retiredmartin

Yes, Cheadle, again. But this one is in Staffordshire, as you can tell from the three-looped knot in the town mural. I’ll let you find it on the map yourself, between Stoke and Alton Towers.

I was there twice (2x) as recently as August, when Mrs RM’s winter coat was lost and found in the Bird in Hand. But I made a poor job of capturing Cheadle’s undoubted charms, so timed my journey south on Thursday morning to rectify that (and add a tick at the Bakers Arms).

Very quiet, now Alton Towers is winding down, but rather lovely in our late autumn.

It’s been a while since I brought you a tombstone from 1748, when Cheadle had NO CRAFT (just witchcraft).

This door looks almost as old.

Not as attractive as Leek,

unless you’re a fan of homemade signage.

There’s also a contender for “ugliest shopping mall”, though Pennylane will sadly always come behind Hitchin in that list.

Just enough to occupy me until noon, when What Pub and the Bakers Arms Facebook said my target would open.

Well, 12:05 actually. And 12:06 on Saturday, to allow for the extra traffic into town or something I guess.

As you can see, it was another fail, my 6th of the new GBG year so far, as I couldn’t hang about for another 2 hours.

But I did have time to go to another Bakers new to Cheadle, and scoffed my face with breakfast bun and sulked on the seat outside the market.

I’ll tell you what, BG Bakery Fantasy (really) is SO good I can’t wait to go back to Cheadle a fourth time.