retiredmartin

I’m back home in Waterbeach Sheffield, Mrs RM is delighted with the number of Facebook “likes” she’s got from our GBG completion, and I’ve been told in no uncertain terms that my priority is now “the garden“. I’ve checked our marriage contract and there’s no mention of gardens.

Looking at my blog views this morning, I see several views of old Kent posts, and I realise I have a duty to big up the great but unsung corners of the UK and its wonderful pubs.

It helps if the pubs are open, of course.

I’d picked the Best Western at Ilminster in early July as a good base for visiting the Volunteer in Seavington, but inevitably both their own website and What Pub proved erroneous.

Still, who doesn’t enjoy a 61 45 minute walk to find a pub unexpectedly closed through a sign on the door ? Us tickers LOVE disappointment.

The Kings* Head in Merriott WAS open all day Sunday,

but was entirely silent at just gone 3pm, bar the staff eating their own lunch.

Clearly folk in South Somerset have better things to do on summer Sundays than sup and strum,

and if Sunday is now as quiet as Monday to Thursday we should be worried.

The Kings Head was cheery, the Nuttycombe I mistook for a Cotleigh** pump was cool and tasty (NBSS 3+), and the pub dog didn’t lick me for a change.

Just a bit too silent, bar the roar of the engine as the weekend bikers roared past.

Don’t worry Mrs RM, I’m not going to become a middle-aged crisis biker now I’ve done the Guide.

*one for the apostrophe police

** Oh, Nuttycombe WAS Cotleigh. Has provenance been debated interminably on Discourse yet ?