15/12/18 - From Timberhonger to a Micropub

Distance - 7.5 Miles
Geocaches - 4
Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine, August 2016, Walk 7
Good Beer Guide Ticks - 351, 352


The best thing about being a rubbish Geocacher is that when you repeat previously walked tracks, you have the chance of more finds.   This walk from Country Walking Magazine shares paths with a 30 cache trail that I walked 4 years ago.   3 previous fails are rectified.  I must be getting better.

I start from Bromsgrove - a town that has four unticked Good Beer Guide Ticks to explore at the end.  I spend most of the ramble thinking which one will get the Mappiman dollar.  It takes my mind of the frankly terrible weather.

A section on the Monarch's Way leads to a Travel Bug Hotel - which you could really call a tupperware pot, as it has no Travel Bugs present.  I add one, so at least it is doing what it says on the tin.

The Monarch's Way - near to the M5 and the Holiday Inn

A TB Hotel Needs TBs.

The weather really doesn't help the photos but fortunately, the ground is good, the stiles are manageable and the livestock are friendly.   On a summer's day, I know there are better views to be had.

Worcestershire Views

Trig Point over Timberhonger

Timberhonger, a village name that always makes me laugh, demonstrates a nice line in Countryside Passive Aggression.   Big brother is indeed watching.

I don't know where the Cameras are - but I looked

Two things made me smile about this.   1)  They went to the trouble of making a sign, but didn't clean up the offending cans and 2)  Carling Black Label is that rubbish, that one of the cans was unopened.

Lager Louts

Over the M5, where some sort of automobile drama is taking place and past the medieval manor house of Grafton before my first approach into Bromsgrove from the excellently named Breakback Hill.

M5 Drama

Grafton House

Dropping back into Bromsgrove

So, I've made up my mind on post walk refreshment.   Its 11:45am when I hit the town and a long time since I breakfasted on pikelets.

I'm going to break a vow made to myself when Tim banned dogs and have an Full English (large, saves money in the long term) with a cup of coffee and then visit the micro pub for a pint to wash it all down with.

Mrs M is not here to say no.

I'm going to a JDW

If you wanted to introduce someone to the Wetherspoons experience, you couldn't have asked for a better venue.  Its got the lot.

1. Architecturally interesting building
2. Unique Carpets
3. Packed with AM punters who's whistles can never be whet enough
4. Only one spare table, that's covered in pint pots and dirty crocks

Fortunately, point 4 is right in front of the fire - so I take ownership - hanging my soaked coat over the chair and making a note of  the table number - with 2 minutes to go before they call time on breakfast orders.

The bar is huge in length, with sporadic pockets of punters.   The staff are beyond inefficient.  The one who is seemingly in charge just walks off, leaving young ladies fixing the ruddles hand pull and another two trying to manage a 40 foot bar.   Old men change position, with the experience of fly fishers who know just how the currents work.

At least in the Airport spoons, they form an orderly queue.

I've been standing, forlorn and hungry for 10 minutes.  I've missed the 12pm curfew but am sure they will take in the circumstances of Ruddles maintenance.  

Then the boss comes back to shout "30 minute wait on food".

I make a hasty retreat to the Micropub.  They must have scratchings.

The Little Ale House

I am the first punter of the day and they are just setting up.   Importantly, I get the attention that was sadly missing just missing.   The four barrels on offer all explained to me by popularity, brewery location and type of beer.

I settle for a Woodcote Manor Oatmeal Stout.  The gravity fed pour did not do it any favours but it was an interesting enough Stout.

Oatmeal Stout - just needs some life

My interest in a previously unheard of brewery, based in Bromsgrove and supplying all the micros in Worcestershire, led to an up-sell. 

I now have three of their beers, in a presentation box, nestling in my garage.   Next to the This, That and T'other from last weeks walk from the Teme Valley Brewery.

12/12/18 - Kidderminster's Beer Emporium

The annual Christmas walk along the canal to check out the quality of Kidderminster's Good Beer Guide Pubs.   The old familiars on the list are joined by a pub micro, that has often been walked past but never when open.   Don't try this on a Monday.  Or a Tuesday.

Before we get there, I can confirm that both Weavers and Ye Olde Seven Stars are still quality establishments.  Both offering a surprise today - I've not seen Bathams in Weavers before and never seen Bass anywhere in Worcestershire.   I commented this to the barman at the Stars and he said its now a regular "as it's very popular".   Both beers in tip top condition.

GBG Tick 350 - Beer Emporium, Oxford Street, Oakham Jester

Beer Emporium AND Cider House, to correctly address it

I've been to a handful of micros before and never quite got the point.   Until tonight.

I would type that it was a mistake to not take advantage of the many bottled world beers on display on the shelves.   I'm having a bit of a Belgian moment, having sampled Leffe Noel in France a couple of weeks ago and I am sure I could have found another gem here. 

However, the gravity fed Oakham Jester was in that good condition that it could never been a mistake.   Somehow, the owner managed to get life into it, a trick that was beyond the Merchants Inn in Rugby on Sunday.

Oakham Jester in grand condition

The in picture folk were demonstrating a new way of drinking.   The host was bringing them single bottles and four glasses and they were working their way through the menu.   This sounds a cracking plan - especially overhearing their comments on the double chocolate stout they had currently selecting.

Another worthy tick for Kidderminster.

09/12/18 - Good Beer Guide Ticking in Rugby

Number of Pubs - 5
Good Beer Guide Ticks - 345-349

A first overnight visit to Rugby.   A marginal amount of research undertaken - birthplace of egg chasers and jet engines.   Flashman went to school there.   Slightly more research in plotting a route to take in five of the eight ticks available in town.  Even then, mistakes were made.

The Merchants Inn, 5-6 Little Church Street, North Cotswold Brewery Winter Solstice

We can call off the search for who has been placing all the winning bids on Ebay for brewing paraphernalia.   The first thing that hits you when you enter this ancient, roomy establishment is that every inch of wall is covered in a a beer related advert.   This, and a wing back chair, made me feel most at home.

Merchants Inn by Night

The View from a Wing Back

Despite the dying moments of the Newcastle vs Wolves game, the large screen around the corner is showing the Rugby.   When in Rome.

9 real ales on offer from hand pulls.  I know, because I counted them.  Mainly to try and determine the odds of me choosing the only one that required the bar staff to disappear around the back and pull from a gravity fed barrel around the back.   The result of my Winter Solstice, this;

Lifeless in Rugby

My random trips to towns with Travelodges/Premier Inns always pulls up a gem.  I'm adding the Merchants of cracking pubs that I found instantly delightful. 

The Raglan Arms, 50 Dunchurch Road, London Pride

I spend literally seconds on my photo compositions to take the snap just as someone is emerging out of the front door.

Got away with it

A spacious, traditional boozer complete with a skittles table, a game that no-one really knows the rules to.

I enjoyed having the snug to myself.   Gave me plenty of room to spread out the Sunday Times.

All alone, but Proud

The Squirrel Inn, 33 Church Street, Cotleigh Red Nose Reinbeer

This is as mad as pub ticking gets and I only wish I had been braver to take more photos.

To start with, the pub is tiny and stands architecturally alone from the adjacent buildings.

The Squirrel, all very low ceilings

There's far too much noise coming from inside for 8pm in a Sunday night and all is revealed, once I find the entrance and crouch down to make my way to the bar.

At the far end, a band have setup to play.  Synth Machine, a three piece doing exactly what its says on the tin.   Absolutely hilarious, yet spot on, covers of Tears for Fears, Communards and Depeche Mode that the punters were both loving and joining in with.

Beer was decent - and yes, I have spelt it correctly.   The brewery commented on my disparaging Untappd check where I thought the quality deserved a less awful name of Red Nose Reinbeer with a "ho, ho, ho, Merry Xmas".

I didn't mean to sound like the Grinch.

If I hadn't got two more ticks to get, I would have stayed for the 2nd Set.

Wonderful, joyful stuff.

The Alexandra Arms, James Street, Hooky

The warnings were there, have you ever seen a more post apocalyptic pub sign?

In the event of a nuclear attack...

I was probably in the wrong part of the pub, as there were signs of life.   Glimmers of people and music coming from a back room that its not obvious how to get to.

Not only was the bar unstaffed but I couldn't find the bell to summons them.

Ghost Town

Disclaimer:  Except on Sundays.

Eventually, someone comes.  I ask where the bell is and he is unsure.   We eventually agree it might be the tiny thing under the speaker on the right hand side. 

I should have gone for one of Atomic Breweries beers but played safe with a fairly dreadful, hazy Hooky.

I bet Synth Machine are doing Yazoo right about now.

The Seven Stars, Albert Square, Castle Rock Midnight IPA 

Christmas in Rugby

Its that time of year, where you can settle down with a pint and imbibe with someone with an Elf hat on.  Complete with fake ears.

The pub is a blueprint on how a traditional, locals boozer can be run and worthy of its CAMRA Pub of the Year 2017 award.

Nothing fancy, just good beers, pleasant atmosphere and run by a man that knows and loves what he is doing.

Well run, traditional locals pub

The Sunday Times was completed but alas, Rugby Pub Ticking was not.   A couple of challenges were always going to be out of reach (non Sunday opening Tap houses and clubs that you have to sign in) but there's little excuse for not turning the page.

The Victoria Inn waits for another day.

09/12/18 - Chiltern Chain Walk - Stage 2 - Studham Downs

Distance - 10.7 Miles
Geocaches - 3
Walk Inspiration
Pub - The Bridgewater Arms, Little Gaddesden
Previous Stages - Stage 1

I've adapted the 2nd stage of the Chiltern Chain Walk.   Rather than starting off at a non-descript country lane near Studham, I have chosen to kick things off from the only pub on the route.   I'm always thinking of post walk refreshment.

Straight from the pub car park and we're out on the Chiltern Way to the two highlights of this walk.

The first is the Golden Valley - a lush green ride, breaking up the woodland.   Nice views, easy walking and the majority of today's thin bounty of geocaches.

Chiltern Way from the Pub

The Golden Valley

The next highlight has no name but is a 1.5 mile yomp across a barren landscape of gently folding agricultural land, leading to Nettleden.   Nothing to interrupt the views, with just the red kites and an ever-changing cloudscape above.   Seemed somehow more suited to Yorkshire than Hertfordshire.

A lonely landscape, making for perfect walking

The edge of Great Gaddesden (possibly smaller than Little Gaddesden) is skirted.  Not much else of interest is passed - with the possible exception of a Buddist Monastry - but the paths are good and the views are often superb.

Looking down on Great Gaddeston

A Valley with the A4146 Hemel Hempstead Road at the bottom

Same Valley, looking North

Another enjoyable walk.   Just the pub to report on.

The Bridgewater Arms

A popular community pub that had one of my pre-requisites after a December walk - real log fires.  I mange to get through the diners to get a perch at the end of the bar, where surprisingly, there are a high number of drinkers.   This includes a couple of old boys who had overdone it on the Red Wine yesterday.   Others were keen to tell them of their indiscretions.

Beer wise, I never expect much from a Greene King.  There were the usual suspects and in an attempt to avoid a GK IPA I asked for a sample of a previously unseen beer called Pocket Rocket.   The pump clip had the picture of an elderly gentlemen on it, so whilst making up my mind, I asked if was a regular.   He was the landlord's recently departed father.

There was no way I could turn it down after this revelation.

Pocket Rocket