08/09/17 - Howth Head, Dublin

Distance - 5 Miles
Geocaches - 4
Pub - Abbey Tavern, Howth

If Mrs Mappiman had her nefarious way, she would have has us adding more Temple Bar Pubs to the our Dublin Ticklist.

I said we've done enough drinking on the Floating OAP Home that is the Cruise and Maritime Columbus.  Its time to get some fresh air in our lungs.

I had no idea what was at Howth Head, but I knew it was relatively easy to get there on the Dart.  A slow train ride across the Dublin rooftops to get to the end of the line.

Now, I am not going to say its easy to navigate from the Station to the Ben of Howth but the views make it worth it.  We scramble along old tramlines, the back of estate houses and possibly end up trespassing on the Golf course.  It takes a walk abroad to really appreciate the detail on OS Maps.

Views from the Ben of Howth

We explore the heathland, grabbing a Geocache or two and fight our way down the hill to the Coastal Path.

The walking moves from great to spectacular.  A jaw dropping view of Baily Lighthouse and a superb cliff coastal path, that is appealing to all ages and nationality's today.

Baily Lighthouse

We can't believe our luck.  A random walk has turned into an absolute booster.  We even laugh off the drenching the rainstorm provides and are rewarded with a superb ocean based rainbow.

Not the only ones admiring what the rain leave behind

No possibility of an inland short cut, so we follow the headland all the way around.  The scenery keeps on delivering.

Howth Headland

Back in the town and there is a choice of eateries.  Smart Phone based research suggests the Abbey Tavern would appeal to a history loving pub ticker the most.  C16th and former patrons include Katherine Hepburn, John Wayne and Neil Diamond.

If you go, ignore the eye watering price tag on the Dublin Bay Scampi.  It might be the best 20 Euros ever spent.

Our sort of Place

Predictable - both in beverage and what happens after a week at sea with no WiFi

It that good that two coach loads of fellow pensioner cruisers were delivered for an upstairs buffet.

We thought we had escaped.

07/09/17 - St Mary's Circuit, Scilly Isles

Distance - 9 Miles
Walk Inspiration - Walk 24, Country Walking Magazine, May 2001
Geocaches - 7
Pubs - The Atlantic and the Bishop and Wolf



The Scilly Isles have long been on our "to visit" list.  We finally make it, courtesy of Cruise and Maritime Columbus on a British Isles Discovery tour.  We might be the youngest people on there by 15 years and have been forced into Vera Lynn sing-alongs after the bingo but we are ticking off some hard to reach bucket list destinations.

We're on shore for less than 10 hours, so a Coastal Circuit Walk seems the best way of discovering all the island has to offer in a limited time.

The tenders drop us off at the jetty in Hugh Town.  The high street, along with two of the three island pubs we found, is discovered in all of two minutes.  We head out on the coastal path for easy walking with no amenities until we reach Old Town and the remaining boozer.

Here's what we found;

Solitude and Burial Chambers

Little civilisiation on the coast.  The paths are building free, with the exception of ancient burial chambers.

Striding out on the Western Coast Path

1st of the ancient Burial Chambers

Traffic lights for Ramblers - we walk across the end of the Runway

Golden Sand Bays

We'd heard of the similarity with the Caribbean, with the gulf stream climate and golden sandy beaches.   St Mary's didn't disappoint.  Apart from a couple of other hardy cruisers, we had the beaches to ourselves, with views past our floating hotel to the other inhabited Scilly Isles.

Looking from Bay Point, past Chez Mappiman and over to Tresco

Geocaches

Always got entertainment options when you have Geocaching as a hobby.   7 finds today and a shout out to fellow Cruise Geocachers, rallisalli & hawkeye, who we followed around hunting tupperware. We eventually bumped into each other in a rain lashed Kirkwall and were grateful for the advice on how to gain access to the Cathedral Cache

Geocache at Pulpit Rock. 

The Pubs

The all inclusive drinks package on the ship included only Bitburger.  Real Ale fans were seduced with the availability at a price of Spitfire and London Pride.   After three days of Bloody Mary's and Bloody Lager, my taste buds were crying out for excitement.

The first pub was 3/4 of the way around the walk at Old Town.  The Old Town Inn used to be in the Good Beer Guide, but not in the 2017 edition.  We looked.  We saw a Tuna Mayo Sandwich provided a penny change from a tenner.  We ate pasties at the Old Town Cafe.

The remaining pubs were conveniently at the end of the walk.   Both functional, both stocking St Austell Beers. I'd spotted the Atlantic on Twitter a couple of weeks before arrival.  The Tribute didn't disappoint, taken in the beer garden with a good mixture of locals and tourists.   To maintain balance, it was a HSD in the unusually named Bishop and Wolf.

The Atlantic, St Marys

Never been so happy to see a Tribute

The Bishop and Wolf

06/09/17 - Accidental GBG Ticking in Guernsey

Distance - 2 Miles
Geocaches - 4
Pubs - The Rockmount, Cobo and the Albion House, St Peter Port

I always knew that Geocaching can provide entertainment in any part of the world we happen to find ourselves in.

Seems that Ticking the CAMRA Good Beer Guide Pubs provides similar joy.

Even in Guernsey.

This blog needs to be filed under fortuitous.  We had no idea that the day would involve a visit to Cobo.

Guernsey is port call 2/7 on our British Isles discovery tour.  It was also the only place where we thought we would wing it and have no concrete plans.  We had heard a nice walk could be had by heading along the coast from St Peter Port Dock to Fermain Bay.

And it was.  Well signposted and the usual Geocaching adventures.

Strangely, no OS Map Coverage in the Channel Islands.

The Guernsey Coast

Geocaching - with our Floating Hotel in the distance

Arriving at Fermain Bay

The cafe proved popular with our other cruisers, with a recognised traveler taking photos of her Chocolate Cake and Stella Artois.   She must also have a blog.

Having rested with nothing stronger than tea, we had a choice.  We could have carried on walking but we had heard rumours of the mythical Bus 92.  This chariot of fire circles the entire coastline and charges a flat fee of £1.

Mrs M thought it would be a good way to see the Island.  I simply cannot resist a bargain.

So we borrowed the cafe's timetable and headed up to Fermain Road, more in hope than expectation that it would arrive at its allotted time of 12:08.

GOOD NEWS! It's bang on time.  BAD NEWS!  It's packed to the rafters with bargain hunting cruisers.

Strap hanging didn't provide much opportunity to see the sights, so after 40 minutes of being glared at by two locals trying to use public transport for its intended reason, we decided to bale at the next likely looking location.

This was windswept Cobo Bay.

Nicer in the Sunshine

Too cold to hang around, so we look for the nearest boozer.   There is one, the Rockmount.  It has a smart restaurant and a Tap Room around the back.  Once home, I checked the bible and yep, I'm now sniffing out GBG Pubs with no prior research.

Although I can't really remember the beer (a hoptastic brew called Barefoot Something), I do remember two other things.

1) The best Fishfinger Sandwich known to man.

2) The staff are entirely decked out in Superdry gear.  A query as to the reason is met with "we are sponsored by them".  My best mate is the Photo Studio Manager for Superdry, so we text to ask if they have branched out into sponsoring Good Beer Guide entries closest to France.  They haven't.  He is consulting his legal team.

The Unknown Barefoot Something Ale

The less busy 42 Bus whisks us more directly back into St Peters Port.  A couple more caches to be found in the town and worryingly, a blazer is purchased from M&S.   Two days, and we have already been on this cruise too long.

A final Guernsey Pint in the Albion House Inn, simply because I support West Brom.  Have I struck lucky twice in a day?

Not quite, but it has a story.

The closest British Pub to a Church, courtesy of a overhanging gargoyle.

Home from Home for a Baggie

Closest Pub to a Church - by a Gargoyle's Nose

28/08/17 - Cranham and Sheepscombe - 2 x Cotswold GBG Ticks

Distance - 6.5 Miles
Geocaches - 2
Pubs - The Black Horse Inn, Cranham, The Butchers Inn, Cranmore
Walk Inspiration - Walk 8 in Classic Walks in the Cotswolds


The walking guide states that this is a "Delightful walk encompassing two delightful Cotswold Villages, with three excellent Inns....".  I stopped reading at that point and banged the details into the GPS.

With a quick glance of the Bible, I also found out that two off them are in the CAMRA 2017 Good Beer Guide.

Seemed almost too perfect for the hottest August Bank Holiday since Twitter began.

We start in Cranham and head out across the common land to pick up Saltridge Woods.   This walk is completed almost entirely in woodland - providing shade from the midday sun but offering little in the way of views of the steep sided valley.

Heading out of Cranham

Into Saltridge Woods - the Vista for most of the Walk

For the occasional Valley View

Mid point of the walk is Sheepscombe.  It's best to arrive on foot, as the lanes are quite scary to drive along and the parking is nearly non existent.

I've completed my research and I know the Butcher's Arms opens at 11:30am.  It's 11:10am, so this gives time for a short geocaching detour but we are still sat outside at 11:20am, explaining to the locals that we are not alcoholics.

The Butcher's Arms, Sheepscombe, Prescott Ales Hill Climb

Plenty of time to take the obligatory photos.  According the bible, the 3 dimensional carved sign of a Butcher Quaffing Ales, whilst tethered to a pig is world famous.

Classic Cotswolds Boozer

World Famous Signage

11:30 comes without the glorious sound of the door bolt scraping open, so I head off to investigate, finding the barman messing with barrels around the back.

Inevitably, the curse of the pub ticker strikes.   Yes, it normally opens at 11:30 but on bank holidays, it opens at midday.

I have to break this news to Mrs M, knowing its going to be my fault that she cannot use the facilities.

I am more concerned about whether I can class this as tick.

It's simply too hot to hang around with no shade, so we press on with the walk.  The return to Cranham is the same terrain, just different woods.  Initially Ms M (yes, we are  walking 3 today) starts complaining about the lack of variety for her Instagram feed but soon cheers up with the wildlife.   A vole running along the road was possibly expected, a large dead lizard was not.

More of this in the Ebbworth Plantations

Much to Mrs M's relief, another 75 minutes walking has us back in Cranham, trying to find the ultra shy Black Horse, which unusually for a village boozer, is hiding up a tiny side street.

Black Horse, Cranham, Stroud Brewery Tom Long

The Black Horse

The first thing that hit us on entry was not the flag stone flooring or ancient fire place but the flies.   Great big black ones, circling the low ceiling bar.

The girls are primarily here for lunch.  Suspicions that this may not pan out well are confirmed when the only other patron is trying to fashion something suitable by combing various starters and side dishes.  There is a menu, the items look delicious but who wants liver. bacon and mashed potatoes when its 29 degrees.   We inquire about sandwiches but are met with a "what you see is what you get?"

Ever the optimist, I try and promote the idea of baked Camembert and chips but Ms M is concerned that if we can see this many flies in the bar, what's the kitchen going to be like?

A superb Stroud Brewery Tom Long is taken outside, whilst we peruse our options.

Only one thing for it, off we head back to Sheepscombe.

The tick is earned honestly and the there was a chalk board full of delicious sandwich options.

The girls are still talking to me.