29/01/26 - Rail Trail - Ashchurch to Cheltenham

Highest Part of the Cotswolds

A new website discovery. A rail-trail enthusiast from the West Country is plotting routes between stations. That's right on track for me.

Ashchurch (for Tewkesbury) to Cheltenham looked interesting, but on reflection I should have waited for a better day weather-wise. It wasn't raining but climbing to the Cotswold ceiling in the mist kind of missed the point of the potential views.

From the station, low agricultural land of no merit leads to the Gloucestershire way and the sleepy villages of Oxenton and Gotherington.

Gloucestershire Way short on thrills

Only Iron Age Hillforts can save the day. Nottingham Hill and Cleeve Cloud are part of the same escarpment, each with an ancient hillfort. The former wooded, with an arrow-straight footpath running up and over. The later is wild common land with a rather dramatic golf course. It appears that you can walk anywhere. With the inclement weather, there are no worries about being hit by flying golf balls.

Nothing to see on Cleeve Cloud. Biting wind to feel

A drop down to Cheltenham Racecourse for a handily placed bench providing a perfect lunch stop. The festival starts in 6 weeks, and many memories were made from the 15 years consecutive attendance until Covid got in the way. The live music was always better than the horses.

Of course, the mist clears once I am off the hills

My route avoids the town centre, utilising the disused Honeybourne Rail line as a corridor back to the train station. Fortunately, 2024 has seen a pub/pizzeria open adjacent. Here serve better post-walk refreshments than previously found at the only alternative, Tesco Express.

Jubilee bridge on the disused railway line

Steam and Whistle, in battleship grey

Surprisingly good cask - Bristol Beer Factory Fortitude

Walk Details

Distance - 14 miles 

Walk Inspiration

Geocaches - 4

23/01/26 - Ludlow Pub Crawl

Pub Rules

The most epic bus journey from Kidderminster. The 292 still runs hourly, taking you through Bewdley, Cleobury Mortimer, Clee Hill before dropping you off outside the Ludlow Brewery. Over an hour after setting off.

The Ludlow Brewing Company

A civilised 11am opener on the days that it is open. Even though I am early, I'm not the first in. Which is encouraging. 

Next to the railway

Somehow, the advanced party ignored the wood burner next to my seat

I have the feeling that I have peaked already. There is food. There is atmosphere. Constant movement from the staff actually making the stuff we love. And as you would expect, the beer is in absolutely perfect condition. My Stairway - a 5% IPA - as good a pint as I have ever had.

I loved it and the bus journey is already a distant memory.

The Feathers

The architecture cannot be ignored and the first clue for my adventure lab cache.

Formerly the Griffin Inn, which may help future ALC-ers

A timber framed coaching inn from 1642. Trust me, all the beauty is on the outside and there is little need to explore the internals. Even if liveried waiters were poised to bring you Ludlow Gold.

The Charlton Arms

My exploration took me downhill to the ancient bridge. On the other side is the Charlton Arms. A sticker on the door boasting that it is in a "Top 50 Gastropub 2025".

The Charlton Arms - Across the Teme

A view from a bay window

For a gastropub - it's OK. There is a separate bar for the drinkers - and the Ludlow Gold was in fine condition. The comfy seats (and wall sockets) are in a pre-dining area, where the hungry wait to be called into the dining room. The view from the bay window is a joy.  Recommended? Well, it's a bit out of the way and there are plenty of other options.

The Wheatsheaf

Chosen for its external architectural interest. It's literally built into the City Walls, with a narrow gateway where you can watch drivers of SUVs try and squeeze through the narrow gap.

With bravery, you can drive through the gatehouse

One old fella who couldn't finish his chips inside. I looked hopeful when they came to collect his plate, but I needed to be more vocal with my desires. My pub instincts proved excellent and I have never been as grateful to order only a half. Timothy Taylor Landlord with the sharp smell of vinegar.

The Old Street Tavern

My Google Maps has the Green Dragon saved - and it was this I was looking for. God knows why or when I saved it but it is now a private house. Although a private house that has thirsty pub bloggers staring through the window. 

It's only a short walk to the Old Street Tavern - a small but multi-room, multi-floor proper boozer. Friendly staff and locals propping up the bar but I could not ignore the wood burner in a small room to the side.

Siren Memento in fine condition.

Worth a look?....

..... Definitely

The Church

My real quarry is the Blood Bay - a Good Beer Guide Tick - but this does not open until 3pm. With half an hour to spare, there was time to hang around for a half in The Church. A freehouse dating from the C14th, its mainly geared for pub dining. 

The major thing of note is the church bell housed in a recess by the bar. Commandeered from some redundant church, it is still used today to call last orders.

The Church

A decent half of Ludlow Gold, to show you the church bell

The Blood Bay

Shop Conversion

I'm still processing my thoughts on this place. Let's provide some details, so you can make up your minds;

Very limited opening hours - the 3pm Friday opening is a recent trial.

Its a micro in a shop but they have gone for a Victorian Pub experience. This means authentic, repurposed hand-pulls that have no branding on them. The drinks selection is geared to beer and cider drinkers, with very limited other options. They stock a pale, bitter, stout and a cider. Uley Brewery appears to be popular, from a chalkboard detailing what's on and what's coming.

There is a strictly enforced no-mobiles rule. Which goes as far as browsing. I am a solo, retired pub explorer who was chastised for looking to see how the 192 bus was doing on its journey to take me home. Do I need telling "to turn it off or take it upstairs"? As a result, you will need to see a more brazen, professional pub blogger's work for internal photos.

My pet hate is pubs with signs detailing obscure rules that make little sense to the outsider. 

But having said that, this was a pub where conversation flowed and strangers were included. I think the success of this depends on the landlords/landlady's ability to be a host and facilitate this conversation. The Blood Bay's landlady was very keen to chat in-between the real work of running a bar.

The online consensus is that people love it, citing the mobile, laptop, music ban as a positive. I can see where they are coming from but I doubt it would make my top 100 pubs.

I set off for the anticipated 4pm bus. It was 24 minutes late. 

If I had access to my phone, I could have stopped for a second pint.

23/01/26 - On the Trail of...... Prince Arthur

England's Sliding Doors Moment

Episode 3 of the West Midlands History Podcast and my quarry is Prince Arthur - Tudor prince and brother of Henry VIII. 

Prince Arthur, eldest son of Henry VII, was deliberately raised from infancy to rule, educated in the humanist ideals of the new Tudor monarchy and trained in governance, piety, and diplomacy as the living guarantee of dynastic stability after the Wars of the Roses. In 1493 he was sent to the Welsh Marches as nominal head of the Council of Wales and the Marches, residing chiefly at Ludlow Castle, where his household was intended to accustom him to kingship through regional rule; nearby Tickenhill Palace at Bewdley formed part of this orbit of royal authority and courtly life in the west. Arthur’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon in 1501 was meant to seal England’s place in European politics, but within months he fell ill at Ludlow and died in April 1502, aged just fifteen. He was buried in Worcester Cathedral, his tomb a quiet reminder of a reign that never was. 

Had Arthur lived to become king, England would almost certainly have avoided the later marital crises of his brother Henry VIII, with profound consequences for the English Reformation, the break with Rome, and the entire religious and political course of the nation. We'd all be Catholic and still have the monasteries and abbeys.

In terms of turning this into walk(s), there are three locations. Ludlow, where he died, Worcester Cathedral, where he is interred and the extraordinary "lost" Tudor Palace of Tickenhill in Bewdley.

Tickenhill Palace

I have lived within 3 miles of this place for over 50 years and yet I was hardly aware of its existence. A royal Tudor Palace in a small Georgian town. Incredibly, the much altered building still exists, perched in a new housing estate on a hill to the South West of the town. Now in private ownership. 

Everything you need to know about it is contained within this excellent website. The podcast mentions it as the place where he was proxy married to Catherine of Aragon and also a staging point for his body on the journey from Ludlow to Worcester.

Artists Impression from 1738

I arrive at the house from Blackstone Picnic area, picking my way up through the wonderful lost world of Snuffmill Dingle. Alas, the main house is protected by a high hedge - where it is possible to peek through but not to photograph. I do get to see the adjacent coach house. 

Tickenhill Exists

As it looks now with its Georgian facade

Ludlow

The longest bus journey from Kidderminster. £3 gets you over an hour of changing scenery - if you can see through the steam and dirty windows. But when you arrive, it's a fine town to explore. Not least the pubs.

Ludlow Castle is where Prince Arthur died.

Outside the Castle - with a canon from Sevastopol

St Laurence - a church, which seems too insignificant a word to describe its splendour - dominates the skyline. Arthur's heart (read all internal organs) was buried here and there is a memorial in front of the altar.

Prince Arthur

Heart

There's plenty of other things to investigate - not least the misericords.  These are a series of mini stories through carvings. You need to help to appreciate some of the stories and in keeping with the theme of the blog, here is dishonest alewife.

Serve short, weak measures of ale, get carted off to hell by demons.

Worcester Cathedral

When I visited on the Trail of Elgar, you cannot help but notice the chantry. Arthur's body is housed beneath the floor, rather than in the raised tomb.

Rather than my poor photo, here is a video which also tells the story of his life.

20/01/25 - Beerbohm Lichfield

The Hanging Tree of Hatch Hall

Lichfield is a fine place to start/end a walk.  Plenty of historical interest, a pleasant town centre and a smattering of decent pubs - most of which are within spitting distance of each other.

Lichfield's Crown Jewell 

It's just the countryside around it is a bit dull. If it wasn't for the mud, there would be little to remember this walk by.

The route is from my 1951 Guide book, 50 weekend walks around Birmingham. Understanding the hand drawn map is tricky at the best of times.  Let's look at what it hints at;

Elmhurst - nothing there at all.

Kings Bromley - just before arrival, the route heads west to Handsacre. The text provides no indication as to whether it is worth the detour.

Handsacre - The pub, the Crown, is still going strong.  Alas, I arrive at 11:30am and its not open. The text also discusses Handsacre Hall. This has been knocked down for a very dull housing estate. The guide text states that of the Hall "you may hear some surprising stories from local residents". And that is it. Such a tease. There are no locals to ask - as as it was knocked down in the early 1970s, they might not remember. The internet suggest it may be referring to the ghost story of the Grey Lady.

Trent and Mersey Canal delivers me to the Crown at Handsacre

One of the few photos of the Handsacre Hall before demolition

Longdon - again, the guide book is vague. Described as a delightful village but the route seems to be taking me east and away from whatever charms it may possess. It does appear to be in a bit of a dip, as only the top of the church tower is visible from my paths.

I am keen to track down the location of the Hanging Tree of Hatch Hall. A chestnut tree, that marked the parish boundary and according to folklore, has a ghost dog and was used as the place of execution. It took a little hunting for the exact location but in case this blog comes up on future google searches for wannbe ghost hunters - it's at grid ref SK 100 140.

Looking it's age now.... 300 years old.

And grid ref's are important to this blog. The route guide suggests returning to Lichfield along what is now the A515. Obviously a lot less traffic in 1951 and kust a grass verge that makes this totally unsafe.

Instead there is one footpath running parallel and south. But it looks like the farm has removed footpath signs, installed CCTV and super high gates and padlocked the PROW shut. Staffordshire Council have been informed. It makes you wonder what they need to protect so badly.

A handy bus-stop and only 10 minutes for the on-time hourly bus stops the monotony of more agricultural fields to cross.

And where to go in Lichfield? Today, it is the turn of Beerbohm - a lovely beer cafe, run by enthusiasts and specialising in Belgian and German brews. Oh, and the man was fixing a Bass sign to the handpull.

A fitting reward

Walk Details

Distance - 10 Miles

Walk Inspiration - 50 Weekend Walks near Birmingham, Walk 3

Geoacaches - 6

19/01/25 - The Talbot at Knightwick

You Know Everything, Jon Snow

A grim, murky day to be completing a figure of 8 walk, where the apex of the walk is the pub. Temptation to call the whole thing off half way through was intense.

So, the photos are not great. The walking was pleasant enough - along the River Teme before an attack on Ankerdine Hill.  Drop down to the pub, cross the river and then follow the Worcestershire Way for a climb over round hill.

The only thing of architectural interest was the small chapel at Knightwick. Even that was doors locked, so impossible to investigate internally.

A Mortuary Chapel

This leaves the pub. The Talbot is a grand C14th Coaching house that houses its own brewery. Strangely not in the Good Beer Guide. You would consider it a shoe-in. The three main beers are This, That and T'other - with That being my preferred style of English Bitter.

Ankerdine Hill - Behind, in the mist

Kit Harrington - Jon Snow in Game of Thrones - both worked here, and if you believe the Birmingham Live - is still a patron.

With a superb roaring fire that can take tree trunks - it certainly has a medieval feel to the place.

Front Room Fire - Unlit

Sharing the chimney - the rear room

Walk Details

Distance - 7.5 Miles

Geocaches - 1

Walk Inspiration - Adventuruous Pub Walks in Worcestershire, Walk 8

16/01/26 - The Delph Run

Angela Marsons writes Black Country fiction 

[BBC executive Tony Hayers has told Alan that he won't give him another series of his chat show but he'll still be open to any other ideas in future, so Alan immediately seizes the opportunity to pitch ideas for programs]

Alan Partridge: [opening a file] Right, OK - Shoestring, Taggart, Spender, Bergerac, Morse. What does that say to you about regional detective series?

Tony Hayers: There's too many of them?

Alan Partridge: That's one way of looking at it, another way of looking at it is, people like them, let's make some more of them.

It was a fellow rambler who told me about Angela Marsons and her crime series set in the Black Country and West Midlands. Incredibly popular and apparently the most loaned-out author from Rowley Regis Library.

A plot was hatched. I would read them and use any recognisable locations as the inspiration for future walks.

I'd struck gold in Book One, Silent Scream. Angela's detective, Kim Stone, conducts an interview in the Bull and Bladder..... Batham's Flagship. 

In the same section of the book, the Delph Run - a pub crawl of 6 pubs around the Delph Road, was documented.

I'll leave you to decide whether Angela actually enjoyed her research.

Trainline fired up and a mile walk from Lye Station to start proceedings.

The Bell

An unexpected Good Beer Guide Tick. Angela says it's in Amblecote. It's in the Brierley Hill section of the bible.

Lampost casts a shadow

It has a touch of the Black Country Ales about it. A recent refurb in a classic pub style. A roaring log fire. Cobs and other delicacies. The day could turn out to be a "snack crawl".

Ribblehead Bitter from Settle Brewery. Soz, Fixed Wheel

The Tenth Lock

One for the completists only. One cask on, Hobgoblin and pensioners lunching.

Community Local

The Black Horse

Research was meticulously completed. All venues are meant to be open. It looks like the Black Horse is having a bit of a time of it. The last record I could find suggesting it closed down twice in 2025 but was being reopened - by the same Landlord - in December 2025.

Doors firmly closed, 1:30pm, 16/01/26.

Curtains Closed

The Bull and Bladder / The Vine

Blessing of your heart - you brew good ale

Take my advice - bin the Delph Run - spend the afternoon in the front lounge of the Bathams Brewery. Politely ask for the locals to budge up, position yourself behind a tiny round table, spend 10 minutes trying to get the cling film off a black pudding and cheese cob and await the taste of the greatest beer known to man.

Priceless Lunch.... (well £6.20 the lot)

The old boys provided the entertainment with good humour and that just right amount of p*ss taking. I thought the rucksack carrying rambler that I am would have got a hard time but I was saved by a chap with the world's smallest man-bag. Nothing off limits, including every and all medical ailments.

Back to Angela. She paints a very different picture. Questionable hygiene, dodgy geezers and foul smells (that's my lunch, you're slagging Ange). 

I can only assume that she wants the place to herself and is trying to put off would-be tourists. No chance - this is one of the destination pubs in the country.

Or maybe she just doesn't know pubs.  Arthur Connop - the suspect - sinks his daily four pints, then leaves for home and sleep off his drunken coma. Four pints! That was lunch when I started work in the 80s.

Plot spoiler - Arthur gets mown down crossing the road outside the pub by the real killer. He should have pressed the button and waited for the green man.

Corn Exchange

After the Lord Mayor's Show we get a Sizzling Pub and Grill, where they stuff half a Golden Hen into a Peroni glass.

I told you to stay where you were

The steaks were probably fine.

The Brickmakers Arms

Another one that online resources - including their own website - say is open but is firmly shut. 

Lights not on - continue downhill for Cradley Heath station

I'll be back to investigate book 2 in the series, where Kim Stone probably describes the Old Joint Stock as an absolute dump.

13/01/26 - Liverpool's Religious Buildings

With one in the Good Beer Guide

Walk 10 of Liverpool's Hidden City Walks takes me on a crawl with a difference. Not my usual pub type, but one of the significant religious buildings in the City. A fantastic city that is always throwing up surprises, not least with St Peters. The City's oldest church and also a Good Beer Guide 2026 entry. That must be a first!

Hope Street divides the two Cathedrals. The Anglican Cathedral, the biggest in Britain and the Metropolitan Catholic. 

From the Catholic down to the Anglican

Another surprise is how modern the two Cathedrals are. The Catholic one completed after 40 years in 1967. The Anglican started in 1904 and completed in 1978. Only one way to determine the reason for this. Ask ChatGPT.

Liverpool’s two cathedrals are relatively new because the city itself rose to prominence far later than England’s historic cathedral centres. For centuries Liverpool was a modest port, only expanding rapidly in the 18th and 19th centuries with Atlantic trade and industrial growth, and it did not become an Anglican diocese until 1880. When Liverpool Cathedral was begun in 1904, it was conceived as a bold statement of civic and imperial confidence, though its completion was stretched across wars and economic hardship well into the late 20th century. The Catholic cathedral is newer still, reflecting the long suppression of Catholic cathedral building in England after the Reformation and the city’s expanding Irish Catholic population in the 19th century. Together, the two buildings are less the product of medieval inheritance than of modern history, shaped by industrial expansion, migration, war and changing religious confidence.

In the interests of space - simple pictures. Until we reach the pub.

The garden below the Cathedral well worth a visit

Inside, where it is unlucky to still have Xmas decorations up

German Church - started out on a disused boat on the Mersey

The Synagogue

A rare Bellcote Tower at Vincent De Paul Catholic Church

Metropolitan Cathedral peeping through the trees

Modern flying buttresses

All about the light

St Paul's Tavern should have been discovered on the Ropewalks journey from this guidebook. Down Seel Street in St Pauls Tavern - hosted in the first church in the City, built in 1788.

More than mild on offer

In a City of great pubs, here is another unique offering. Inside, it maintains much of its religious paraphernalia - the altar, the stained glass windows, the crypts, candles and even the memorial stones. A lengthy bar offers enough cask to get it noticed by CAMRA. The Timothy Taylor Landlord Dark in good enough condition to warrant its inclusion on the 2026 Good Beer Guide.

Classy

The altar

One of those pubs that warrants a wander around, pint in hand. You can go upstairs, into booths in side crypts, admire the art, admire the memorial dedications. All this and a quality pint for £4.50.

As usual for Liverpool, there was more to do. The 'spoons are back in the GBG. There were mosques. There were controversial sculptures of Christ. There were churches bombed out by the Luftwaffe.

The blog could have turned into an epic.

Walk Details

Distance - 6 Miles

Geocaches - 5

Walk Inspiration - Liverpool A-Z City Walks, Walk 10

Previous Liverpool A-Z City Walks - Walks 1 and 2, Walk 3, Walk 4, Walk 5, Walk 6 and 7, Walk 8 and 9