14/10/23 - London Spiral Stage 12

 We're off to Wembley.....

A chance to see if Avanti are worthy of their recent contact renewal. Things have improved. This time, they emailed me to say my 06:56 was cancelled. The next one was late. And none of the power sockets worked.

But it got me to Euston and then onwards to Arnos Grove to pick up the London Spiral. Pyschogeography, at its finest as we reach the outskirts of London. The areas where they don't really want ramblers - walking as an act of rebellion. Frequently, I run up against fencing of new build high rises allowing no progress. Crossing motorways and railway lines over neglected bridges and sinister tunnels.

Over the M1

The End of the Line - a deserted railway track running west from Mill Hill East

This stretch is not without its charms.... Suburban housing estates, where the buildings look like those from home but you can only guess at their value. Green spaces of Friary Park and eventually, Fryant Country Park. The opportunity to reconnect with both the Dollis Greenway and the Capital Ring. 

Quite the entrance to Friary Park

Reacquainting myself with the Capital Ring Fingerposts

Refreshment wise, its a little bit of a desert, with Colindale the surprising oasis. What on earth is Colindale? A soulless main route of new build mid-rises, marketed by a company called Uncle, who rate themselves rather aggressively. I must be in old Colindale when I detour for a remote Good Beer Guide tick at the Moon Under Water. 

The Wonder of Woolies

George Orwell admiring the promotional boards

Brains SA at £2.39. I must be getting mean. On taking my high seat in front of the bar, I noticed the front facing price clip said £0.99 on the pump. Shame on me, I almost went back to demand my refund. 

Lunch identified but foresaken until I do the next 5km to Wembley. I know that JJ Moons is going to be one of the better value food outlets in a rather surprising area.

Its unlikely I'll be getting to Wembley with the Baggies anytime soon - so I'm grateful for the route to take me right up Wembley Way. Capitalism observed in full pomp. Everything is new and shiny. Yes, they play sport here but who knew about the endless shopping, dining and drinking experiences on offer?

Wembley

No photos from JJ Moons - but chicken in a basket and prize winning Elland Brwery 1872 Porter for less than a tenner.

A direct overground back to Euston for the 2nd GBG tick of the day. My untapped check in at the never previously visited Euston Tap includes a plea as to where are the toilets.  A response in less than ten minutes tells me upstairs. I never even considered them to have an upstairs.  

Kelham Pale Rider at the Euston Tap

The Avanti 4.32 back to Edinburgh via the midlands was running on time. With both adjacent Glasgow trains cancelled, it was a great place to make new friends.

Walk Information

Distance - 13 Miles

Start - Arnos Grove Tube

Finish - Wembley Central Station 

Areas Walked - Friern Barnet, Colindale, Wembley

Geocaches - 1 and three Adventure Lab Caches

Pubs - 2

Previous Walks - Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 7, Stage 8, Stage 9, Stage 10, Stage 11

07/10/23 - Evesham Town and Battlefield Walk for the Trumpet Inn

 The Mop Fair is in town and the trains are broken

Every edition of the Good Beer Guide starts with the plan of me "completing" Worcestershire. 2023 was on track, with Evesham's Trumpet Inn the last remaining pub to visit. Alas, the 30th of September saw both the 2024 edition land on the doormat and the trains on strike.

Technically, I am now into 2024 season.  An uneventful, yet expensive train journey landing me in the heart of the town. Guests to our shores would not believe a 20 minute train journey could leave you with coin only change from a tenner.

Evesham sits in the horseshoe bend of the River Avon and the authorities have devised a lovely circular walk that can be extended to include a Battlefield walk. Signs in the pavement from the station exit and all along the route.

Two walks for the price of one

The Battlefield Walk is of interest - on permissive paths through the grounds of the Abbey Manor estate. Two architectural celebrations in the form of Leicester Tower and an ornate obelisk telling the story. I'll use Bard AI to save me the trouble;

The Battle of Evesham was a decisive battle in the Second Barons' War, fought on 4 August 1265. It pitted the forces of King Henry III and his son, Prince Edward (the future Edward I), against the rebel forces of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester.

The battle took place near the town of Evesham, Worcestershire, after Montfort and his forces had been pursued by Edward and his army. Montfort's forces were outnumbered and outmaneuvered, and they were eventually defeated. Montfort himself was killed in the battle, along with many of his followers.

The Battle of Evesham marked the end of the Second Barons' War and the restoration of royal authority. It also had a significant impact on the development of English Parliament, as it led to the exclusion of the lesser barons from the House of Lords.

Leicester Tower

Abbey Manor C19th and used as a WWI convalescence home 

Obelisk, with the story told around the base

The rest of the walk is on excellent paths, following the gentle River Avon.

Lock Keeper's Cottage on the Rover Avon

Walking cut slightly short to head into the town centre to get my tick. This is where the disasters start and of course, this is what my readers want. Not history lessons.

Disaster #1 - The Mop Fair

The town has been taken over by the carny. The main high street has been blocked with machinery to fling the Evesham youth into the air at high velocity. The Mop Fair was an ancient tradition to celebrate the end of the working year. Parades were held, with locals dressing up and carrying a symbol of their employment. I'm all for tradition but we seem to lost something over the years. Parades now replaced by rough men shouting "Scream if you want to go faster".

Youtube can provide you with a feel of the chaos.

I'll escape to the pub for Disaster Number 2. Slightly early for the midday Trumpet, I think I'll head to 'spoons for a small breakfast with extra black pudding. Better known as "The Usual".

Major Maintenance at Evesham Spoons

Forced to queue for 10 minutes outside the Trumpet, like the tramp I am. It must be a good pub, I am not alone and the land-lady comes out to give us regular countdowns of when they are opening. "5 minutes to go lads" setting the juices flowing.

The Trumpet Inn, Evesham

The bolt scraping happens at exactly the advertised time for this fine Hook Norton tied house. Their most Westerly, according to the Good Book.

A popular locals pub, that steadily filled up in the 30 minutes I wolfed own a 6 finger, fish finger sandwich and an Old Hooky.

A message from Trainline delivers Disaster #3.  My scheduled train home is getting no further north than Oxford. Try again in an hour.

Off to the Red Lion for a revisit. Still in the GBG, still pushing the shabby chic vibe.

I always head for the comfy seat.

Super friendly staff, who know most by name and what they are drinking before they order. The sort of local I would love, offering both regular music evenings and importantly, coach trips to the more rural pubs and breweries within the immediate area. I have to get to the Fleece Inn, Bretforton, under my own steam. But by god, it is worth it.

First of this season's green hopped beers, this one from the Teme Valley Brewery. Eventually, I finish the day having visited 5 Worcestershire pubs and green hopped beers are available in four of them. I'm not saying this is a new phenomena but its certainly one I have never noticed before.

Disaster #4 - the train after my scheduled train is also not running.

With BCM dropping out the bible, I'm out of CAMRA recommended pubs and take a punt on Ye Olde Red Horse.  And would you know it, exceptional beer, served by very knowledgeable staff in an ancient hostelry. I demand the town gets three entries in 2025.  

Hook a duck, there's a circus in the town

 

Green hopped beer available, but I went for a perfect Teme Valley That

Disaster #5 - No trains now for the rest of the afternoon. The track inspection has revealed serious underfunding in transport infrastructure for the last 20 years. Time for plan B. Only losers take the bus, but at £2 for a 50 minute journey, it beats the train into a cocked hat for value.

Only issue, vehicles cannot easily get to the bus station due to the traffic problems caused by closing the main route for the fair.

Tequila and Lime nestles behind Stand A and with a front patio, you can see the traffic coming a mile off. But even in direst of circumstances, am I prepared to drop my beery standards?

Peroni

Walk Details

Distance - 5 Miles

Walk Inspiration

Geocaches - 5 and 1 ALC

Good Beer Guide Tick - #905

30/09/23 - The Plough at Ford, Gloucestershire

Who would have guessed what my First Good Beer Guide Pint for the 2024 Edition was?

No UK based walking blogs for a few weeks. We've been rambling in Portugal, fueled by Superbock. A member of our party was from Stow on the Wold and wasn't a fan of the brewery closest to his home.

This reminded me that its been two years since I walked the Donnington Way. Day 4 saw me walk past the Plough Inn at Ford too early for refreshment. 

A quick search through the reference material and I find a shortish walk - suitable for Mrs M and a Guide Dog in Training, Ivy. Mrs M keen for lunch out. Ivy keen for new fields to sniff at.

We head off, full of optimism that is cruelly shattered when Mrs M checks Google for the post code to be entered into a German Sat Nav. The Plough is closed for unspecified reasons for two weeks.

No worries, the Farmers Arms at Guiting Power is not too far from our planned destination. This pub was temporarily closed when I was on the 5 day walk. Between landlords. Mrs M checks opening hours.  All Good. Checks they do food. All good. Then she throws in the most unexpected news....

Donnington SBA will be my first GBG 2023 Pint

There's a turn-up. I haven't even started my cross ticking yet.

First the walk - The Plough at Ford leads directly to the Cotswold countryside. A frankly dull walk that is either along the edge of Jonjo O'Neills horse training gallops or through agricultural fields.  The paths are decent - the Gloucestershire Way out and the Diamond Way back.

2 attempts and the Plough at Ford remains unvisited

Most of the views have been like this today

Out of the three of us, I'd say Ivy enjoyed it the most.

Free running next to the cornfields

Have you ever tried to use the voice controlled Sat Nav input of a German Car to say "Guiting Power"?

Do you know what it says back to you when you yell "FFS!" after the forth attempt prompts the reply "I cannot find Guiding Powder in my database"?  To get its own back at my anglo saxon language, it takes us down roads with grass in the middle that lead to bolted gates on a private estate. Kamikaze guinea fowl testing the ABS. 

We are a little stressed by the time we make it to the busy village - but a combination of getting the final parking space and table in the pub cheers up our mood. Things could have been so much worse.

Ladders out to erect the "We are in it.... 2024 GBG" Sign

It's all as expected from 5 days of walking between their tied house. A handsome pub. Very plain beer. I asked the Landlord if the brewery had sent any acknowledgement to their CAMRA endorsement. They hadn't but they certainly should. Talk about defying the odds. The SBA perfectly kept but as devoid of taste as I remember.

2024 Kicks Off

And my taste buds are working fine. It took me three bites to determine the "Pie of Day" - steak and ale, according to our server - was in fact chicken.

It was damn fine. Pastry crust top, bottom and side.  

A pie, not a lie.

Walk Details

Distance - 6 Miles

Geocaches - 1

Walk Inspiration - Cotswold Rambles, Red Book, Walk 8

03/09/23 - Centenary Way Stage 21 - Warminster

A Walk Linking the Civil War Villages of Arlescote, Ratley and Warmington

Handsome walk, this. Not often I say that about the Centenary Way but at long last, it is starting to deliver interest, good walking and a surprisingly good post walk pint.

I'm starting in Warminster - a timeless village, with a spacious village green overlooked by a 1603 manor house. The Church at the top of the hill contains several graves from causalities of one of the first battles in the English Civil War. 1642 and the Battle of Edge Hill. The vicar recorded the burial of one of the Parliamentary Captains before supporting the war effort rather more directly;

Warmington’s vicar, Richard Wootton, supplied swords, pikes and muskets to Parliament from the war’s outset and eventually abandoned his parish to captain a parliamentary troop at Warwick. Roaming the countryside with his men, Wootton was eventually relieved of his commission after raping a lady’s maid. He was finally expelled as vicar in 1656.

What a wrong 'un.

Warminster Village - Timeless

Final resting place of Captain Alexander Gourdon

This tranquility is soon lost to the roar of the M40. I feared the worse for the fields leading to Avon Dasset. A previous log on a missing geocache showing head height rape crops with no discernible paths. Thanks to crop rotation in the C21st, I have a freshly harvested wheat field to cross.

Lanes take me through Arlescote. Another manor house, where Kings Charles children supposedly stopped during the days before battle. The walking turns beautiful, with undulating but mercifully short climbs and drops over Edge Hill.

Warwickshire Views 

And Good Paths

Ratley will be rediscovered on the next leg. The village itself is stunning, hiding away in a dip in the hills. A lovely looking pub, the Rose and Crown, will surely be visited - although it looks like there may be some competition. I've previously enjoyed the Castle Inn at Edge Hill and that cannot be missed either.

St Peter Ad Vincula - 4 different window styles suggesting the Black Death interrupted construction

An easy stretch on the Macmillan way delivers me back to Warmington, route carefully plotted to ensure my final steps lead to the Plough Inn.

The Plough Inn, Warminster

Door ajar, and I enter into a low ceiling bar. All the talk is on the Indian Summer and it makes sense to take advantage of their rear beer garden. In these hard times for hospitality, every pub needs a selling point. 

A mini golf course guarded by a gorilla may be unique in all my pub exploring.

Might have been two runs behind, making it a 6 holer

Beer-wise, it also delivered. With the needle in the mid twenties and a handful of other drinkers, I would normally go Euro-lout. Having never heard of the Church Farm Brewery, I made an exception. Their Harry's Heifer, a superb session bitter.

From just outside Warwick - with a ceremonial glass.

Bucolic walking. History. Good Beer. Mini Golf.

It's been a fine old day. 

Walk Information

Distance - 6.5 Miles

Geocaches - 1

Pub - The Plough Inn, Warminster

Previous Stages - Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 7, Stage 8, Stage 9, Stage 10, Stage 11, Stage 12, Stage 13, Stage 14, Stage 15, Stage 16, Stage 17, Stage 18, Stage 19, Stage 20