It must be the heat. I actually called that last post “Wantage Is Gonna Get You“, before I noticed my error.
I’m tempted to blame it on Spellcheck, and hope that Stogumber doesn’t come out as Stokes cucumber or something.
As you can see, my next stop on the venerable (i.e. overpriced) West Somerset Railway is one the edge of the Quantocks, and Area of National Beauty immortalised by Half Man Half Biscuit.
FACT : The video for “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” was shot there. Sadly, Bryan Adams was not.
The signposts are overgrown and falling apart, like me.
Stogumber itself is picture postcard, and this house reminded me of a famous Blackadder cast member.
Stogumber has 702 residents, including Eli in Lower Vexford, so the White Horse needs to be an allrounder.
It’s very Olde English, but I can’t imagine many of the gentlefolk I saw waiting for the train being up for the mile walk from Stogumber Station.
While I waited for the Landlady I discovered Stogumber used to have a brewery, producing beers called X, XX, XXX and XXXX. And HH (“Happy Hipster“).
Possibly the first thatched bar I’ve come across in the GBG, too.
She seemed as delighted to sell me a half of Otter as if I’d had a 3 course meal with wine, which isn’t always the case.
And I’m delighted to say the Otter was GBG standard, at least.
“Is it OK if I sit out in the sun ? Shout if you want anything” she said.
Nice to be asked, and it was fine.
I joined them outside, talking about their pasta disasters and the like.
Then I headed for Bicknoller.
retiredmartin 
Cute, yes, perhaps. The Alexander Johnson of the bar world?
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Not who I had in mind. William Pitt the Younger, perhaps.
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While you were Stogumbering about in Somerset I was wondering why I had seen so few posts from you recently. Then I checked my junk email and there were loads in there. Clever folk these robots. I have set aside the rest of the week to read them. Top work in Somerset.
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I’m delighted to have my blog officially recognised as junk, a rare honour.
Good job there’s 18 days this week. When did you last post? Is this junk thing reciprocal.
I guess you did most of these Somerset pubs years ago?
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Thought you would take it as a compliment! Beermat’s stuff is in there too. Over a week since my last one but will try to get one from the Welsh weekend in the next day or two. There was a modest turnover in Somerset this year so broadly yes, but you will probably benefit in the same way next year.
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“overpriced West Somerset Railway” – yes, and the Severn Valley Railway recently was no better at Kidderminster – Bewdley £9 return, that’s 3½ miles each way.
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Obviously I know it costs a fair bit to run those things and it’s cheaper than parking in Minehead and Watchet
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Hot ?
It’s 94 degrees here but Mrs PP-T and I are sat on the stoop out of the midday sun drinking rum and ginger beer and pondering life.
I’ve been eating a lot of chlorine-washed chicken on this trip but happily can report no ill-effects.
Likewise herself has been horsing into the hormone-added T-bone steaks and there’s no sign of a third breast growing.
And whilst we’ve hardly heard Brexit mentioned once on our meanderings neither has Trump come up very often either.
It’s almost as if the media is out of touch with real life.
But everywhere and I mean everywhere we’ve seen the Stars and Stripes flying – in countless front gardens and public buildings.
Such a change to see people proud of their country.
Beer-wise ? Mostly rubbish.Hops,hops and more hops.
And expensive.
Here’s hoping we don’t have to suffer huge imports of the swill in a trade deal.
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Yes, it’s refreshing to see the blue-and-gold starred banner flying alongside all the national flags on every public building on the Continent too.
If we’d done that here then we probably would be the laughing-stock of the world that we now seem to be.
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99% of GBBF attendees look like Bob Todd?
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👌
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👌. May be a cultural reference too far for US MARK 😊
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“Pasta Disasters” sounds like an album name. I just can’t figure out which band would have released it.
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See the Guns N Roses release from 1993.
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Renee & Renata’s Greatest Hits.
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Half man half biscuit? Lady whiteadder? Beermats? Possibly the best post of this year?
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