LAUGHING ALL THE WAY TO BIGGLESWADE

wp-15965818885421634632916151229138.jpg

More saving pubs outside the GBG, this time aided by trusted Covid data expert and J20 connoisseur James.

With my Mum on the mend (thanks for your kind words) but under watch I’ve committed to stay in “the county“.  Let’s not argue about boundaries, folks.

I was JUST over the Beds border when the ambulance was called on Monday afternoon, attempting to find a mildly hilly walk from Sandy to Biggleswade.

Biggleswade1
More going on than you’d think

These are two towns that you won’t find in any Foders or AA Guides to England, but will  read about in depth on BRAPA, which frankly is a rather better manual to exploring the UK.

Sandy is known, if at all, for the RSPB HQ on the sandy hills to the east.

wp-15965823563097942418852032624858.jpg
Gothic
wp-15965823326185905738342010635375.jpg
Great walking

The town itself is named after Ebbe Sand, scorer of the fastest ever World Cup goal by a substitute.

See the source image
Ebbe

But Ebbe is not even the most famous celebrity commemorated in the town, with the Ghandi in Sandy hopefully self-explanatory.

wp-1596577843771165738969164374554.jpg
Not your usual curry house

I used the 5 mile stroll to tell James some of the facts of life, such as the legendary status of the East Beds Indian restaurants and the Guide history of Biggleswade.

“WATCH OUT FOR THE COWS !”  shouted James.

wp-1596578272433972843144160618075.jpg
Coming at ya

Following an unfortunate incident in Leintwardine in 2009 while seeking a short cut to The Sun, Mrs RM and our lads are wary of bovines, but they parted for me.

Here’s your East Anglian “Big Sky” shot.

wp-15965782982304242937888418888331.jpg
The Road to Biggleswade

Across those fields you reach a staggeringly dull new housing development that Waterbeach will soon aim to emulate (for dullness) and some genuine workers terraces from the town’s days as a centre of light industry (it’s shopping now).

wp-15965783541441595862337680330822.jpg
Almost Midlands-like

The standard pub recommendation here is the spit-and-sawdust Wheatsheaf, or was until the spit became a problem.

wp-15965822735921677858860098742355.jpg
Classic
wp-15965822872033296050453546672326.jpg
Honesty is the best policy

It’s a very Greene King/Wells sort of a place.

wp-15965822131957619651766030453047.jpg
Solid

Even the Heritage pub over the A1 in Broomserves Bury’s finest. Or used to.

James is used to me dithering, looking for ancient fonts and stencilled street art on our walks.

wp-15965821935657232726399524455431.jpg
Recalls the alien invasion of 1977
wp-15965823030598525071851296921490.jpg
Chic
wp-15965820875993952719074231322359.jpg
NOT a pyramid

Monday was Day 1 of “Eat Chips, there’s good Chaps” or whatever the # is.

The curry houses open at 5.30, the Turkish restaurant was packed, so Spoons it is.

wp-15965820534032107768047689416766.jpg
You wear the Crown

A Spoons that opened in 2017 but has yet to grace the Guide, and therefore be graced by Simon.  Could this be a pre-emptive tick ?

wp-15965818495375459765517798452451.jpg
Carpet unfortunately blends in with the Covid circles

They did, at least, have a beer that wasn’t one of The Four Spoons Usuals.

wp-15965818296717842798666107477361.jpg
Ordered separately from food so I can use the coupon

And, excitingly, someone had already ordered the Bishop’s Farewell, so it should at least be a 2.

Reader, it was a 3.5, cool and tasty, and at £1.39 as much a bargain as the halloumi, chicken bites and burger.

wp-15966149129291515418658730162225.jpg
Decent.  Ignore the murk on either side

James had chosen a table with perspex, but with a fair amount of foot traffic either side.

It was a GREAT table choice, allowing me to observe with joy the ditherers at the entrance, the laugher of youth, the whoop of joy when Jean and Eric saw how much Rishi had knocked off the price of their lunch.

wp-15965817717522868529258463370991.jpg
Fill your boots

Isn’t socialism great ?

wp-15965819197344244538500905118003.jpg
Beating obesity one Spoons at a time

Two groups of Waders had swapped tables, to defeat Track and Trace no doubt, but at least they hadn’t moved the furniture.

A joy, only enhanced by the knowledge we were dining in the home of one of the greatest songwriters of our generation.

wp-15965818689768415828310623141744.jpg

And YES, you can actually stay in a Spoons hotel here.  Send us a postcard if you do.

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.

20 thoughts on “LAUGHING ALL THE WAY TO BIGGLESWADE”

    1. Good man! I dragged my son over to Maidstone, for a beer festival, just to distance myself from the mass hysteria that had gripped the nation that day.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      4. Etu,
        But I must admit that I’ve returned to Bournemouth and even stayed there ( but in a Wadworth’s pub ).

        Like

      1. Whilst on the subjects of Bournemouth and conception, my parents spent their honeymoon in the town. I am the first born amongst my siblings, so go figure, as the Americans would say!

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Wasn’t aware of your Mum being ill RM – I wish her a speedy recovery.

    I wondered how often you’d have to go back to the Wheatsheaf to be classed as a regular customer and served. Honest as you say but could be divisive amongst the town folk.

    Pyramid dentists – that must be the kind where each customer has to find four other customers for a small commission… 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks for your kind wishes, She was taken ill quite suddenly on Monday afternoon but happily the prognosis seems less serious than feared.

      I’ll bet the number of occasional visitors the Wheatsheaf gets can be counted on one hand. A year !

      Yes, I think you’ve cracked the pyramid.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

Leave a comment