Walking options from our South Cambridgeshire villages aren’t the world’s best. Occasionally, however, some arcane law or other requires me to stay at home and I have to walk locally. Yesterday afternoon Mrs RM and I took a stroll round the site of the forthcoming Cambridge North station, which backs on to the sewerage works. I… Continue reading LODE STAR ?
Month: October 2016
TWO MORE “PUBS” NEAR HARLESTON
Yes, we’re mainly doing Norfolk at the moment, until sanity is restored with trips to Manchester and Worcester tomorrow. The post on the Lillie Langtry Bar in Harleston’s tat antique market prompted a fascinating debate about what constitutes a pub, which descended into an argument about horseboxes. I liked Dave’s comment that a pub is a… Continue reading TWO MORE “PUBS” NEAR HARLESTON
HARLESTON’S SECRET PUB
Apart from the Beer Guide (of course), What Pub is the best CAMRA achievement since they invented real ale in 1973. The real challenge of the Revitalisation project is maintaining the interest of a dwindling band of volunteers in monitoring and measuring pubs and beer quality. Nearly all the real ale pubs are on WhatPub… Continue reading HARLESTON’S SECRET PUB
DISS – MERE & MARSTONS
You can’t really avoid Diss while travelling to the occasional new pub ticks in the Waveney Valley. It’s one of our preferred Norfolk towns. A decade ago it had one of the UK’s premier analogue Hi-Fi shops, and I still have bits of valve amps in the garage waiting for Mrs RM to stick on… Continue reading DISS – MERE & MARSTONS
NENE VALLEY BRINGS OUNDLE INTO THE 21st CENTURY
East Northamptonshire is a beautiful part of England to visit in Autumn, with the fallen leaves sharp against the honeyed stone. And the World Conker Championships. Apart from Corby, with it’s Deuchars IPA and Haggis, the highlight is Oundle, famous for the Iron Maiden singer. And Louise Mensch. Goodness me it’s an old fashioned place,… Continue reading NENE VALLEY BRINGS OUNDLE INTO THE 21st CENTURY
THE UNCONVENTIONAL PORTLAND ARMS
If Mondays are quiet times for pubs, Sundays aren’t much better outside the dreaded family roast rush. Sunday saw the arrival of thousands of international visitors for graduation ceremonies in Cambridge, not many of them headed for the town’s famed ale houses in their Ede & Ravenscroft gear. In fact not many students propping up… Continue reading THE UNCONVENTIONAL PORTLAND ARMS
HISTORY IS MADE IN COVENTRY
Warwick is a great base for an afternoon in Coventry, provided you can cope with a 30 minute wait in Leamington Spa. Just enough time to photograph all the tourist photos, or use the loos in the Jug & Jester while it’s still a Spoons. By the way, why do all provincial railway stations have those… Continue reading HISTORY IS MADE IN COVENTRY
WARWICKSHIRE HAS FALLEN
I’m not saying Warwickshire is dull, but there were only two new entries (out of 48) in the Beer Guide this year. One of those was the inevitable, and rather wonderful micro in Nuneaton, one of the pubs of the year. My last tick wasn’t a micro. The Tilted Wig has been in Warwick’s market… Continue reading WARWICKSHIRE HAS FALLEN
I DON’T LIKE MONDAYS
Always topical this blog. Never mind Johnnie Fingers, I’d assumed Paula wrote that one anyway. We’re enjoying a night in the campervan on Warwick racecourse for the bargain sum of £14. I’m assuming it’s cheap because a) You can’t see any horses, b) It’s wet and c) It’s Monday, so the pubs are shut. Obviously… Continue reading I DON’T LIKE MONDAYS
CHECKING OUT CHATHAM
Obviously my son James’s choice of University will be determined only by a detailed cost-benefit analysis, with higher earnings built into a DCF model at discount rates of 13.7%. I was, however, hopeful he’d be looking at some exciting open days in Exeter, St Andrews and Lampeter, all places meeting his requirements and near Good Beer… Continue reading CHECKING OUT CHATHAM
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