01/09/25 - The Anchor Bleu, Bosham

Local Legends and Lunch

Not too much to say about the walk. It was perfect for our needs, but little of interest is passed as we navigate agricultural fields to Fishbourne and then head back along a tide-out coast.

Fishbourne's Duck Pond

The Coastal Path....

.... Leads into Bosham

And what an interesting place Bosham is. Full of myths and legends, some actually discovered during investigation of the two dominant structures - the church and the pub.

Legend 1 - A Roman Port

The area has been inhabited since Roman times and was once known as Magnus Portus (“great port”), as recorded in Ptolemy’s Geography. The Roman legacy includes remains like a temple, mosaic, theatre, and the remarkable “Bosham Head” — a huge stone sculpture likely of Emperor Trajan — now housed in Chichester museum.

Legend 2 - Anglo-Saxon & Ecclesiastical Beginnings

Bede noted that in 681 Bishop Wilfrid found a small monastery in Bosham led by Dicul, an Irish monk. A church followed in AD 850, and by the 10th century, the present Holy Trinity Church stood — built atop possible Roman remains. The church retains Saxon features in its lower tower and chancel and underwent expansions in Norman and later periods.

The church doors were open and full of tourists. What a special place;

Close up on Entry

Rough-hewn stone walls and a crypt to investigate

C11th Saxon Font

Legend 3 - King Canute's Daughter

Legend says King Canute’s young daughter drowned in a nearby millstream and was buried in the church. In 1865, a small stone coffin was found in the nave, reviving this tale — though its authenticity remains uncertain.

Legend 4 - The Bosham Bell

One enduring legend tells of Danish pirates stealing the church’s tenor bell, only for it to break free at sea and sink the ship — it now lies in “Bell Hole” amid the harbour. Today, locals claim the bell’s muffled toll still answers the church bells during ringing. Bosham Sailing Club even features this bell imagery in its burgee, celebrating the legend.

Legend 5 - King Harold and the Bayeux Tapestry

Bosham features prominently in the Bayeux Tapestry, showing Harold (Earl of Wessex) riding to Bosham church in 1064 before his voyage to Normandy. His association with the village fuels speculation that he might be buried there; in 1954, alongside the child’s coffin, another coffin with a richly dressed man was found — but exhumation was refused in 2004.

With a recreation displayed on the Church Wall;

Eye Eye - It's King Harold

Which leaves the pub. From the name alone, I had high hopes for the Anchor Bleu - from the pub sign, I would say named after a sailing vessel. It wears its 300-year history well, with low ceilings and flagged stone floors. Catering for lunch time foodies, we meet a rarity in British Hospitality. There are no sandwiches on the menu, but they check with the chef and we are offered a choice of three. Brilliant.

The only other surprise is that it's not in the Good Beer Guide. Four interesting and unusual cask ales - My Arundel Brewery Sussex Gold was in perfect condition. I can only assume the tide was out when the local CAMRA's were on the prowl.

In the end, we chose off the menu and Mrs M - of notoriously high lunch standards - declared it the best quiche she had ever tasted.

A fitting end to our last "proper" walk from our week's base in Hayling Island.

How could you not fall in love?

Walk Details

Distance - 5.25 Miles

Geocaches - 1

Walk Inspiration - Pub Walks for Motorists, Kent, Surrey and Sussex, Walk 25

29/05/23 - January Man - May at May Hill

 

Walking the chapters of Christopher Somerville's The January Man - Month by Month

May sees Christopher setting his alarm very early.  Every May 1st, Morris Men celebrate the battle between Winter and Summer by dancing on the top of May Hill, Gloucestershire.  He timed his walk to tie in with the festivities.

We had our own May Day encounter with Morris Men. On another day, Upton Folk Festival could have been a hoot - the whole town awash with eccentrics, bursting into spontaneous jigging. We had looked for somewhere quiet to take our Guide Dog in Training, Ivy. Men with painted faces and women with feathers poking out their hats terrified her.

May Hill straddles the border of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire. I've walked it before - remembering woodland, mud and fine views over the meandering Severn Estuary and the Black Mountains.

Early disappoint provides an excuse for a post walk visit to Newent.

A couple of days early - alternative refreshments required

The walk is a straightforward, circular route on forest tracks. An Adventure Lab Cache completed on the ascent and traditional caching on the descent.

Tree Clump at the Top

Views of the Severn Estuary

Trees planted for the Silver Jubilee

Newent was a pleasant, historical place to mooch around - the chipper is housed in a building with the date 1465 etched into the brickworks. Two quick ALCs and then the pub. But which one?  Newent locals don't seem to use their pubs. The Wye Inn looked impressive but was bolted closed. Cobblers, the Good Beer Guide Micro Pub doesn't open till 5pm, even on bank holidays. The Black Dog and an impressive coaching house, The George - couldn't have had more than 3 punters in each.

Lose them or lose them, Newent.

George Hotel - just add punters

Walk Details

Previous Walks - January, February, March, April

Distance - 3 Miles

Geocaches - 9 and three Adventure Lab Caches

Walk Inspiration - Pub Walks for Motorists, Bristol & Bath, Somerset and Gloucestershire - Walk 36

26/02/23 - The Halfway House, Eardington

Unexpected industrial surprises on a delightful river-side ramble.  Best walked in the afternoon.

A simple walk that brought great pleasure. Maybe it was the short distance. Maybe it was the first snowdrops of spring. Even a 2pm opener couldn't dent my morning enthusiasm, when I had timed the walk to finish bang on midday.

The Halfway House will need to wait for their car-parking money.  

From the pub carpark, it's downhill through the outskirts of Oldbury to pick up the river Severn at Daniel's Bridge.  A lovely surprise awaits - nestled in the shadow of a mighy Severn Valley viaduct is a fully working C18th Watermill. If engineering isn't your thing, then maybe the tea rooms are.

Geocaching on the way to Daniel's Bridge and Mill

Daniel's Mill

The Severn Way runs downstream under Cliff Coppice, exiting at the sewage works. You don't need to consult the map to know when to head inland along Slade Lane and back across countryside to the Half Way House.

River Severn, under Cliff Coppice

Back to the pub. Prominent signs about opening hours meant that I had already got over the disappointment of strange weekend opening hours. Maybe they change in the summer season, where a steady stream of customers from the on-site camping site will be available.  What else can campers do other than booze the afternoon away?

Caravan and Camping HQ - The Halfway House

My guide book tells a little of the history. A 1620 coaching house that was formerly knows as the Old Red Lion. One day in 1823, Queen Victoria was travelling between Shrewsbury and Great Witley and stopped to change horses. She asked how much further. 

You can guess the reply.

I'll have to guess at what beers replace Woods. A significant and depressing brewery victim of Covid.

  

Shropshire Lad No More

Walk Information

Distance - 4.75 Miles

Geocaches - 7

Walk Inspiration - Pub Walks for Motorists, Shrops, Staffs and West Mids - Walk 14

22/01/23 - January Man: January at the Severn Estuary in Gloucestershire

Walking the chapters of Christopher Somerville's The January Man, Month by Month

Christopher Somerville is the Times journalist responsible for the "weekly walks" in the Saturday weekend section. He is also a published author and his book, "January Man:  A Year of Walking Britain" looked a suitable contender to carry me through 2023. Each chapter represents a walk in a different part of Britain and I am always looking for more psychogeophary inspiration. 

Can I follow the monthly routes, as I read each chapter in the appropriate month?  

January is a nice easy start. The location is relatively local to me, just south of Tewkesbury. The Leigh, Gloucestershire, was Christopher's childhood home. 

I most enjoyed the 20 minute read, as he muses on his childhood friendship with Roo, his relationship with his WWII scarred father and growing up in a tiny farming community on the banks of the River Severn. There's a lengthy extract and some photos of Christopher and Roo at Frontier Magazine.

Fittingly, his revisit and walk sometime in the mid 2010s was blighted by floods. I found a suitable route but completing the basics of pre-trip research, I was able to see that the Red Lion, Wainlode, had been unable to re-open after Christmas.

I won't be visiting Christopher's Local

The flooding was worse than expected. I started my walk from The Leigh's Church, where Christopher spends time reminiscing on the surnames of childhood neighbours, now populating the graveyard. I get about half a mile into the walk before hitting the floodwaters, at least half a mile from the river. The fact the waters are frozen does not help me much. I have not brought ice-skates and the ice is not thick enough to support a grown man.

Looking back over The Leigh's Church

Hitting the flood waters

The red line shows my planned walk. The blue line shows the reality.

Planned 7m becomes 3m

Still, I was able to complete the loop of the Leigh. The Cyder Press (Roo's childhood home) and Hoefield House (Christopher's) were found, the latter Grade II listed and the most impressive building in the village. It now hides behind a gated wall, with no indication of the name.

The journey continued by vehicle, as I was keen to see the first crossing north of Gloucester and see what pub archaeology could be completed. The Hawbridge Inn painting a desolate picture of the lot of a publican all the way back in 2017.  A Gloucester news article detailing the following;

In a post on its Facebook page, it said: “It is with deep regret that we have to inform you that we will be closing the doors to the Haw Bridge Inn after this evening’s service. We had a good run in the little bit of summer we traded in, but, sadly, we were plunged into one of the quietest quarters we have experienced in the 12 years of our pub experience.

Last week, the snow at the start, theft of all our heating oil, and no water at the end, was the week that sealed the deal, and unfortunately we had no other choice but to close down trading.

The journey down through a bleak landscape, with the B4123 raised just high enough above the icy floodwaters. Enough to bring the drone enthusiasts out to get some interesting footage.

The road to Red Lion at Hawbridge, not faring so well

There were actually two pubs at Hawbridge, on either side of the road. The Riverside Inn falling into dilapidation but I can bring good news from the Hawbridge Inn. New owners in the garden confirmed that it was re-opening but no time frames given. I hope they took my advice of putting a lock on the oil tank.

Hawbridge Inn - Phoenix from the Flames - notice floodwaters behind

The view from Hawbridge

Refreshment was found further up the road at Apperley.  The Farmer's Arms trading on the strength of their food, offering what looked a pleasant dining experience in an ancient farmhouse.  Concessions made for the drinker, with three Chesterfields surrounding a log fire.

Farmers Arms, Apperley

Wadworth 6X from Wiltshire.  Scratchings from the Black Country

Walk Information

Distance - 7 miles planned, 3 miles achieved

Walk Inspiration - Pub Walks for Motorists:  Bristol, Bath, Somerset and Gloucestershire 

Pub - The Farmers Arms, Lower Apperley

Geocaches - 1