07/09/24 - The White Horse, Hinton St Mary

 An Unusually Dark Batch of Exmoor Gold

Hinton St Mary is a tiny hamlet but a rich history. I'd already noticed on the OS Map the words "Roman Villa". There's also a story to rival the Elgin Marbles. A full Roman mosaic lifted by the British Museum, with the majority locked away in vaults. Only the central Christ-like image on display. The locals are demanding its return.

We're not here for the Romans. A simple walk, for a Saturday morning when the it has finally stopped raining. Not much to see, but the dog we are looking after enjoyed the woodlands and the drop down to the River Stour. Which has burst its banks, forcing Mrs M to wade through floodwaters, holding her socks and boots aloft. I should have taken a photo, but she'd have moaned that I wasn't helping her enough.

Down by the Stour

A short 3 miles and just in time for the village pub to scrape open the bolt.

Simple exterior, complex menu

There's a wedding on at the nearby church but it may always be this busy on a Saturday lunchtime. A menu that is relatively complex, should you only be looking for ham, egg and chips at a push. Our waitress does a fine job of upselling, suggesting if the meals are too large and fancy (read North of a score), we might enjoy olives. Or Crisps.

We'll stick to just drinks - Exmoor Fox, Gold and Butcombe original on. I have to get some sort of story out of a blog. How about consumer rights?

Decent pint, but was it Gold?

I am a veteran of JDW, who often have Exmoor Gold on. In case you are unaware, here is the product description;

A natural glorious golden colour; its juicy malt aroma has just a hint of vanilla with citric hops.It starts bitter-sweet in the mouth and finishes dry and intensely hoppy.

Is that pint a glorious golden colour? I discuss with a fellow beer drinker and mention it to the landlady. She replied that the brewery have told her to warn her customers that it is a particularly dark batch that has been delivered.

I consider myself warned but after a Fox in the Rising Sun (with glorious fish-finger sandwiches, food fans), I rather think they have put the Fox label on the Golden hand-pull.

Walk Details

Distance - 3 Miles

Geocaches - 1 abandoned, as it started raining

Walk Inspiration - 40 Town and Country Walks in Dorset

03/09/24 - West Midlands Way - Stage 2 - Kenilworth to Henley-in-Arden

Ancient Mysteries In Between

No doubting this walk is spectacular at either end. Leaving the majesty of Kenilworth Castle and arriving at one of the finest high streets in the land at Henley-in-Arden.

Never tire of the castle views

The 12 miles in-between carry functional Warwickshire walking and OS Map mysteries that are vague on the ground. We have;

The Pleasance - A hunting lodge and pleasure garden developed in the 1300s and dismantled by Henry VIII. All that remains are earthworks and a moat.

The Pleasance

St John's Well - a medieval pilgrimage site, fabled to have waters with healing powers. Nothing to see on the ground but some internet sleuthing showed that it has been cement capped.

Wroxhall Abbey - some fine walking through maintained parkland. The abbey is just visible through the trees. Former home of Sir Christopher Wren.

Beaudesert Mount - A Motte and Bailey Norman Castle. When this is reached, you know that civilisation is close to hand. Just the hill remains, and to be fair, the view isn't up to much. The housing estates of Henley.

Other things - Rowington Church (locked). Canals. The M40 - which when the guide-book was written was merely a pipe-dream. The hand drawn maps show "projected line". Lets hope it didn't cause as much drama to 1970s walkers as HS2 has now.

Henley-in-Aden High Street flatters to deceive for the pub connoisseur. You would expect more from a lengthy high street that contains many fine Medieval half timbered and Tudor constructions. However, there is now a Good Beer Guide entry to (re)-explore. My advice - avoid anything with Swan in the name.

One End of the High Street

Today, with an hour to explore before the train home, I can investigate two.

The Nags Head - A C17th century pub with barstaff with a sense of humour. My request to have a Proper Job is met with "Don't we all need one of them". She found it that amusing she told all the other staff. And then made badges out of bar mats. Get the feeling that all future punters will get this treatment.

Half Timbered

Cue new Warwickshire Jokes

The Three Tuns - is Solihull's Pub of the Year and the GBG Stalwart of recent years. I have to say the Church End Brewery Goats Milk was in superb condition. That's award winning too.

A more modern Three Tuns

A settling Goats Milk - the Train won't wait

Walk Details

Distance - 12.5 Miles

Geocaches - 7 and 4 Adventure Lab Caches

Previous Stages - Stage 1

02/09/24 - Worcester Parkway to Pershore Rail Trail

The station is not even in Pershore

There's very little between Worcester Parkway and Pershore. The OS Map is a sea of grey, with only the hamlet of Peopleton to break up the monotony.

Peopleton Church

Door Open

The Crown, from the Churchyard

Even the finale cannot save this blog. Pershore station is far enough from town that a bus is required. Really, it should be called Pinvin. Or Wyre Piddle. And to top it all, there is no pub to hand.

A good job, as the 6 minute, 4 mile journey back to Parkway is £5.60.

We need to get a grip on railway pricing.

Walk Details

Distance - 6.25 Miles

Geocaches - 0

Walk Inspiration 

Previous Rail Walks - Worcester Parkway - Foregate Street, Foregate Street to Malvern

31/08/24 - West Midlands Metro Pub Crawl - Part 1

Orange Chips

A Simple Plan - navigate the West Midlands Metro line to have a drink in the nearest pub to every station. Before setting off, I used AI to put together a list, including opening times. There's only one way to validate accuracy and that's to explore. As there are now 35 stations (and extensions planned), I expect this to take a couple of trips. I'll start at one end and introduce a three station gap, repeating until I have reached completion.

Number	Station	AI Recommendation	Actual Nearest
1	St George Street	The George Wallis	The Wheatsheaf

First things first, the trams dont actually run to Wolverhampton St Georges now, replaced by Wolverhampton Railway Station. It obviously costs too much to replace the branch lines on the map. Never mind, its an easy walk from Pipers Row, which does mean I have to set my first rule. No pub repetition.

The Wheatsheaf is an 11am opener - perfect for my needs on my first visit to the Hawthorns in the new season. A reminder that I am deep in enemy territory, with the ceiling festooned with Wolves flags.

A Marstons House, the Banks Bitter Amber was decent but chilled to the bone. A jukebox blaring out Elvis and his Suspicious Mind. Rather a nice front room, with a fire place and outside seating in a little courtyard. I am off to a decent start and the barstaff called me "Angel" for returning my glass.

The plan is off to a fine start ....

Number	Station	AI Recommendation	Actual Nearest
2	The Crescent	The New Inn	The Horse and Jockey

If you find the "Anvil Headed Lady", you are there

Ha! The Trumpet in Bilston has been on my "to visit" list for an age. Yet the Horse and Jockey is 0.1m closer and I can't be breaking the rules so soon. Bravery required to enter the Horse and Jockey. A pub that is marked as closed on Pubsgalore (how nice to get to declare it open) and having next to no information on WhatPub.

A Guinness ordered and a seat taken to see how to enter the conversation. Of course, all the chat is about Oasis Tickets and it would seem everyone and his brother have been having a go. Hell, I even tried (for my kids) for at least 20 minutes before heading out with better things to do. There was no success for anyone here but my acceptance in their local was gained by recycling twitter jokes.

Don't be sad. You can create your own live Oasis experience at home.

Simply stand 2 immobile action figurines at the end of your garden, drink some warm beer, play any literally Slade single at 33rpm, and set fire to £150.

— Russ Jones (@RussInCheshire) August 31, 2024

Big laughs, but by this time of the day, the joke should have been £357.  

A possibility for the Trumpet when I stop at Bilston High Street.

An enjoyable Guinness

Number	Station	AI Recommendation	Actual Nearest
3	Bradley Lane	The Bradley	The Fiery Grill

AI has got the nearest pub incorrect twice but it really pushes the boat out this time by recommending a pub that doesn't even exist. 

The Bradley: A community pub with a relaxed setting and affordable drinks. Opening hours: 12:00 PM - 11:00 PM 

Sounds lovely. I think I may draw a blank here but Google Maps shows a Fiery Grill not too far of a walk away. If the worst comes to pass, I need lunch anyway. Good news - its definitely a (desi) pub. Bad news, despite advertising all the football action - with a game in flight - it doesn't open until 1pm.

It could have been a spectacular lunch

A chipper around the corner and I lose my orange chips virginity. Honestly, once you have them, you cannot go back to regular. I am ruined for life. Once demolished, there are signs of life at the front and I am the first in for a half of Staropramen. They even turn the TV on for me. An Andi Wieman wonderstrike.

Number	Station	AI Recommendation	Actual Nearest
4	Black Lake	The Queens Head	The Queens Head

AI actually gets one right!

A bit of a trek from Black Lake Station and then I need to convince the bouncer that I can come in.

In the foyer

I stand at the bar without service, until an old boy takes pity on me and says I need to ring the bell. Teenage bar staff appear in seconds to serve me a ropey half of Butty Bach. Looks a lively place on the evening, with an awful lot of karaoke equipment.

File under "Fun Pub".

Or Adult Creche

So, two trads, a desi and a back from the dead, semi-secret community local. A promising start.

The tram whisks me off to the Hawthorns for the annual "I'll give it one more season" game. We're looking good!