All great days start with a Wetherspoons Full English breakfast (why no Cumbrian variant). Well, actually, no they don’t. Porridge would be a better bet when you’re about to take on England’s highest hill (whatever). James had been wanting to climb Scafell Pike since he managed it in Year 7 at Cottenham (age 12); I… Continue reading SCAFELL (NEARLY)
Month: September 2020
BACK WITH A BANG IN BARROW
2 nights in Barrow Wetherspoons in late September. Taking a risk, but the Furness Railway has spotless rooms and free Shrewsbury biscuits, so who’s winning? One new Guide pub I missed on my last visit, a traumatic Black Eye Friday when Ulverston lads woke me at 3am singing “Let it go”. Technically Hawcoats, properly posh… Continue reading BACK WITH A BANG IN BARROW
TO THE LAKES !
Back home Sunday, back North (proper, unquestionable North) with James on Monday for a little Lakes walking. Astonishing coincidence; only 4:14 hours to the Lakes, EXACTLY the same time as Mrs RM spent shopping in Ashton IKEA on Saturday. Spooky. Two stops on the way; the now obligatory Tuck Shop in Tuxford, and a riveting… Continue reading TO THE LAKES !
BREAKFAST AT THE ASHTON CANAL
On the Sunday morning after that IKEA debacle (rated NLESS* 2, where NLESS 3 is death by spontaneous combustion), I took Mrs RM for a walk round round the Ashton Canal basin, near Matt’s new house (lucky sod). It’s changed a bit since 1849; And is a bit underpubbed (with worse to come). We took… Continue reading BREAKFAST AT THE ASHTON CANAL
MRS RM FINALLY VISITS THE JOLLY ANGLER
You left us in the car park of Ashton-under-Lyne IKEA, my dreams of a night in Fierce, Cask Ancoats and the Hare and Hounds in tatters. By the time Mrs RM had freshened up at the Ikea Budget it was flippin’ 8.30pm. Only an hour and a half to cross Great Ancoats Street, check in… Continue reading MRS RM FINALLY VISITS THE JOLLY ANGLER
STUCK INSIDE OF IKEA WITH THE ASHTON BLUES AGAIN
Another long drive on Saturday morning, with only a panini break in Tuxford on the way to Matt’s new house. I’ll save “Panini and Prosecco break in Tuxford” for a future blog. Mrs RM fulfilled a bucket list ambition by taking Matt and girlfriend Emma to the giant IKEA in Ashton-under-Lyne. Regular readers will know… Continue reading STUCK INSIDE OF IKEA WITH THE ASHTON BLUES AGAIN
SHIPSHAPE SEAHOUSES
What a great way to finish Northumberland’s new entries in GBG20. A Proper Pub in Seahouses on the gorgeous Northumbrian coast, home to stuffed penguins that you can buy instead of actually making the hazardous half hour boat trip to the Farne Islands, home to a very sick unretiredmartin in 2007. If Holy Island is… Continue reading SHIPSHAPE SEAHOUSES
FISHING FOR HOLY ISLAND TICKS
I somehow forgot to tell you that Duncan had already been to these Northumbrian gems last month, after our meet up in the Craft Union bars of Chester-le-Street. That time I overdid it on Doom Bar and chickened out of a joint trip up the Northumbrian coast. I DID remember that his post took in… Continue reading FISHING FOR HOLY ISLAND TICKS
ALL MASKED UP IN ETAL
Masks, eh ? Whatever. It’s just a mask. Next up is my first pub where I had to wear a mask on entering a pub. The rather fetching Black Bull in Etal. Or Etal with Ford as the poshos prefer it. Just south of Coldstream, and those funny Scots with their sensible leader, lies Etal… Continue reading ALL MASKED UP IN ETAL
WOOLER, WOOLER, WOOLER, UH, TELL ME MORE
The problem with having an early night (22.30 rather than the usual 01:00) is you wake up at about 04.37, see that Russ has written you an essay and never get back to sleep. Six hours sleep is plenty, sometimes more than enough. I emerged from the campervan with one of those craft beer carry-outs… Continue reading WOOLER, WOOLER, WOOLER, UH, TELL ME MORE
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