retiredmartin

May 2026. Sheffield. Joan and Dave reached the end of their world tour of Yorkshire in Sheffield, stopping overnight in Retired Martin Towers to admire the beauty of our “natural” garden. The cultural tour for Americans takes in the cathedral, Millennium Galleries, Town Hall, the former newspaper HQ that now houses German Doner Kebab, and… Continue reading AMERICANS IN SHEFFIELD (PART II)

May 2026. Masham. North Yorkshire. Half a dozen pubs (well, two of them brewery taps) and a golf club bar for 1,205 residents of Masham; time to see if the GBG has picked the right two (the red Ps). It appears Dave and Joan joined me in not making it back to the Bay Horse… Continue reading PECULIER

May 2026. Masham. North Yorkshire. From the Peak to the Dales. This year’s crop of new GBG entries in North Yorkshire had only one thing in common; they’re a sod to get to on public transport. And who wants to drive to Masham, one of the homes of “Proper Beer”, for a half ? So… Continue reading RIGGWELTER

May 2026. Stockport. Manchester. Sheffield. Big news in the RM household yesterday as Matt and Emma move from Piccadilly to Heaton Norris, SK4. If it was good enough for Old Mudgie… I met Matt and Emma’s lovely folks in Beermoth a fortnight ago* to talk campervan travel and Tame Impala and house moves. A small… Continue reading S1, SK4, M11

May 2026. Sheffield. Central Sheffield isn’t underpubbed, but apply the cask ale filter and the area around West Street looks a little different. I’ve lived here more than 5 years, I ought to have visited all the real ale pubs in Sheffield, but Cavell’s cafe bar had escaped me. A local institution, probably, across from… Continue reading CAVELLS CAFE BAR, UNSUNG SHEFFIELD

May 2026. Sheffield. Mrs RM has been hard at work on her blog this month, and it would be amiss of me not to congratulate her on beating my blog view count AND starting to make money by recommending a travel bag that will fit in that Ryanair sizer if you wear 3 pears of… Continue reading FRIDAY NIGHT IN THE CAVENDISH

May 2026. Richmond. North Yorkshire. Every fourth year Richmond gets a new Beer Guide pub demanding my attention, and every fourth year I leave a Yorkshire tiwn considered one of the country’s best wondering what the fuss is about. This time, I have myself a whole two hours and asked ChatGPT for the essential sights.… Continue reading RICHMOND (NY) REDEMPTION

May 2026. Whitby. A stunning walk along the Whitby coast, arriving back in town to discover Eddi hadn’t been yet. I can’t get my head round gigs 6 months in the future for artists and audience as old as we are. Planning 6 days ahead is my limit. The smart hotels on the cliff top… Continue reading NO RIFF RAFF IN THE ROYAL

May 2026. Whitby. Too many pub crawls artisanally curated exploration of public houses over-focus on beer and miss the point of visiting pubs. Always visit a Sam Smiths pub over a pokey micro called “11 o’clock craft bock” or something. Equally, never forget why you’re in Whitby, rather than Wokingham, say, or Walsham. You’ve come… Continue reading THE GORGEOUS WHITBY COASTLINE (PINT OF THEAKSTON OPTIONAL)

May 2026. Whitby. Whitby was busy enough for a Goth-free Wednesday in May, enough to keep the cake shops, and the pubs ticking over, though of course Sam Smiths pubs close for reasons unrelated to trade. “Still seeking a management COUPLE” says the advert for the Jolly Sailors, and that couple won’t be Mrs RM… Continue reading OBSERVING HUMPHREY’S RULES IN THE PLOUGH