A HOLE IN THE WALL, A GAP IN THE MARKET

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Well, a big thanks to the UK Government for their unswerving clarity on the timescale and conditions for when pubs (and inessential businesses) might re-open.

Whoever leaked 22 June as a possible date last night is off my Christmas card list, if I had one.  Mudgie’s latest post is depressing but sadly spot on.

Still, mustn’t grumble; Tranmere Rovers have just been relegated to League 2 by a billionth of a goal or summat (sorry Leon).

Sometimes you need a long walk to clear your head.

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Rare almost hill in Cambridge

Having conquered Huntingdonshire since Lockdown I’m heading east, taking Mrs RM on a mystery trip to Little Wilbraham.

Little Wilbraham
13 minutes both way + 90 minutes walk just manageable without a loo stop

You’re in prime commuter land here, between Cambridge and Newmarket.  Tourist potential Nil, as you’ll not know it’s here as you fly past on the A14 on your way to the honeypots of Waterbeach and Exning.

St John the Evangelist has allowed the wildflowers to reclaim the graveyard.

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Nicely done St John

And it’s excellent for playing “Wonder how much that costs ?”.

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Typical house, modelled on my parents

425 souls, no shop, one pub, best described in our favourite ancient Cambridge guide.

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I missed the crinkle crankle wall

The Hole in the Wall is nothing like its namesake in Portsmouth, despite that proper line-up of BBB in 1994.

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Idyllic

This is your authentic “restaurant with rosettes” with beer becoming a bit secondary in, ooh, 2007, despite the odd GBG listing.

It’s rather lovely, and had the misfortune of re-opening last February only to close this March.  Which IS unfortunate.  Nice beer garden, if it doesn’t rain.

We pressed on to Great Wilbraham, which sounds like it’s lording it over its younger brother but only has one pub to show for itself.

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Bucolic Britain
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1741 and all that

Even more houses you can’t afford, and some little bridleways where we got a bit lost.

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NOT a future micro

So I had to cut our trip short and make a rather unpleasant return to the Hole via the road from Six Mile Bottom, a rejected Bill Bryson book title.

So you’ll have to wait till tomorrow for the Carpenter’s Arms.

Footnote : Tonight I popped in to central Cambridge for some bicarbonate of soda and noted a big queue outside the Brew Dog.

They were selling their beer, in plastic pints, drunk on the wall outside of Kings.  Really, I’m glad they were, but I can’t help thinking they shouldn’t be the only ones cashing in on the Summer.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

14 thoughts on “A HOLE IN THE WALL, A GAP IN THE MARKET”

  1. Why is Brewdog able to do that? Curious what the exception is for them. Not sure we have that type of exception where one place could serve and no others. Ours was outside first; then a percentage of inside sitting.

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    1. Others could, they chose not to. The Pint Shop I mentioned the other Sunday opens later in the week, but the central Greene King pubs are all closed for the forseeable future (no real gardens).

      Brew Dog isn’t letting anyone in, it’s just takeaway beer like I bought on the boardwalk at Coney Island.

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  3. Your local guide extracts remind me of 1970s lads trips on the Broads when we were so excited about pubs that had Greene King. How life changes. I’d be quite excited to get cask GK IPA in a pub now though.

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    1. I only had my first taste of GK IPA in the late 80s when I thought it was called Ipper, but I remember it being a striking beer in Cambridge pubs that must have been selling a pint a minute of it.

      Life indeed changes fast.

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  4. During my journeys up to Norfolk Martin, I’ve often noticed signs pointing to “The Wilbrahams” as I drive along the A11.

    Having seen your photos, I’m tempted to stop next time, for a look around, and possibly a pint as well, if we’re ever allowed to travel and visit pubs again!

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    1. I know you stopped in Grantchester on your trip to Ely, Paul. The Wilbrahams have a similar feel to them, though without Mr Archer !

      It’s been interesting visiting some of the villages close to home during Lockdown and blogging about them. Since I’ve been to the pubs before, I don’t feel quite the pain of not being able to pop in that I do further afield !!

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