30/12/24 - Cambridge Mill Road Good Beer Guide Pubs

Quality Back Street Boozers

Less than 24 hours in Cambridge. Yes we could see the Colleges, the Backs and go punting on the River Cam.

Or we could go down back streets of terraced houses, dodging street furniture and hunting out the best drinks known to humanity.

It was cold and dark. Pubs won.

First stop - The Geldart. I had checked Google and its said opens at 5pm on a Tuesday. Its 5.30pm but we are at the time of year when no-one really knows what day it actually is.

Of course, its Monday. Notify the dubious ticks committee 

Fear not, they come thick and fast in this part of the world. A short hop to the Alexandra Arms. A student corner boozer with a fair bit going for it but one annoying facet that was an instant turn-off.

Corner Shop

The postives - a Greene King that you couldn't tell from the beers on offer. A back room with a delightful fire. A summer room, where the students can pretend they are up to no good, out of the landlord's watchful eye. A fine beer garden.

Handsome

The negatives....

Lets hope electronic tips jars aren't a 2025 thing

Mrs M put under strict instructions not to take her back to a pub we went to on our last visit. Her cider had bits floating in it. And it was smelly. She uses this as the low-bar for all our ticking trips.

Alas, the blog did not going into much pub detail in those days, but in the back of my mind, I thought it could have been the Cambridge Blue.

With extremely short termed fear, we crossed the threshold. 

There was always going to be a bike

This doesn't look familiar but needed serious consideration before moving past. I am not in lumpy cider, smelly pub.

How I imagined Twitter Deltrem's Fridge to look at Xmas

You'd probably accuse me of not giving the rest of the year due consideration if I announced this as my POTY. It was certainly a dream visit. The high percentage Belgians possibly not the best for a pub crawl, but the choice of cask was almost as comprehensive. Brewmania nailed to very surface. A really good vibe.

Happy shiny people

Its only on getting home I have discovered Mrs M's nemesis pub. A hand written note in CAMRA's 50 Great Pub Crawls Book. Hard to tell if the St Radegund is still trading. Google says no. My pub review sites say it is now "The Rad".

Onwards, ever onwards. All the restaurants in this area are in Mill Road. But we cannot walk past Kingston Arms. It will need something unique to stand out against such esteemed company. How about Bass? Need more? How about not one, but two coal fires. Another wonderful experience.

Another Pub, Another Bike

My glamourous assistant demonstrating "Bass in Front of a Coal Fire" 

A food break probably a good idea and I bring good and bad news. We're four episodes into Squid Game Series 2, so our first choice was a Korean. Not open on a Monday. Next choice a Moroccan and they can fit us in in an hour.

Is there anywhere else to go? Of course, the Devonshire Arms is just around the corner. 

Bike!

The beer line up is unknown to me. Pump clips with just names from Roman mythology/history and the strength. Nothing about the style. Well, Milton Brewery you cannot intimidate me. I know my Stoics from my Epicureans. The 7.5% Marcus Aurelius shunned for the more crawl friendly 6% Prometheus.

The Moroccan restaurant does a fine line in tagines but is mercifully alcohol free.

Which leaves room for a night cap at the Live and Let Live.

No Bike

Yet another Back Street classic - with a decent fire and a range of Nethergate Brewery ales. The night is finished with an Old Growler. Make your own jokes.

I set the 2024 goal of reaching my 1050th Good Beer Guide Tick. There's still tomorrow and somehow Mrs M has managed to book us into a remote Guide Entry. I finish on 1028. I will try harder in 2025. Not least by attempting #31PubsinJanuary.

Happy new year, fans of pub and pints.

27/12/24 - Millers Arms, Pershore

Missing out big time for the sake of a 6X

The last of the Christmas guests needs a lift to a railway station on the day after Boxing Day. You've got to admire the little one's optimism. How to get the most out of a 40 mile round trip? Well there is a railway station (nearly) in Pershore. And there is 50% of the necessary Good Beer Guide Ticks to render Worcestershire green again.

The weather - Pea Souper. The experts, heading for broken spectres, fog bows and a spectacular cloud inversion on the Malvern Hills. The hills that we should have been able to see from our Pershore lowlands.

Third day of fog meeting strong temperature inversion on the Malverns.

A truly memorable spectacle, particularly on the Malvern Hills where you get fantastic 360° views. pic.twitter.com/Rn4Y1ky5DQ

— Dave Throup (@DaveThroup) December 27, 2024

Have I ever cocked up so spectacularly? 

Just to keep the blog positive, the train was on time.

Back to the misery - our walk was a sloppy mud-fest, with zero views until we get inside the Abbey. Mrs M quite quickly asking the questions "Why do we do this exactly?"

Pershore Old Bridge

They tried to take my horse to rehab, it said "Neigh, Neigh, Neigh"

Pershore Abbey deserted, apart from a guide keen to engage. I'm out my depth with ecumenical conversations, but he thrusts a leaflet in my hand. At least I know the back story to the tombs and carved stone roof bosses.

Originally painted colourfully, until those miserable Victorians cleaned them

The Hazelwood Family Tomb

Slightly too early for the midday opening, so time to ponder on when exactly a small Americano in a back street cafe costs £3.15.

The Millers Arms is the latest pub to grace the Good Beer Guide. You cannot accuse CAMRA of not being fair and inclusive. Each year a different pub in town gets the award.

2025 - The Year for the Millers Arms

The outside signage is unpromising. A "No Guinness Available" hand written not on the door recorded for posterity of the great marketing hoax of 2024. The A Frame board more worryingly saying "Bar Closed".

Yet the door is ajar, so we enter to find zero punters and a bar person on their phone. Her ruse for a quiet afternoon thwarted.

A Frame removed and a quick sconce at a tardis like interior that has a lot going for it. Partitioned into cosy little alcoves with the pick of the seats the voluminous red Chesterfields in front of what would have been a roaring real fire. If phone lady had bothered to light it.

Wadworths 6X in fine condition.

Enjoyed in silence, as the first social media posts of what is happening on top of Malvern filter through to Mrs Ms phone. 

My single seater Chesterfield now known as the Dog House

Walk Details

Distance - 5.25 Miles

Geocaches - 0

Walk Inspiration - Adventurous Pub Walks in Worcestershire, Walk 5

22/12/24 - Harvington Hall

Priest Holes and a Perfect Pint

A last minute walk and the Ramblers Web Site used for inspiration. I need a local walk. I need a local walk that I haven't done for a while. I need to be out for a couple of hours.

A 7.5 Miler from Harvington Hall. Last walked in 2016. Will it pass a pub?  Only one way to find out.

First Harvington Hall - a moated manor house, with a little Catholic church attached. Stunning from all angles.

Moated Harvington Hall

Harvington Hall is an Elizabethan manor house located in Worcestershire, known for its remarkable preservation and rich history. Built in the 1580s by Humphrey Pakington, a Catholic during the Protestant Reformation, the hall is a testament to the turbulent religious tensions of the time. The house is particularly famous for its numerous and ingeniously concealed priest holes, secret spaces designed to hide Catholic priests during periods of persecution. These priest holes, some of the best examples in England, were believed to have been designed by Nicholas Owen, a master carpenter who dedicated his life to creating safe havens for priests.

An the historical references don't end there, as I head out on the Monarchs Way to Hillpool. Waterside walking along the Belne Brook, fields and then a woodland section past Mount Segg to Stone. Maybe its the rare blue skies. Maybe its escaping for some peace and quiet before the Christmas madness begins in earnest. Whatever it is, I am in a delightful mood.

Sheep huddling together for warmth like penguins

A weir on Belne Brook

Worcestershire Fields

Harvington Hall is closed for winter, but the adjacent Catholic Church is doors open. Although there is an ominous sign warning an alarm will be triggered if you get to close to the wooden carvings.

Zoom on a Pixel 8

The walk did pass a pub - but a two meals for the price of one but twice the price chain pub (The Dog) wasn't going to cut the mustard.

A short journey to the Plough, Shenstone.

I know that Camra say that a seasoned drinker should only award 5 stars to a beer very occassionally.

So I will allocate a 6 to this perfect Bathams Bitter..... as it always is.

Quiet at 12:30 but soon filled up with haggard last minute Xmas Shoppers.

Walk Details

Distance - 7.5 Miles

Geocaches - 0

Walk Inspiration - The Ramblers Website

17/12/24 - The Old Swan, Minster Lovell

Myths and Ruins

Why walk along the River Windrush, when you can walk in it? The aftermath of Storm Darragh in full evidence on this short walk that packs plenty.

I'm here for two reasons;

Reason 1: A mercy mission to fetch a student in the final throes of his PHD for a permanent(?) return to Worcestershire. I am sure he will find another course to do before long.

Reason 2: Episode 5 of the Loremen Podcast is about the mystery of Minster Lovell. Surprisingly, a part of the Cotswolds previously unvisited. I love a good ruin.

Bonus Adventure Lab Cache at Minster Lovell Hall

The legend that made the Podcast;

Francis Lovell's story is intertwined with the Wars of the Roses, a series of dynastic conflicts in 15th-century England between the Houses of York (white rose) and Lancaster (red rose) vying for the throne. Lovell was a staunch supporter of the Yorkist King Richard III. After Richard's defeat and death at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, the Lancastrian Henry Tudor became King Henry VII. Two years later, Lovell participated in a Yorkist uprising that culminated in the Battle of Stoke Field. Following the Yorkist defeat there, Lovell vanished. Legend has it he returned to his estate, Minster Lovell Hall, and hid in a secret room, relying on a single servant for sustenance. When the servant died unexpectedly, Lovell was trapped and starved to death. Centuries later, during renovations, a vault was supposedly discovered containing a skeleton seated at a table with a dog's skeleton, believed to be the remains of the ill-fated Lord Lovell, forever linked to the turmoil of the Wars of the Roses.

A "doors open" Church requiring investigation.

Baron Lovell Effigy

Onward, for the walk.  An easy out and back along (and in) the River Windrush to Crawley.

River Windrush - not meat to be this wide.

Refreshment at the wonderfully evocative Old Swan. C15th, Grade I listed. I still find it an honour that for a tad over a fiver, I can sit in a Chesterfield armchair with a pint of North Cotswold Windrush Ale, completing their Times Sudoku Super Fiendish for as long as I like. Stone flagged floors and a huge fireplace. Gripes? Would have been nice to have the fire lit.

River lapping at the door

Even the rucksack gets a comfy chair

All set to pack the car to the rafters. What on earth does a student do with a string of industrial grade fairy lights? And when did he take up tennis?

Walk Details 

Distance - 4 Miles

Geocaches - 7 and an ALC

Walk Inspiration - Loremen Podcast and Jarrold Cotswold Walks, Walk 1

Previous Loremen Walks - Churchill, Burford, Long Compton, Swinbrook

16/12/24 - Sandwell Valley Country Park

Psycho-geography through Adventure Lab Caching

Mappiman taxi service in full swing this week. A mother that needs delivering to Digbeth Coach Station for a journey that will a) hopefully reach Plymouth, in the opposite direction and b) arrive by Christmas Day.

Where to walk? A couple of ALCs in Sandwell Valley Country Park and the adjoining Dartmouth Park.

Sandwell Valley Country Park is a 660 acre green space nestled between Birmingham and West Bromwich. It's a haven for nature lovers, offering a variety of activities like cycling, walking, and birdwatching. The park's rich history is intertwined with the ruins of Sandwell Priory, a 12th-century Benedictine monastery. This historic site, once a place of religious devotion, now stands as a reminder of the area's past.

Dartmouth Park, while not directly connected to Sandwell Valley, is another significant green space in the region. It's known for its beautiful gardens, playgrounds, and sports facilities. The park offers a peaceful escape from the bustling city, providing opportunities for relaxation and recreation.

The route between the various stages, rather meandering.

Information

Low Sun over Swan Pool

Remains of Sandwell Priory

Could have been a Desi Pub Lunch. But I have a Turkey Crown to collect. I kid you not, the BBE date is 22/12/24. 

With a price tag that has me agreeing with the Daily Mail article suggesting it is now acceptable to charge your Christmas day guests.

Walk Details

Distance - 5 Miles

Geocaches - 10 ALCs

15/12/24 - Mawgan Porth to St Mawgan

The Last of the Cornish Bargains

Final day in Mawgan Porth. We've walked the coast North. We've walked the coast South. Only option now is inland. But once again, we fail to find a circular walk.

This is a straight up, straight back following the River Menalyhyl. We head along roads, through woodland and along the river bank to find the hamlet of St Mawgan.

The Woodland trail to St Mawgan

St Mawgan Church

Twice blogged, never visited. It's 10am on a Sunday

A church, a pub (which we are too early for) and a choice of two cafes. We pick wisely, with Hawkey's cafe.

Old school, unspoiled and run by a genial Hullensian. A master baker and mean wielder of the frying pan.

Normally, not enough excitement to warrant a blog. Until I pay the bill. Two teas, a hot mince pie with cream, a slice of fruit cake and two home made sausage tolls for the 4 hour drive home.

A tenner.

We're tourists. They really should have seen us coming.

Walk Details

Distance - 4 Miles

Geocaches - 0

 

14/12/24 - Mawgan Porth to Waterbeach - and Back

No alternative to linear walking

Despite an extensive library of walking books, there's only a single route along this part of the South West Coast Path. That is a fully linear walk that runs from Newquay to Portcothan, where you catch the bus back.

There are no inland paths to make circular walks feasible.

We headed North yesterday, so it makes sense to head south towards Newquay. A mere 5 miles away, yet the return bus takes about an hour. We'll bail out at Watergate Beach, have a tea and sausage bap (tenner to tourists) and then retrace our steps. High cliffs around the inaccessible Beacon Cove. Geocaches placed just the wrong side of dangerous. Some sort of cross country race causing plenty of giving way on the narrow paths. The reward? Well Watergate Beach must surely be a contender for Britain's best. The views from the cafe bring a tear to your eye.

Here's the photos;

Mawgan Porth from the other side.

Beacon Cove

On the Cliffs over Watergate Beach

Down on the Beach

Walk Details

Distance - 6 Miles

Geocaches - 2

13/12/24 - Merrymoor Inn, Mawgan Porth

A-List Celebrity Neighbours

Please allow me to boast, just a little bit. Our dog-sitting exploits have taken us to new heights, that surely have ruined us. It was rather tough to get out of bed this morning.

Those are my feet

We have Kate Blanchett next door. We have Chris Martin, supposedly moving in a few doors down. Yet our property possibly trumps them all. Can you feel smugness from a blog?

Walk past the hot tub, hop over a wall and we're on the South West Coast Path. The dramatic section of the SWCP. Where its impossible to get down to the beaches of Whitestone Cove and Pentire Steps. Too precipitous, and in the case of the former - cliff erosion.

Still, its a bracing walk from Mawgan Porth to Porth Mear. A lack of inland paths results in rather a balloon shaped walked, but superb all the same.

North on the SWCP

Our responsibilities for this week, Ruby and Wolf.  And Mrs M

Wolf on Porth Mear

The National Trust Pentire Farm allows for some variety before we come back the way we went for a mess about on Mawgan Porth Beach, and of course, the pub.

Behind a Waterfall

Mawgan Porth Beach

The Merrymoor Inn, family run for 62 years. A huge car park, where they have avoided threatening patrons with fining if they don't input car registration numbers. Mulled wine, mince pies on the bar and Skinners Jingle Knocker at £4 a pint.

I hope Kate and Chris appreciate this level of service to the community.

I'm fixed, Chris, totally fixed

Walk Details

Distance - 7 Miles

Geocaches - 3 and an ALC

10/12/24 - Hanbury Hall

Things I Grew Up With Are Now Museum Exhibits

First proper usage of my National Trust Membership. The closest attraction, Hanbury Hall. A place I have walked around, but never set foot inside.

Today's walk is functional. Muddy countryside, an ascent of Pipers Hill for the church and back down through the grounds.

The Inspiration for Lower Loxley Hall in the Archers

Allowed in, as I had brought a change of shoes.

Mud to Pipers Hill

St Mary the Virgin

Let's go through the round window

Back in an hour. Through the National Trust's Checkpoint Charlie and adorned with a sticker to prove membership. Its a tour through the rooms of Hanbury Hall. The Theme, Christmas past.

The exhibits? Floppy disks. Cassettes. Ghetto Blasters. Smash Hits. 

And this bad boy

Basically, the things from my youth are now museum exhibits.

A gentle weep in the car before setting off for home.

Walk Details

Distance - 3 Miles

Geocaches - 0

Walk Inspiration - Jarrold, the Malverns to Warwickshire, Walk 2