retiredmartin

May 2024. Warwick.

Last year I finished Warwickshire’s Guide entries in a modern craft beer bar in “luscious” Leamington Spa, drinking rather too much (even a Bud !) and messily munching a Chinese takeaway in a campervan parked in the town car park.

And now here I am, parked up 3 miles west in virtually contiguous Warwick, about to complete the county in a modern bar before drinking a tiny bit too much and swinging a Chinese takeaway bag back to a campervan. But at least there was no mess this time. And an extra helper standing guard.

The council lets you park overnight in your van or motorhome for a few quid, as long as you’re self-contained, which in the case of a bloke means “able to wee into a 4 pint container” and not leave litter.

My final Warwicks tick is literally across the road, too, which at least means I don’t leave it till last and end up finding it closed for a staff party to celebrate Shakespeare CAMRA keg bar of the month or something.

Contain your excitement. That mobility scooter will be explained later.

Blimey. It’s a little cave, one of the smallest pubs I’ve been in (and don’t lecture me about that Cleethorpes bar either).

“Is this all of it ?” I ask the guvnor, a little ungraciously. It’s packed with character and has plentiful proper seating.

“Afraid so“.

It’s perfect, and a tight beer range is high on quality. He recommends the Hop Back, just gone on, a cool, chewy NBSS 4.

And while the colour scheme may not be to everyone’s taste,

the Eagle has that magical ability to make you feel part of it, but not forced by dint of being too close together into conversation like an early Thanet micro.

A couple my age from Newton Abbot come in and ask if they can recharge their mobility scooter, and they join me at the next bench to tell me about rugby playing blokes leg fracture and their adventures in a motor home.

I ask him how his wife feels about driving a MoHo through the narrow lanes of Devon.

“She’s fearless” says he. Her look conveys a different emotion.

Great chat, top soundtrack.

I’m enjoying our chat about Newton Abbot boozers so much I stay for a half of something mad, use the wonderful loo,

pick up the local Warwick GBG pub trail guide (4 revisits !), and head out fearlessly into the night.

Except it’s not night, is it ? It’s barely 5pm. Repeat after me “Slow down. Drink water“.