on-line, but I will give you my individual take.

They had run out of pies.

Unusual Sandstone

What a near 400 year old doorstep looks like

But you can always rely on Tim to save your tea. The Crosse Keys the perfect dining place for the solo traveller on a budget. The Spoon's app allowing you to protect your table at all times.

 And into the sunset,after a fine evening of ticking

17/06/24 - El Vino. The Olde Wine Shades

A list completed.

February 2020 and I had the grand plan to tick off the 12 best pubs in London according to Len Deighton's 1967 book, London Dossier.

A couple of things got in the way..... and I cannot entirely blame a pandemic for the length of time it took me to get to this final tick. Actually, I can. Since Covid, I have been on permanent WFH and never visit London (or any other City) for business on a working day.

El Vino is closed on weekends.

So ironically, as even WFH comes to an end for me, I am in London on a Monday for the first time since 2019.

How I miss my expenses

Is El Vino a pub? Len includes it because of its array of;

Rich ruby port and thin, pale sherry, burgundies and clarets...

Beer may not be a selling point but in one of the few buildings that survived the great fire, who actually cares? Next check list? London's oldest Wine Bars.

Established 1663

Although we could do with some other punters. What happened to skiving bankers, journalists and barristers?  With the exception of a liveried server, I have the place to myself.

All the better to take photos but I do miss the illicit thrill of boozing with fellow deserters.

It all cosy, homey and of course, amongst the wood paneling, there is a Dickens Room.

By the count of the number of pubs I have visited that claim his patronage, he was the original deserter.

Wood, wood, as far as the eye can see

Dickens was here

16/06/24 - Geocaching from the Bell at Shenington, Warwickshire

No Power.  No Real Ale.

A week in Alcudia. They have the weather and Eurofizz. We have frost warnings in June but tasty beer.

I was looking forward to a proper pint. And I can always wear a fleece.

A new geocaching trail took me back to a part of Warwickshire that I thought I'd be leaving behind on completion of the Centenary Way.

5 Miles through knee high grass and waist high crops. Close to 30 caches to keep me going.

Through the crops.....

... to find tupperware under bovine noses

My reward is the Grade II listed Bell Inn in Shenington. In harmony with the rest of the village, constructed in 1700 from the local iron stone. 

In a attempt to gain Mrs M's help in a finding tupperware, a late attempt to book a table was made, without realising that tomorrow is Father's day.  Chef said "No".  And so did Mrs M. I have left some blue faces of shame on the Geocaching map.  

The Bell on the Green

My cursory investigation had me think this was Hook Norton house. Closer inspection of the sign shows "Free House" in a larger font. Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised to see two of the three hand-pulls reversed, including the Hook Norton Bitter. The TT Landlord gurgled and spluttered and delivered a half of froth.

I'm back on the Eurofizz.

Chef who says No is summonised to pull through a surprising for this part of the world Holts 1849.  

And then the power went.

Everyone's Father's day lunch is in jeopardy.

The chef went village walkabout to confirm everyone's power was out.

You'd have thought he'd look more pleased when he confirmed it was.

Walk Details

Distance - 5 Miles

Geocaches - 28

First Geocache

04/06/24 - The White House, Hockley

A Brewery Tied Pub with no Cask from the Brewery

Ever get the feeling you've started something by mistake? 😅

Having walked from all the Bathams pubs, I thought I would attempt the same from their Black Country competitor, Holdens. To be fair, walk 1 to the Shrubbery Cottage was fine.

The White House is their only tied pub in Birmingham. I've completed many a pub crawl in the Jewellery Quarter and had never heard of it. 

WhatPub - a resource that never lies - has it down as an 11am opener. A rainy summer's day, has me heading off to discover it.

It's a survivor. Town planners have seemingly tried to separate it from anything else through road building. Like those farms you see in the central reservations of northern motorways, it's left on its own little island.

Splendid Isolation

It's 11:02. No sign of lights or life. Finding the entrance requires two full circuits. Barred windows and closed doors lead to head scratching before a couple of workies are exiting. My "What Time Does it Open?" request is met with "It is open".

I quickly get my bearings - pop music from a commercial radio station, a vague Irish theme and a single hand pull on the bar. I've never had Holden's Mild before and it would appear that this record will last at least until I complete walk 3.

My super friendly server - who does a great job of managing the two other patrons - informs me that it's not on. My two other fellow drinkers poison of choice? Carling. But in an unexpected and previously unexperienced twist.... from the can.

I'm in for a penny now - so Guinness - the go-to when in unusual situations - is ordered. WiFi password obtained, but alas, no indication of which of the 18 available signals it belongs to.

I'll concentrate on eavesdropping conversations. Not to replayed here but I was amused when one of the jobs was vitriolic on why he wasn't going to vote today. It is the 4th, just not of July.

Inside the White House

An hour spent pondering if a brewery can give up on their own tied house? It would appear so - a couple of Holdens Pub I have on my list are already marked as "permanently closed" on Google Maps.

Onwards with the walk - the usual streets of light industry and a dip into the catacombs. 

Chamberlain Clock Tower means you are close to the Rose Villa Tavern

The Catacombs.  From Above.

Lunch? Well, the 1000 Trades was closed for a private event. The Button Factory was a mistake that only a pub ticker can make by thinking "I've never been in there".

Black Country Ales it is.

And there are too many of those pubs to complete a walking list from.

The Jewellers Arms - Handy for the Station....

.... and a perfect Black Country Lunch

Walk Details

Distance - 2 Miles

Walk Inspiration