22 December 2019 Oooh, scary. Charles II was pretty much the same age when he died as I was when I tipped up on my birthday lunch in Bwlchgwyn, which is easy for you to say. Scenic views over to the Racecourse Ground, where I saw Cambridge lose 5-0 in successive years in the ’00s… Continue reading A BIRTHDAY LUNCH IN BWLCHGWYN
Month: January 2020
GREENALLS ASHTRAYS IN THE CLYWDIAN HILLS
The Welsh village pubs in the Clwydian range were some of my favourites when our boys were young. Family friendly, low pashmina count, menus in English, a small hill to walk off the pudding, and traditional Welsh pub games like Splat the Rat (vegan alternatives available). The Kinmel Arms in Llandyrnog (or possibly Waen) looked… Continue reading GREENALLS ASHTRAYS IN THE CLYWDIAN HILLS
A PEDIGREE BIRTHDAY IN HENLLAN
Today is her birthday They’re smoking cigars He’s got a chain of flowers And sews a bird in her knickers Ohhh…! Well, Duncan forgot my birthday (22 December), but he’d bought the beer the night before so all is forgiven. The dull breakfast in the Iris Hotel isn’t (wot no laverbread !), but it was… Continue reading A PEDIGREE BIRTHDAY IN HENLLAN
CRAFT, COWBOYS AND A DASH FOR THE PUFT
Hope you’re keeping up. It’s still 21 December, a day before my birthday (mark it in your new diaries now) and I’m taking the legendary Pubmeister round the new Beer Guide ticks on the North Wales coast. You’ll notice I’ve spared you NBSS scores so far. That’s because I was merely sniffing the beer or… Continue reading CRAFT, COWBOYS AND A DASH FOR THE PUFT
AM I STILL (IN) RHYL ?
Almost a Morrissey lyric as we cross the famous border separating North-West and North-East Wales, the subject of ferocious battle between Abercolwyn and Vale of Clwyd CAMRA branches over many years. An abandoned tin of Wrexham lager at Ty’n-y-Llyn marks the border. I’ve already lost some of my subscribers this week with a succession… Continue reading AM I STILL (IN) RHYL ?
ABERGELE : JAM JARS AND COCKTAILS BUT NO SCRATCHINGS
Who’d have guessed it ? Almost overnight the string of North Wales coastal towns beloved of holidaying Scousers has become Small Pub central. Well, anyone who’s been to Middlesbrough or Thanet will understand the phenomenon. Of course there’s an emerging schism between the “Herne model” micro appealing to blokes aged 57.86 who drink local… Continue reading ABERGELE : JAM JARS AND COCKTAILS BUT NO SCRATCHINGS
NOUGHTS AND CROSSES IN THE CRAFTY FOX
By rights I should refuse to tell you about the Crafty Fox in Old Colwyn. They MADE Duncan and I stand like this. Incidentally, if you were wondering if all those thousands I’ve spent on IT skills have been worth it, look at how I make myself disappear; You can never have enough Duncan. And… Continue reading NOUGHTS AND CROSSES IN THE CRAFTY FOX
DOING THE COLWYN CRAWL
Short posts or long posts ? Always short, one pub posts on here. That way if one of them is good and the other a duffer no-one is embarrassed. Sadly for Dave, there’s a lot of Craft coming up so he may wish to come back in six posts time (i.e. tomorrow). Another day, another… Continue reading DOING THE COLWYN CRAWL
CHRISTMAS TV GUIDES IN CAERNARFON
Anything was going to be a bit of an anticlimax after the Black Boy, but the Caernarfon GBG newbie was, excitingly, hard to find down the tiny streets off the castle walls. Ah, here it is. “Smallest bar in Wales” apparently. That probably says more about the paucity of micros in Wales than anything else.… Continue reading CHRISTMAS TV GUIDES IN CAERNARFON
TOP 100 PUBS – BLACK BOY, CAERNARFON
I mean. Just look at it. Who needs words? A flying return visit after 20 years. Yes, I was right the first time. It’s gorgeous. Oh yes, there’s Bass. Actually, sometimes the Bass sign is a red herring. And or course, not all Bass is Good Bass. This was good (though not cheap) Bass. Rich,… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – BLACK BOY, CAERNARFON
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