October 2026. Thaxted. Essex. And finally in Thaxted, time for tea, after admiring the almshouses one last time. I’d walked the bounds, hoping one of these half-timbered beauties had a Chinese menu pinned to the wall, but intensive investigation found “only” an Indian restaurant, so Thaxted can’t be considered a real town. It also loses… Continue reading WHEN A PINT OF HAWKSTONE IS YOUR ONLY MAN
HELLOWEEN. THE MAYPOLE, THAXTED
October 2026. Thaxted. Essex. With apologies to Lana, who shares my views on Halloween (I detest all celebrations of specific days to be honest), I have to bring you the Maypole in Thaxted. Since I’m here for the night and have saved £63.10 on my accommodation budget, I feel morally obliged to DO Thaxted properly… Continue reading HELLOWEEN. THE MAYPOLE, THAXTED
“PICKY BITS”. THE SWAN, THAXTED
October 2026. Thaxted. Essex. A Sunday night in a campervan in small-but-perfectly-formed Thaxted, staying yards from an actual GBG newbie in the Swan. I’d have ticked John Webb’s Windmill (where the Giddy Up Bar is marked) as well, but the current restoration project rather scuppered my view. Luckily, there’s a picture of what it did… Continue reading “PICKY BITS”. THE SWAN, THAXTED
ONE NIGHT IN THAXTED, £63.10 SAVED
October 2026. Thaxted. Essex. I’d booked my almost traditional Sunday night in Whittlesford’s Parkway after seeing Dad (not so good) on Sunday; £63.10 (including outrageous £10 to park) at the B & B Hotel chain that’s like a more cheerful Premier Inn. But then I saw I could park the campervan, for free, in Thaxted‘s… Continue reading ONE NIGHT IN THAXTED, £63.10 SAVED
CATS CALLED GRACIE AND CELLOS ON BIKES – BACK TO BUNTINGFORD
October 2026. Buntingford. Hertfordshire. The last time I wrote about Buntingford I got some right abuse for this line “One of the Scouse dads was burping loudly to impress his young daughter”. It wasn’t, in fact, his dad, it was his uncle, and he was, in fact, from North Wales, not Merseyside. These things matter.… Continue reading CATS CALLED GRACIE AND CELLOS ON BIKES – BACK TO BUNTINGFORD
SOULYAKI RAMEN HOUSE, SHEFFIELD
October 2026. Sheffield. I’m grateful, genuinely, for all your comments, even if they’re nothing to do with my posts. Back in Sheffield last weekend I got the campervan fixed, did some paperwork on Dad’s finances, and caught up with some new music on Tidal. No crispy beef from Sang Lung (who will save the Chinese… Continue reading SOULYAKI RAMEN HOUSE, SHEFFIELD
STRANDED
October 2026. The Strand. London. Two hours between trains in London was enough for a couple of ticks in Aldgate and Charing Cross, but really life these days is more about the smiling child on the Circle Line than the cask in Charing Cross. Note the local artwork depicting the chopping down of trees in… Continue reading STRANDED
MORE SUB-£5 PINTS AT THE ALDGATE TAP
October 2026. Aldgate. London. Quite a contrast between the tower of Rye and the towers of the City of London. I let the train take the strain (they can have that slogan for free) between Rye and Sheffield, but split the advance fare in two to get a couple of hours ticking in London. With… Continue reading MORE SUB-£5 PINTS AT THE ALDGATE TAP
THE MERMAID, RYE. SURPRISINGLY PUBBY
October 2026. Rye. East Sussex. The six minute bus ride from Rye Harbour into town costs a curious £2.90, which is just the level at which you’ll consider striding hobbling along the footpath instead, taking in the bucolic views of the oil refinery. There’s a very pretty walk through the nature reserve into Rye, but… Continue reading THE MERMAID, RYE. SURPRISINGLY PUBBY
A MURKY FINISH TO GBG 27 KENT
October 2026. Swalecliffe. Kent. An evening in London, then a visit to see Dad in Waterbeach, where Sunnyside is aquiring new thatch, a quick drop-in to the in-laws in Kent, then back to the coast at Rye. It never stops. And then back up to the north Kent coast to complete another section of the… Continue reading A MURKY FINISH TO GBG 27 KENT
