retiredmartin

I’ll never forget 10th September 2022.

A year ago this morning I was eating the breakfast of the immortals in Kirkwall before my final ascent to Good Beer Guide completion on Rousay.

It was the BEST breakfast I ever had, but also the most nervy. A real night on the town in Kirkwall, finishing with pre-emptive whisky, probably hadn’t been the best idea.

Pub No. 4,501 of 4,501 was the most northerly in the Guide, a tiny little ferry from Tingwall prone to cancellation.

But the sea looked serene, and after the tiniest bit of concern that a German car would be unable to reverse onto the ferry and plunge under the waves we set off.

An hour to kill exploring lovely Rousay* exploring medieval burial kilns and looking out for pre-emptive micros before the Taversoe opened.

It had probably been open all morning, in honesty.

I attempted one of those live WhatsApp chats with my fellow tickers that gave them a running commentary on the state of my shoes, and then stepped over the threshold of the Taversoe.

Mrs RM says I was a bag of nerves and nearly forgot to order a beer, which would have been a terrible mistake.

Look how unsteady my hand was as I finally pinked in those Northern Isles.

I really need to get to the Shetlands, you know, GBG tick or not. But perhaps NOT in the same year as visiting all the Channel Islands, Man, Wight, the Scillies, Uist and Norwich (wherever that is).

*Duncan made it here this summer and took better shots of the island.