June 2024. Romsey. Hampshire. Day 1 of Michael’s Big Birthday Bash. Father-in-law wanted to return to Romsey to see the primary school he left in 1947, a simple request. If I never see anything from my youth ever again I’ll be delighted. We turned up on what felt the first sunny day of the year,… Continue reading ROMSEY – 1947 AND ALL THAT
Month: June 2024
THE JOY OF 6X IN CHANDLERS FORD
June 2024. Chandlers Ford. Childhood home ticked, posh Sunday lunch skipped, I headed to the western suburbs of Chandler’s Ford for a roast and a GBG tick. See ! I am still getting an occasional Guide tick ! What even is Chandler’s Ford ? It can’t be a suburb of anywhere, too big for that… Continue reading THE JOY OF 6X IN CHANDLERS FORD
“Spencer is a very scared spaniel x”. My father-in-law returns to Ampfield.
June 2024. Ampfield. Hampshire. Just because I’m making such poor progress with the ticking doesn’t mean I’m not clocking up the miles. This was the first leg our first long weekend of June (where’s my Summer gone, by the way), popping on my parents before heading to the coast for Father-in-Law’s 86th birthday, present. He’d… Continue reading “Spencer is a very scared spaniel x”. My father-in-law returns to Ampfield.
A LONG WAIT FOR WATERBEACH NEW TOWN
June 2024. Waterbeach. Another Waterbeach weekend, with a bit of south coast in the middle, a chance to let Dad escape the house and admire the work of the council lawnmower. It’s been TWICE (2 X) this week, confirming that a neat lawn is more important than pothole repair in the Fens. I’ve been taking… Continue reading A LONG WAIT FOR WATERBEACH NEW TOWN
HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY GBG COUNTY No. 53 – GLAMORGAN
After what washed-up pop stars call “a hiatus”, it’s back to “Half A Dozen Pubs In Every County“, though down to the Cost of Living Crisis/Shrinkflation you only get five from me and pick one yourself. Glamorgan is a vast county of Brains, beaches, and bottomless brunches. I was tempted to include the Roost, my… Continue reading HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY GBG COUNTY No. 53 – GLAMORGAN
CLASSIC, BASIC, UNSPOILT PUBS – THE PEYTON ARMS, STOKE LYNE, OXON
May 2024. Stoke Lyne. Oxfordshire. A slightly risky clamber over barbed wire, Great Escape style, from the M40 service station at Cherwell into a spooky (and chilly) Stoke Wood, and then to one of the UK’s last surviving Classic, Basic, Unspoilt pubs. This paper version of the list is even older than some of the… Continue reading CLASSIC, BASIC, UNSPOILT PUBS – THE PEYTON ARMS, STOKE LYNE, OXON
GREAT PUB WALKS FROM MOTORWAY SERVICE STATIONS – BICESTER CHERWELL VALLEY M40
May 2024. Bicester. Last day of May, one pub down, surely an evening of Oxford ticking ahead, time to pick a hotel; Not at those prices ! I tried Travelodge, and came up with a double room for £30.99 on the M40 services at Bicester. Oooh, futuristic food court with Greggs, KFC and those inedible… Continue reading GREAT PUB WALKS FROM MOTORWAY SERVICE STATIONS – BICESTER CHERWELL VALLEY M40
“DRUNKEN DEDDINGTON”
May 2024. Deddington. Banbury. As so often these days, two days after a night out in Warwick and I’m back trudging down the M1 to Middle England, a stop-off on the way to entertain both sets of parents for a few days. UK highways, improving for a few years, have hit a rough patch of… Continue reading “DRUNKEN DEDDINGTON”
MAY ’24 STOCKTAKE AND JUNE PREVIEW
The contractually-required Highlights post. Simon does his before May’s ended, which is tempting fate. Here’s the Retired Martin Travel Map for May; Oh, and this bit of Europe as well; Albania was a joy; Tirana, Berat and Gjirokaster three very different cities, essential in their own way. You’re going there for cobbled streets and views… Continue reading MAY ’24 STOCKTAKE AND JUNE PREVIEW
WHY WARWICK ?
May 2024. Warwick. The morning after the five pub (and a craft bar) crawl. I slept in (the campervan), undisturbed by a squirrel throwing acorns at the roof and a parking warden trying to read my ticket through the steamed up glass. And then I gave the town a second look. In truth, you’d pick… Continue reading WHY WARWICK ?
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