Right, a cracker as I close in on completing Gwent.
Just how is the Llanthony Priory Hotel such a yo-yo entry in the Guide ? Two years out of the GBG while I finished Gwent, and now back in, taunting me from the Black Mountains.
Wales has some of the best located GBG entries of all; the one on the beach, the one on the Wye, and of course the one in a Newport Industrial Estate.
Llanthony Priory may top them all. The approach is pure bucolic Britain.
Actually, the surrounding parish of Cymyoy has three (count ’em) GBG entries for a population of about nine. Which makes one handpump per person, I guess.
Most of the custom for the basic hotel bar, set in the ruins of the priory, comes from Guardian readers headed for Hay Festival, bikers, hugging hippies and feral children.
Oh, and people with expensive boots who are pretending to walk when in fact they’ve just lolloped from car to cafe.
BRAPA will love it.
You have to pinch yourself to remember there’s a Guide entry to tick somewhere, so surreal is the scene of bikers playing Hawkwind on portable speakers while cardiganed Guardianistas from Cardigan Carshalton say things like “Easy, Tiger” and “Cruisin’ for a bruisin’ “. Which sounds odd out of context.
Ah, there’s the bar.
An elderly couple resolutely avoid the sunshine by hiding in the little dining area, and look slightly grumpy that I’m there at all, disturbing their peace by ordering a drink.
The staff are cheery and polite though, probably because the Olde Trip style cave keeps it a bit cooler than it is outside.
What a display;
The best snack display since that place in Huddersfield with fried locusts.
A rarely seen Felinfoel IPA that’s cool and fresh and a bit dull (NBSS 3). But you’re not really here to score the beer, are you ?
No. You’re here for the hugging hippies.
retiredmartin 
How did you get to this “in the sticks” outlet ?
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if you hadn’t explained “Your actual beer garden” I would have thought that the pub had lost most of its roof and much of its walls.
I’ve not seen Felinfoel IPA.
They must be nearly catching up with Holts in bringing out new beers.
Only Bathams don’t need to. .
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How many hippies did you hug?
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Never hug a hippie. Unless they’ve got the last pint of Bass.
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I’ve stayed here, half a lifetime ago. Walked to the Half Moon for an Addlestones Cider, had a blazing row with girlfriend over something trivial (probably me insisting we walk to the Half Moon for cider), went to Craswall for Gwatkin cider later, no row. Really can’t remember much else so thanks for the photos…
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Great pictures- it’s a remarkable place. Good progress in Wales. Not sure whether I have had the Felinfoel IPA either, though recall an alternative beer to Double Dragon. If only I’d written it all down.
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“If only I’d written it all down” is what Samuel Pepys NEVER said.
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At least I wrote down all (well most) of the pubs!
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Some twice!
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Yes!
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I hope the Felinfoel IPA was a traditional one at less than 4% ABV.
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“Right, a cracker”
That photo is indeed a cracker. 🙂
“Looking like a Mike Oldfield album cover from 1974”
I know, right? Like, totally tubular man. Rock on; and peace out.
“More hedge drama”
With just a hint of one of those pullout lane thingies (or whatever they’re called) in the lower right.
“Where are the baby lambs ?”
Wouldn’t ewe like to know. 😉
“All you need. Except WiFi.”
Hang on. Cellar bar? I think I’ve been there!
“Oh, and people with expensive boots who are pretending to walk”
I’ll have you know my boots I wore when I backpacked over in Europe for almost a year were technically expensive. But, they’re still in my front hall closet as I write this. Which means, come August, I’ll have had them for 39 years.
“Oooh, cavelike”
Crikey. I HAVE been there!
“the Olde Trip style cave ”
I’ve been to the Trip too. 🙂
“You’re here for the hugging hippies.”
Speak for yourself. 😉
Cheers!
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Really been here? Why?
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“Really been here? Why?”
I backpacked for almost a year around Western Europe in 80/81. As my parents emigrated to Canada after they were married all of my relatives are in the UK. I spent the final 10 weeks or so touring the UK and mooching off of relatives as much as possible. One such set lived in or around Abergavenny. I spent a week there. Somewhere during my stay we drove out to the priory.
Cheers
PS – Have a funny story concerning breakfast there one morning. Not sure if I’ve mentioned it before. 🙂
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Is it one you recounted on Duncan’s blog 🙁
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“Is it one you recounted on Duncan’s blog 🙁”
Never fear. If I did (or didn’t) I won’t be posting the likes of that here.
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First place I ever encountered Ruddles County in the late 1970s.
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That then was their medium beer with the 1080 OG Rutland Barley Wine the strongest.
Beer’s not what it used to be and Ruddles’s biggest mistake was getting involved with Watneys.
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Beer’s improved in important ways too though. The authorities have virtually eliminated some very nasty contaminants, which used to enter as a result of the direct roasting of malt with coke fumes, for instance.
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Ruddles used to be a go-to beer back in the day. Bit like Smiles which went from being guaranteed quality to undrinkable swill in two or three years.
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Apart from hawkwind and Jethro Tull how many hippy bands are there?great looking place
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