Mrs RM said she was bored of pubs.
“I’m bored of pubs” she said.
But, as we headed for Glencoe, an hour from Oban, it struck me that apart from admiring the scenery (difficult when you’re on your phone) or walking the hills (unappealing if it’s raining) there’s only really pubs and tea shops to do, and we’d done the tea shop at Ben Lora with its Dylan and scones.
And so with Glen Coe, whose eponymous settlement will detain you for about as long as BRAPA takes to tick a Brunning & Price in Surrey, unless you walk the Pap.
I’d have happily walked the 2.3 miles to the GBG Clachaig, which clearly isn’t in The Village itself.
But instead Mrs RM parked up in what looked like a ranch in Wyoming and let Baa Baa enjoy the views.
A plain looking building which as retained a civilised atmosphere over the years by banning reader Scott of the Grampians.
Actually, we seemed to be banned from the interior,
and directed towards an outdoor serving hatch where we ordered and collected a half of Glen Spean Red Revival.
If the view was a 4.5, the Red Revival (contract brewed in Heckmondwike ?) was a solid 2.5. I say “solid” to tell you that 2.5 was by now regarded as good for Scotland.
The banter came from confused tourists, wondering what had happened to table service and ignoring the buzzer that rang when their food was ready.
But everyone was cheery, the group from Hurst Green (“Hello, Hello”) hugged and kissed, and we briefly considered the climb.
Nah.
retiredmartin 
I did a climb from Glen Coe when I was there with one of my daughters last September. We left the pub visit until *after* the climb. This has the double benefit of making the walking just a little bit safer, and the beer just that little bit more welcome. (It was Cairngorm Stag 4.1% from, in my experience, the least impressive Scottish brewery if you leave out Caledonian. But even an average beer tastes great when you feel you’ve earned it!)
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I wish I’d joined you. Stag featured prominently on the way south, including in one of the better pubs for beer quality near Aviemore.
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Oh there’s a lot worse than Cairngorm, although most of those aren’t nearly as old.
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One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited.
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Indeed, idyllic.
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I spent the summer of ’84 in Glen Coe mapping the Dalradian Metasediments and the Cauldron intrusion. We visited the Clachaig every night for 6 weeks. Lovely spot.
It had just been bought by a family from Leeds, I seem to remember (Peter Daines).
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So much mystery in that single comment, Prof !
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Was in there a few years ago and the beer was decent. I think quite a few Scottish pubs put cask on for the tourists and in these strange times perhaps there aren’t so many of them about.
Believe the thing about Campbells. I used to work with a bloke whose mother was a Skye MacDonald and he hated Campbells with a passion.
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It was OK. Certainly a decent range. I think cask has fallen from favour the last five years or so.
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I remember there was an 80 Shillings and a No.3 on offer in 1984. Cant remember the brewer possibly Younger’s/McEwan’s. I think my preference in 1984 was the No.3.
In those days I got a grant from the UK government to be a student. Happy days indeed.
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The Government paid you to study ? Wow, different times.
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“I say “solid” to tell you that 2.5 was by now regarded as good for Scotland.” Sad to hear that. But a touch unsurprising.
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Afraid so. I actually returned one beer (in a Spoons) but in Manchester it would have been more. Just no turnover I can see, and there’s certainly tourists in the area. Once you’ve had tired cask you move on to something predictable.
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