November 2023. Troston. Suffolk. “Troston is a little-known village in the quiet lanes between Bury and Diss, purposeful and pleasing” writes Simon Knott on his excellent churches photo stream, and it’s managed to escape my notice for 58 years, tucked between Bury and Thetford in what I’d describe to Dave as “rural Suffolk”. With Dad… Continue reading RASCALITY IN TROSTON
Month: November 2023
THE OLD TICKET OFFICE
November 2023. Cambridge. Dad moved from a noisy A & E bed to a dedicated elderly ward with 11-8 visiting hours which suggested he was in recovery. After my own recuperative crispy beef and pint of Landlord I decided to make my visit by train the next day, walking the half hour along the guided… Continue reading THE OLD TICKET OFFICE
THE SUN WILL ALWAYS RISE IN THE MORNING
November 2023. Addenbrooke’s. Cambridge. It took me 5 hours to get back from Oldham to Waterbeach, the trip from Sheffield in about 2:20 hours these days, and Dad had already been taken by ambulance to Addenbrooke’s awaiting assessment (alliteration alert). The antibiotics for a suspected infection kicked in quickly, and I spent the next 24… Continue reading THE SUN WILL ALWAYS RISE IN THE MORNING
FROM NIMBLE NOOK TO THE EDGE
November 2023. Oldham. Well, Greater Oldham, really, on a day that turned into a bit of a nightmare. It started with the usual great cut from Matthew at Helvete’s new salon in Chinatown, before a nice, easy tick out in Hollinwood. A metro trip out of St Peters, where Cinderella had left her shoe in… Continue reading FROM NIMBLE NOOK TO THE EDGE
SURVEYING SPONDON
November 2023. Spondon. Derby. The night was still young, but at 4.30pm I’d already ticked the two Derby Guide pubs I needed, which is like getting the two Iranian full backs in your Panini World Cup 1978 sticker pack. Just a Snooker Club in New Mills to finish the county, and I refuse to believe… Continue reading SURVEYING SPONDON
HOPTIMISM IN SPLENDID SPONDON
November 2023. Spondon. Derby. Spondon ? Me neither, before a trip to the lovably Old Skool Malt Shovel in 2021. There’s an A52 bus, but I managed to catch a train with only slightly better hours than the one to Brigg. The sun shines on the righteous, but not today as I enjoyed a soggy… Continue reading HOPTIMISM IN SPLENDID SPONDON
WAITING FOR THE BASS BARREL TO BE CHANGED IN WILLINGTON
November 2023. Willington. Derby. I like the fact the newbie Guide entries are so unpredictable; just like the Spanish Inquisition no-one (except Life After Football) would have predicted the Dragon in Willington. LAF even suggested a week’s holiday in your first stop south of Derby, but a night in a campervan in the station car… Continue reading WAITING FOR THE BASS BARREL TO BE CHANGED IN WILLINGTON
EAST OF COALVILLE
November 2023. Rothley. Leicestershire. The word “Coalville” is clickbait. Sorry. You were expecting to see an unwoke boozer craft beer bar on the A511; instead you get a dining pub just off the A46. Technically, Rothley is not far east of Coalville, but it might as well be in a different continent. I’ve grown to… Continue reading EAST OF COALVILLE
EVERARDS TAP – IT’S…..OK
November 2023. Enderby. Leicester. After that great pint of Tiger it was inevitable the GBG would next take me to the very home of Everards, whose giant Beer Hall graces the great nothingness below iconic Leicester Forest East Services. I’m not, at present, able to offer a self guided tour between the service station and… Continue reading EVERARDS TAP – IT’S…..OK
BLABY’S TIGER ROARS
November 2023. Blaby. Leicestershire. A couple of days spent in the east Midlands, doing what tickers call “mopping” up the new Leicestershire GBG entries, which this year fail to include anything in the county town. Sadly, no return visit to the Ale Wagon, then. And Leicester’s necklace (?) of commuter towns haven’t been that exciting… Continue reading BLABY’S TIGER ROARS
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