08/03/25 - The Slow Way - Bridgnorth to Much Wenlock

Timetable Confusion results in Fastest Ever Pint

The Slow Ways from Birmingham City Centre continue, but I have a feeling this could be the end of this particular line. We are getting into "Buses in the Countryside" territory. Both as complex and inefficient as you would expect.

This route is very straightforward. Head out of Bridgnorth through housing estates. Pick up a remote and infrequently used lane, which eventually turns into the Jack Mytton Way. This runs through the woods of Shirtlett High Peak. Some fine views over Shropshire to the Clee Hills. Orchards and Countryside into Much Wenlock. A town that you should take your time over to appreciate.

Shropshire under blue skies

Through Shirtlett High Peak Woods

More of Shropshire, with the Clee Hills in the far distance

We enter Much Wenlock, but with the route planned in haste, I haven't planned our exit. A quick look on the phone has Google Maps suggesting there is a lunch time lull in the hourly service back to Bridgnorth. We have exactly 18 minutes to get the Good Beer Guide Tick at the George and Dragon before making our way to the bus stop.

Is that enough time?

Of course, even in photography has to take the back seat

Its a squeeze through what surely must be the world's narrowest front doors. This is not a pub for fatties or people with a rucksack. No queue at the bar and a choice of four real ales. Shropshire Gold taken in solidarity with the area.

I then check Bustimes.org for the worrying news that they say the bus leaves 10 minutes earlier than what Google Maps say. If I hadn't have panicked, I would have noticed two things. One, according to bustimes there is no midday lull in service. Two, and most importantly for future reference, they have a real-time bus tracking feature.

So the drinks are consumed in two swigs. For the record, the Shropshire Gold would have gone back if I wasn't time constrained. I am left with a vinegar aftertaste for the rest of the day that even half a packet of extra stong mints couldn't shift. Disappointing for a GBG Pub.

A route march to the bus stop, with 90 seconds to spare. Although Google Maps was correct and it was 11 minutes and 30 seconds to spare.

To top it all, I find the tracking feature. The bus hasnt even left Shrewsbury yet. 

Somehow, in the Countryside, an hourly bus service can be exactly 30 minutes late. 

Or early.

Walk Details

Distance - 8 Miles

Geocaches - 0

Walk Inspiration - Slow Ways

Previous Slows Ways - Birmingham to Blackheath, Blackheath to Halesowen, Halesowen to Stourbridge, Stourbridge to Kinver, Kinver to Highley, Highley to Bridgnorth

03/03/25 - Wolverhampton to Moseley Old Hall

From Priest Holes to the Posada

A 14 Mile Walk in Country Walking Magazine has the half way point at the National Trust's Old Moseley Hall.

Seems a more sedate way to spend a Monday by splitting the walk in half.

The Birmingham Canal Main Line is picked up more or less at the station and followed for almost the entirety of the walk. Toothless beggars looking for a pound as they try to get to a five. How they must curse the advent of contactless. Street drinkers balanced on locks. The smell of Jazz cigarettes at almost every human interaction.

Everyone met having a better day than the commuters on the train into town.

Inner City Walking

Street Art - Spacemen on Jazz Cigarettes

Fast walking on the canal, which is left under the M54 and then some unpleasant road walking along the uniquely named Cat and Kitten Lane.

Old Moseley Hall - a Tudor farm house, with not an uneven floorboard within.

Moseley Old Hall is a 17th-century farmhouse in Staffordshire, best known for sheltering King Charles II after his defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. The house, built of red brick with timber-framed elements, features a traditional Elizabethan design with gabled roofs and a rich interior reflecting its period charm. It played a key role in the king's escape, with a priest hole used to conceal him from Parliamentarian soldiers. 

The new brick frontage concealing a timber frame within

Make the most of my NT Membership by having a quick mosey around the rooms and feeling that I really ought to ask questions of the wonderful volunteers who give me the history. When it gets to Charles II, I can add that I have just walked the Monarch's Way to get here.

Tudor Dining

Sound advice for any situation

Next challenge is to work out how to get back into town. Would you believe me if I told you the 14:05 number 65 bus was on time? Would you also believe me if I told you a 4 mile as the crow flies journey takes just 5 minutes shy of an hour. Ask me a question about the parking zones of New Cross Hospital. I dare you.

This gave plenty of time to work out where I wanted to take my refreshments. The Great Western too obvious and worthy of saving for the second leg. My transport ticket enabling the continuation of my long neglected "Nearest Pub to Metro Stops" odyssey, which has sadly stalled at the first stage. Monday afternoon is asking for trouble to do a pub crawl anywhere.

So, its a revisit to an old classic. The Posada. C19th Victorian ornately tiled Good Beer Guide stalwart. Quite what the Spanish connection with Wolverhampton is, I don't know. Foreshadowing Adama Traore's arrival perhaps.

Handsome

The Bath Gem was a delight of deep lacings showing exactly how much liquid could be consumed per gulp. The ambiance, jolly afternoon drinkers and a minor kerfuffle with a gentlemen who demanded cobs, when no cobs were for sale.  He took his trade to the Lynch Gate Tavern, where he cobs desires would be more than sated. 

Happy Drinking in Wolvo

Walk Details

Distance - 8 Miles

Geocaches - 4

Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine May 2024, Walk 14

01/03/25 - London Spiral Stage 18 - Woodford to Hadley Wood

15 Miles but only 3 Pubs

And one of those was a Harvester and doesn't count.

Who would have thought London at the edge of Epping Forest and Enfield would be so dry? 

Today's walk was meant to start at Roding Mill Tube Station but that's too much of a pain to get to. Some odd loop on the Central Line. It makes more sense to add half a mile to the route and hell, you never know what you are going to find.

A rather normal suburban house for a former Prime Minister. Clement Attlee was here

Not long till the South Western edge of Epping Forest at Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge. Mainly notable for the mud that has not stopped some sort of under 10s cross country run. Junior Mud Runners. There is no doubt I was wearing the wrong footwear.

A rare mud free section of Epping Forest 

Pole Hill Obelisk and Trig Point

Reservoirs in view

The twin reservoirs of William Girling and King George are dissected by a road. The urban streets of Enfield instantly forgettable. Simply nothing of interest.

The Albion kick off at 12:30 with a herculean task of facing the mighty Leeds. I hope to find a pub with wi-fi and power. Instead, I find a bench in the grounds of Forty Hall Farm. Already a goal down by the time I have logged on.

Forty Hall Farm - London's only vineyard

Move on but prayers are answered for the second half. The Rose and Crown, Clay Hill. 

Extend, Extend, Extend

It's got history. A pub is believed to have existed on this spot since 1572 and brace yourself, there is a Dick Turpin reference. Of course there is, although this sounds genuine. Owned by Dick's Grandfather.

Today, its atmospheric with low beamed ceilings and plenty of ancient wooded support beams to navigate. It might be "gastro" but I shall be forever grateful for the Chesterfield sofa and Timothy Taylor. Especially as the Baggies pulled it back for a credible and unexpected draw.

Onwards - 5 miles to go to Hadley Wood Station - sharing the route with the London Loop. I barely remember this section, despite it offering fine countryside walking.

Re-wilding on the London Loop

Nothing to tempt you to stop at Hadley Wood - unless you are a fan of huge gated properties. Tap in and hot foot it back to the City.

Where, as always, a cancelled Avanti train awaits. At least Delay Replay is getting more efficient. The refund was back in my account in less than 24 hours. 

Walk Information

Distance - 15 Miles

Start - Woodford Tube Station

Finish -Hadley Wood Station

Areas Walked - Epping Forest, Chingford, Enfield

Geocaches - 4

Pubs - 1

Previous Walks - 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

24/02/25 - Good Beer Guide Pubs of Ulverston

Population Representation Discrepancies 

The question I have is "Does Ulverston have the highest Good Beer Guide Pubs by population?"

Barrow-in-Furness. Population 67K has one Good Beer Guide Pub. Nearby Ulverston, Pop. 11K has 7.

More investigation required, starting with a six mile walk from Dalton-In-Furness Abbey. Where we were too early for the Clarence🙃https://t.co/4zOECAh6DM pic.twitter.com/2fhOLhtyDD

— Mappiman (@Mappiman1) February 19, 2025

I've asked ChatGPT for the answer. It says its too difficult, but does provide an answer to a different question;

Determining which town has the most Good Beer Guide pubs relative to its population requires specific data that isn't readily available. However, Rhayader, a town in Wales, is renowned for having a high concentration of pubs per capita, with one pub for every 173 residents.

While this statistic highlights the town's vibrant pub culture, it doesn't specifically indicate how many of these establishments are featured in the Good Beer Guide.

Barrow's sole entry discovered, so over a week - we try and fit in as many as possible.

The Mill for Sunday Lunch - it had the highest rating on TripAdvisor for food.

The Mill, Ulverston

Lancaster Brewery tied house, just like the Duke of Edinburgh, Barrow's GBG entry. Perhaps unsurprising for a place named the Mill during the climate crisis, it had only just re-opened after flooding. Perhaps I should take this into account after pretty shoddy service. Forgotten drinks orders, disappearing waiting staff and condiments delivered after the meal finished. I was that mad that I checked the bill for service charge, to ask for it to be removed. Got myself all worked up for nothing. There was no service charge.

Beer fans may be pleased to know I very much like Lancaster Red.

On a separate night I managed to convince Mrs M to be the designated driver, provided I stuck to a 3 pub limit. Kofi Annan levels of persuasion to beef this up from two.

In a town famous for 50% of the Kings of Comedy, the Stan Laurel had to be one.

Another fine mess - we were 15 minutes before its 5pm opening

After a week of very nice traditional bitter, we decided to give the town's craft bar a go. Gather following the micropub blueprint to the letter. A shop conversion, (downstairs at least) a single roomer. Two booths and some high stools around a homemade bar. 

Gather for the Craft

Also as expected, multiple keg in a variety of size dispensing. Two cask. I looked for something that wasn't going to cause joint account woe and went for a cask Deya Friends of the Podcast. Which might just be worst named beer of 2025.

But in a nearly correct receptacle

Farmers Arms at the top of town undid its early good work by being the only pub in Cumbria that doesn't allow dogs (citation needed, excludes JDW). On entry, I was delighted to find a large platter of complimentary Hot Dogs, with two types of condiment. 

Live, Laugh, Love

We got settled next to a couple of gents who were keen to engage in conversation. We are sitting a small Border Terrier that made itself scarce under the table. I never even thought to check about dog access. Eventually, she was noticed and we were asked to vacate to the terrace. Where an outdoor gas fire showed just why the Mill floods.

Warming a Tirrels Borrowdale Bitter

The limited twitter conversation generated recommended the Old Friends as the best pub in town. A 5 minute walk uphill for a fine community pub, which had a packed front bar and plenty of banter. Alas, like Mary, Joseph and a Border Terrier Jesus, there was no room at the inn. 

Mrs M and the scourge of the Farmers Arms

We relocated to a side room, to listen to the pubby chat from afar.  A shame.  

Beer-wise - there were at least four casks on. I narrowed it down to an old-school and very traditional choice between Tetleys and Golden Hen.

The loneliness of a sideroom Tetley drinker

With a five star dog sitting review, we have been offered a repeat visit on a couple of dates. I will bring you the rest of the GBG Pubs later in the year. 

Opening times permitting.