Nefarious Urban Goings-On
A third Ramblers guided walk, getting my money's worth out of the £3 per month subs. This, a first outing with the City of Birmingham Ramblers. The ones that organise bi-weekly coach trips.
A rarer midweek outing for them and an intriguing walk from Moor Street Station to Sarehole Mill. Tolkien connotations and the easiest of all the anagramable mills.
A good turn out, with a more varied age range. At least 2 younger than me, including one made redundant on the same day. I checked, we didn't both work for a company that cannot be named but now I have left, I am allowed to post letters. Also more cosmopolitan, with a French lady and a Bulgarian man.
Through the back streets of Digbeth to pick up the Grand Union Canal. I love the way no-one mentions the condoms. I have questions. Why so many? When did they become vivid blue? The only answers I can come up with are a canalside orgy of randy boaters and they glow in the dark.
Possibly we were too all scared to debate what left the huge deposits. No dog is that big.
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| Striding down the Grand Union Canal |
Who knew Birmingham had a dry ski slope? I didn't but if forced to describe it, I would said some rough hessian on a slope. This is exactly what we find at Ackers Adventure, along with some climbing walls and go-ape style shenanigans. From here, we pick up the River Cole before being delivered to the mill and the number 5 bus back to civilisation.
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| Stepping stones over the Cole on the way to Sarehole Mill |
Another great walk. Meeting a card carrying CAMRA member meant conversation was never short.
Bringing me onto Post Walk Refreshment. I am now at the stage of life where a 7 pub trail is too long. So ladies and gentlemen, I bring you Birmingham CAMRA City Centre Trail Part 1, Part 1.
This has the classics, as opposed to the more unusual Part 2, which I completed earlier in the year.
My favourite Brummie dive bar first, The Post Office Vaults. I even found the door first time, dropping down into the den of inequity to see what sort of people booze their Thursday afternoons away. The answer, students dissing someone who at'ed them in a group chat. A DM more appropriate. Then a bunch of jolly boys on what I can assume is a regular pub crawl in new cities. The rules of bar billiards argued. If it had been later in the day, I would asked to join their gang.
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| Check reality in at the door |
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| Hacker Pschorr on draught |
Purecraft Bar and Kitchen, previously dismissed as all cyberpunk, instantly flew up my best pubs in Birmingham by offering Roosters Baby Faced Assassin and some rather splendid looking scratchings.
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| Only the 2nd time I have found this beer |
Alas, the scratching flattered to deceive. Utterley devoid of taste, wiry hairs or fleshy bits. I joined the throng of skiving workers outside in the sunshine, admiring their brown shoes and too tight trousers. A reminder of how the fun can stop when the mobile ringtone goes off. Back to your spreadsheets fellas, only free men can stay out all afternoon.
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| Spot the proper worker. Clue, he's in orange. |
This part of town and the Colmore can not be ignored. No external photos, as it is all under scaffold. A reassuring sign saying its Business as Usual. Cask Jaipur it is then, even if I was secretyly hoping for one of their new fancy derivations of this classic beer.
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| Afternoon in the Colmore |
The favourite place of my Card Carrying Camra Rambler from this morning.
You really do meet the nicest people on foot.
Walk Details
Distance - 5 Miles
Geocaches - An Adventure Lab Cache on Brum's Grade I listed buildings
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