Eagle-eyed readers (not Eddie) will note I’m only up to 24th January with the posts, but with just a few posts from West Yorkshire and the Black Country to come, here’s the review of a tumultuous month.
THE STATS
You’ll recall December saw eighty (80) new Beer Guide pubs, a retiredmartin record. It being Dryanuary and all, I only managed sixty-seven (67) in January.
That leaves me close to having done 90% of the current GBG, well ahead of target.
Those 67 allowed me to finish East Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire and the West Midlands.
The travel looks scary when you map it on Bing;
Take a bow, little Aygo, bravely chugging along Humberside wildernesses, Thanet potholes and carrying four robust tickers up 1-in-7 gradients in Hebden Bridge.
HIGHLIGHTS
It’s hard to visit completely new places in the UK, but I was blown away by coastal Cornwall, seeing Lizard point and Zennor for the first time. Those two also gave me my best blog titles for a while.
I know Falmouth a bit too well, but the calamari and Bass (Bass !) and live music in ‘front was a life highlight. Shame I couldn’t do ‘front with Sis, who was excellent company on that West Country wander.
And I enjoyed meeting up with Nick in Ramsgate before he starts a new life in the States. Good luck to him and Crystal, who pretty much changed my mind about dogs in pubs.
Away from pubs I watched the three series of Stranger Things in three days and was a bit blown away; one of the loveliest bits of TV I’ve ever seen.
WOW ! MOMENTS
There are times in pubs when I just sit there with a smirk on my face thinking how lucky I am to be alive. It happens about once a month. In January I had 3 “Wow !” moments
Humphrey may have banned my phone, but his pubs remain things of wonder. The banter and OBB by the sea were wonderful here.
Artillery Arms, Ramsgate
Gadds, Mozart, Gadds, Zeppelin, cheese snacks, rhubarb cider. Oh dear.
Bass, Tommy Trinder knew my mother, Bass, £5 magic trick, Bass. Perfection.
But that wasn’t the best Bass of the month. Find out where on, oooh, Tuesday.
FEBRUARY PREVIEW
Well tonight I’m in Walton-on-Thames, already 4 pubs down and somehow nicking internet from the adjacent Ember Inn. Winning !
After that I’ll be joining Stafford Paul for a non-GBG day in Congleton, but probably finish off Chester and Manchester while I’m up there.
A few gigs in Manchester, including Angel Olsen and Hand Habits, and no doubt some mopping up in Lancashire.
But really, if this balmy weather and my health holds, I really ought to be heading back to Devon, hadn’t I ?
retiredmartin 
Your poor little Aygo will finally collapse, somewhere on Dartmoor, as you’re giving young Simon a lift to his 7th pub of the day (on a full moon).
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Better than conking out in Maidenhead red light district at 3pm on a wet Tuesday in May.
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What exactly do you mean by “in May”???
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😱
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A really lovely summing up, Martin. Great news that you re-established contact with Erlanger Nick, and from the photos he’s looking pretty good.
Best of all is your comment about being lucky to be alive. We all need to express our gratitude from time to time about the good things in life, especially in these troubled times.
There’s not a lot better in life than good beer, good cheer and good pubs. Keep those reports coming in! 👍
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Thanks Paul.
The cheerfulness evident on your blog is a main reason I read it.
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T’other Paul,
Yes, I must remember that in these troubled times there’s not a lot better in life than good beer, good cheer and good pubs.
Thank you.
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A formidable return for January (mine was 20, mainly thanks to you and Quosh, though at least I can afford to average that for a while. You have been a veritable machine this GBG.
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