My second comfort break came an hour or so after my first, on the western outskirts of Carlisle.
Ignore the blue line running through the city, it’s not the cask/keg divide.

To be honest the Wellington in tiny Great Orton was experiencing a quiet lunchtime, away from the tourist honeypots of Carlisle and the stretch of muddy coast with views to Gretna.
But you can’t ignore a pub that recommends hanging children from washing lines.
Or greets you with the brightest Christmas display since Thursford, and invites you to form an impromptu piano and lute duo and sing one of the 30+ versions of “While Shepherds Washed Their Socks” sung in Barnsley pubs.


It’s what Americans expect from an Olde English pub, along with Budweiser and payment by card.

No diners, just two Old Boys at the bar who nod a wary acknowledgement and hum along to Jim Reeves.
To prove what a grump I am I had the sole non-Yuletide beer on the bar, served in a sad thin glass but tasty and cool (NBSS 3).
Then someone put on tge Chris Rea, didn’t they. There’s always one.
You know, that bench seating will look great once they’ve taken the tat off.
Café Beermoth for us RM. Out with the old; in with the new.
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I’m only 5 minutes walk away from Beermoth, Dave, waiting for Matt to finish. Highly tempted to pop in.
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They did have excellent beer on:) Don’t you have some last minute shopping though?
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Er, no. Or first minute shopping.
My birthday was on 22nd, remember, bought myself a pint of Bass and a Chinese takeaway.
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Argh. Belated best wishes Martin. The 22nd was when we finally arrived in Edmonton. The last bit of the drive added insult to injury after driving thru the Rockies as I’d neglected to put use freeze proof washer fluid, so we had to pull over every so often to clean the windshield with snow. 😉
Cheers
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Sounds more unintentionally exciting than my trip to Edmonton in North London.
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Then you can’t be far from the £2.50 Holts in the Hare and Hounds.
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Just a quick post while I wait for the car to warm up (currently -15C here in Edmonton) to wish you a Merry Christmas. We’re enjoying spending the week with our sons (and grandson!). The drive thru the Rockies was the worst drive we’ve ever taken. I’ve been told next year we fly. 🙂
Cheers!
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Thanks Russ, you too. Good to know you’re well, but don’t complain the weather. It was probably your moose that caused all that climate change.
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A very happy Christmas to all from the Oystercatcher in Polzeath – no sign of the Camerons though.
See what happened there?
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Nope, can’t spot the map error. Is it an “I’ll kick myself”, or an obscure one?
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Am I the first to find the obscure bottle of Bass ?
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Ah, that’s why I took that photo, and meant to say “Who can spot the Bass?”
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