A belated highlights package for July, the stand-out of course being the English demolition of the French in Miami. No-cared about the final. With Mrs RM taking a break from exploring the Caucasus, there’s a bit more local travel in July, even a trip (sort of) west to Whitchurch. Sixty-two different pubs in thirty-one days… Continue reading JULY ’26 STOCKTAKE + AUGUST PREVIEW
IS CHESTERFIELD A LOW-ALCOHOL BEER HAVEN ?
July 2026. Chesterfield. An aimless afternoon in Chesterfield, and there’s nothing wrong with aimless. Those two pints in the Rutland Arms and Royal Oak saw a town in rude health, and once it gets that museum open this year it’ll warrant a revisit. The pubs around the market looked particularly lovely with their hanging baskets;… Continue reading IS CHESTERFIELD A LOW-ALCOHOL BEER HAVEN ?
TOP 100 PUBS – ROYAL OAK, THE SHAMBLES, CHESTERFIELD
July 2026. Chesterfield. “A Top 100 pub ! ANOTHER one ?“. Why not ? The Royal Oak was the highlight of July, a “Wow” moment that Thursday afternoon in floral Chesterfield. The Shambles may not have the fudge and Harry Potter tat of York, but the Royal Oak has always looked the part, without the… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – ROYAL OAK, THE SHAMBLES, CHESTERFIELD
WELCOME TO CHESVEGAS
July 2026. Chesterfield. One more trip to write up and then I’ll do that July highlights post you’re all clamouring for. Mrs RM’s ongoing rehabilitation had meant a postponement of our Big (but largely sober) Trip to Chesterfield with Blackpool Jane, so I popped there myself last Thursday to explore the no/low scene, and to… Continue reading WELCOME TO CHESVEGAS
PINK LANE
July 2026. Newcastle. One thing about Tyneside; just like London or Genoa, you’ll always find something new on a trip. This time, it’s Pink Lane and the Catholic cathedral. St Mary’s is a NCSS 4 joy, the highlight the stained glass showing Newcastle’s heritage (microbreweries oddly missing). A rare venue without Untapped check-in, though I… Continue reading PINK LANE
PUBS ON THE TYNE, THEY’VE ALL GONE, ALL GONE
July 2026. Newcastle. A night out in Tyne & Wear, always a joy, but one where it’s easy to overdo it very quickly. With 3 hours till my £33 return back to Sheffield, I left the Posada till next time, saved the museums for a rainy day, and set off west along the Tyne, pausing… Continue reading PUBS ON THE TYNE, THEY’VE ALL GONE, ALL GONE
TOP 100 PUBS – BROAD CHARE, NEWCASTLE
July 2026. Newcastle. Not even lunchtime as I leave the Free Trade for the walk through Ouseburn back into Toon. Actually, it’s a rare walk along a dried up river (I never knew that watercourse was actually called the Ouseburn till today), my first look at this Newcastle cultural highlight since a Julia Jacklin gig… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – BROAD CHARE, NEWCASTLE
“I’d know that view anywhere ! “. THE FREE TRADE
July 2026. Ouseburn. Newcastle. Back from Cramlington by mid morning, with 5 hours till the bargain advance fare return to Sheffield. Not quite enough time to head west to Haltwhistle, or south to Seaton Carew, for another tick. But plenty of time for some aimless exploration along the Tyne. I was only in Ouseburn last… Continue reading “I’d know that view anywhere ! “. THE FREE TRADE
“Back to Crammy”
July 2026. Cramlington. Northumberland. When you say “Northumberland” these days you think Harry Potter, posh Cambridgeshire families at the beach, and a small island covered in bird muck. But there’s an awful lot of old mining towns before you get there, I can tell you. I spent ages getting ChatGPT to work out the best… Continue reading “Back to Crammy”
A CULTURAL INTERLUDE IN TOON
July 2026. Newcastle. Trips to Newcastle produce a wealth of blog material, even when the pace of new pubs dry up and you start to feel you’ve seen Grey Street just a few too many times. That picture from the top of one of the UK’s great streets outside the Theatre Royal is instructive. It’s… Continue reading A CULTURAL INTERLUDE IN TOON
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