Two short posts from Cromer for you. It must be Christmas.
Cromer really is at the end of the world. In fact, if you look at the OS extract you’ll see in the top right hand corner where the sea ends (darker blue) and you fall off.
A lot of Cambridge people, all over 40 of course, seem to go there on the basis it’s a local seaside resort. Folks, it takes over 2 hours to get to Cromer. In that time you could be in Doncaster or Burton. Let that sink in.
And that’s by car. On the train, 2 hours 52 minutes of rattling fun.
We arrived in bright sunshine as the big chill descended, and outside the station were greeted by the sound of car exhausts backfiring, a surefire sign you’re in Norfolk.
The descent into town has more attractive architecture than I remembered from our one previous overnight visit, as I weave past mobility scooters to the Wellington.
There’s some of that jarring ’70s architecture I like,
the promise of “entertainment“,
and a rather older church.
And then, like an eight year old again,
“I can see the seaside”
Cromer shares with Southwold the ignominy of a sole (no pun) Beer Guide entry.
Two great things about the “Welly“. It keeps seaside hours (open all the time), and is possibly the most attractive pub of the year. Which is quite a claim.
We were greeted by a busy, chatty, cheery young Landlord, as Kate Nash’s timeless “Foundations” played in the background.
Thankfully not a beer exhibition, just the 3 beers on, always a good sign. Being daring, I went for the Lighthouse, ambitiously priced at £3.90 a pint.
You pay for the privilege of being in Cromer, but I’d have paid a couple of quid just to sit by the fire with views like this. I did my usual “try all the seats for the best view routine“.
My notes say “reminds me of that Harvey’s pub in Brighton“. This one then.
The fireplace is tremendously warming.
No obvious food trade, but half a dozen drinkers, including a lady drinking the largest Sauvignon Blanc I’ve ever seen as it was her birthday, created a nice little buzz.
The Lighthouse was “Ok”, but of course pubs aren’t about the beer. A little gem.
And then, there it was. The end of the world…
retiredmartin 
I have to admit I am one of those who is a sucker for Cromer. I loved sitting on the cliffs watching the young people play soccer on the beach. The whole ambiance felt make believe in a rather nice way.
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More later today. I changed my view on Cromer, which is always nice.
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Views on locations visited once are sketchy at best. I’m always amazed how my view changes after multiple visits or longer stays. I loved the Jenny Lind a lot more after four days than I did after one day.
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Yes, catching it on music night would give you a different perspective. The Wellington had a Hastings feel to it.
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The Cromer pier and the Eastbourne pier are my two favorite. Great shot of the pier I think.
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Thanks Dave, appreciate that, it’s hard getting good shots of the coast. Easier getting shots of pints.
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Not sure how to keep your puns at bay.
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Boooom !!!
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I met a DNA recently and asked him where he lived.
” Cromer’s Home ” he replied.
I’ll get me coat.
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I’ll recycle that one. Ta.
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You could play swap the jam jar with those beers. Visually nobody would be any the wiser.
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Good Spot Scott (your new nickname). I was at a bar recently with six identical jam jars.
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Probably all Golden Bitters. Now if it was five porters….
What is tha point of selling 6 identical ales? It’s like the 70’s/80’s with bars selling multiple (interchangeable) lagers.
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Because CHOICE, Scott, choice is what those CAMRA wallahs wanted. I commented on some dull beer on Sunday in That London, (NBSS 2.5 if you will), and got a comment straight back saying they’s never had a problem with RANGE. And there’s the rub.
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Maybe we should stop saying choice and instead say variety.
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Doesn’t just being in that London instantly mentally dumb people down? And they need to have lots of beers on just so they can try all these new fangled local breweries they have selling 12% crafty Imperial Stouts everywhere
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I’m sure you’re right. Oddly, I rarely see people trying those 12% beers, bar the odd Euston Tap or Pelt Trader; normally it’s all Peroni or Dark Fruits with Camden pale for the beardies.
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I think many of the places selling the complete loony juice don’t sell cask, so no chance of bothering the GBG (as yet), so never to be seen by yourself (although Mrs RM may be a regular while you are on your travels).
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Well she’s in Edinburgh at the moment so wait till she finds the Brew Dog again..
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the Rake is in the GBG is it not ? given predominantly people are drinking light coloured beers in these types of pubs,why wouldnt you sell three ales that look similar to tempt with the lager drinker sales. And lighthouse tastes nothing like Ghost Ship, and neither of them taste anything like Moon Gazer Amber. I suspect out of the 3 of them, the lighthouse would be the least drunk, since its lower abv, and not that often seen on cask even in Adnams establishments, so its probably been left on for a while, whilst Ghost Ship was probably the better one to go for since it attracts that lager/ale crossover, so tends to sell better. Id have gone for the Moon Gazer, its local brewed ~20 miles down the road.
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Hindsight, eh. I assumed they had Lighthouse on as a big seller. It wasn’t at all bad. I’ve had very dull Moongazer as folk don’t drink beer they haven’t heard of before.
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Excellent views from the top of that tower. You can even see the end of the world. I could show you a photo I took back in May when we were there ringing the bells, but I’ve since had to pension off my old phone…
Didn’t do any pubs in Cromer, as my hazy recollection is that we’d just come from a beery lunch at that floating pub in Wells!
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There seems to be a strong correlation within your posts of your delight at only seeing 2 or 3 handpumps (surely a good sign of quality beer, you say), and then the beer itself actually being quite poor.
What was it they said about Monty Panesar?
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You may be onto something there, py…
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“as Kate Nash’s timeless “Foundations” played in the background.”
Would I be wrong to think that meant Kate’s corsets were *ahem* rustling? 🙂
And as for the end of the world, maybe for the UK; but if you want the true end of the world (northern edition) try staring across the Arctic Ocean a mere 800km from the North Pole.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CFS_Alert
Looking northwards (the entire station is laid out before you, from the airstrip on the left to the buildings on the right – with the fuel tanks halfway between the two):
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/51520584
Cheers
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The population was reported as 62, an increase of 1,140% over the 2011 census. I love a misused statistic. Looks great fun,
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Yep, gotta love misused statistics. What they don’t tell you is that when I was there (twice for six months each time; once in the winter of 85/86 and again in the summer of 90) the population was close to 200.
Also, what they don’t mention is that the 2016 census was in May, a time when many scientists head to Alert for Arctic experiments. In 2011 it was either in the dead of winter (when no one in their right mind goes up as it’s 100% dark for at least 3 solid months) or maybe there were government cutbacks with regards to scientific funding that year. 😉
“Looks great fun,”
It’s one of those “great to visit but don’t ever want to go again” places. Mind you, in retrospect, it was unique to be up there twice and at completely different times of the year for comparison purposes.
Cheers
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That beer looks shite. A hi-ball glass full of dishwater? Why would anyone want their beer in the same glass as you’d have a gin & tonic or J2O? Pubs are about beer, particularly when there are no people in them!
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