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retiredmartin

On permanent exploration of places, pubs, people and new music.

Month: July 2020

BREWDOG’S BEAUTIFUL BROCCOLI

BREWDOG’S BEAUTIFUL BROCCOLI

July 31, 2020August 1, 2020 19 Comments

The campervan is getting me out and about as I knock off the required 399 runs ticks in GBG20. If I had a mechanical liver like BRAPA (369 pints in Surrey this week) I might even have finished the Guide before the 2021 edition emerges in, er, May 2023. But with our house on the… Continue reading BREWDOG’S BEAUTIFUL BROCCOLI

BrewDogBroccolicambridge
LEOMINSTER GOES CRAFT (SORT OF)

LEOMINSTER GOES CRAFT (SORT OF)

July 31, 2020August 1, 2020 12 Comments

Back in Leominster, changes happens slowly. It must be hard being Leominster, even with the marvellous revitalisation of the Chequers, last year’s tick. 25 minutes up the A49 you have the pashminas and prettiness of Ludlow, 25 down the road you have Barrels and a giant map. But with a squint and a bit of sunshine… Continue reading LEOMINSTER GOES CRAFT (SORT OF)

LeominsterPress RoomThree Tuns
MONKLAND CHEESE MEMORY JOGGER

MONKLAND CHEESE MEMORY JOGGER

July 30, 2020July 31, 2020 3 Comments

Sorry, that pic is clickbait. I didn’t actually pop in Leominster’s Black Swan for a pint of Bass Carling.  Their house beer is Swan Amber, which is nothing to do with the Proper Beer made in a factory in Wolves. We were in Leominster (again) because it had a car park we could stay overnight… Continue reading MONKLAND CHEESE MEMORY JOGGER

HerefordshireLeominsterMonkland
BISHOP’S CASTLE – A FINE OFFA

BISHOP’S CASTLE – A FINE OFFA

July 30, 2020July 31, 2020 16 Comments

The second new GBG pub on our trip was what we tickers call “an irritating b****r“. Not just because Bishop’s Castle is tucked so far away from civilisation (well, Newtown). I just KNEW we’d been in the Castle Hotel before; we must have done the whole town (1,630 souls, six pubs, 347 coffee shops) back… Continue reading BISHOP’S CASTLE – A FINE OFFA

Bishop's CastleCastle HotelShropshire pubs
A LITTLE BIT OF MUCH WENLOCK

A LITTLE BIT OF MUCH WENLOCK

July 30, 2020July 30, 2020 8 Comments

The rain is pitter patting down on my campervan, expertly parked in a country park in Chester-le-Street, and I’m bracing myself for a wet day in Northumberland. I blame Duncan, who’s brought his west coast rain down to overpower my sunshine. Here’s some brief highlights from last Saturday’s comfort break in Much Wenlock, which I… Continue reading A LITTLE BIT OF MUCH WENLOCK

A JACKFIELD JAUNT

A JACKFIELD JAUNT

July 29, 2020July 30, 2020 19 Comments

Short post from a Wetherby car park. Hands up who knew where Jackfield is? On the Saturday I persuaded Mrs RM out for a jaunt round Jackfield before we headed south. The little map you get with Search for Sites tells you where to go to park your campervan, but fails to highlight the pubs.… Continue reading A JACKFIELD JAUNT

IronbridgeJackfieldTelford
THE COALBROOKDALE

THE COALBROOKDALE

July 28, 2020July 30, 2020 32 Comments

Paul asks why we didn’t go to the All Nations ? Have you seen Mrs RM’s shoes Paul ? It was 47 minutes to Madeley, 15 to the Coalbrookdale. Uphill. When I started visiting GBG pubs in the mid-90s the Coalbrookdale had just become the National Pub of the Year. We visited in ’97; CAMRA… Continue reading THE COALBROOKDALE

CAMRA Pub of the YearCoalbrookdale
BLACK SHEEP ON THE IRON BRIDGE

BLACK SHEEP ON THE IRON BRIDGE

July 28, 2020July 30, 2020 13 Comments

  To the bridge ! First stop here for a decade, and it was good to see the Friday evening daytrippers out in decent numbers, drawn by free parking and Holdens Bitter. Not quite the honeypot of Bewdley or Bilston, but there’s little better than a stroll over the Iron Bridge. And back again. Takes,… Continue reading BLACK SHEEP ON THE IRON BRIDGE

Black SheepIronbridgeSwanTelford
BEDLAM

BEDLAM

July 28, 2020July 28, 2020 15 Comments

Nope. Not THAT one in Beckenham, though BRAPA is dangerously close to the Surrey/South London borders at the moment. This is Bedlam Furnaces, where Mrs and I stuck our campervan on Friday night. So, another night of free parking and at least £50 saved on chintzy B & B, with this view mere minutes away.… Continue reading BEDLAM

IronbridgeSalopian BreweryTelfordThe Coracle
HAPPY AS ****

HAPPY AS ****

July 27, 2020July 28, 2020 11 Comments

Bonus post tonight, with Bass and Yellow Belly and bust diets. That nice man Curry Charles (I think the Charles is an alias) sent me home on Wednesday with a beer for Mrs RM. I think it’s the one with the controversial wrapping paper, which I’ve banned from here as my blog doesn’t like controversy.… Continue reading HAPPY AS ****

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