retiredmartin

February 2025. Poppleton. York.

No new GBG entries in Ye Olde Cittie of York for what seems like aeons, so thank goodness for Poppleton, said no-one ever.

“I’ve been to Paradise, but I’ve never been to Poppleton” sang Charlene on her 1982 Motown chart-topper.

First stop west of York on the Harrogate line; 5 minutes out (seemingly 5 days on the way back), what can I tell you of the mysteries of this village/suburb/secret community by the Ouse ?

Well, there’s a Nether and an Upper (2,000 souls in each), virtually contiguous based on my 45 minute survey, and very little of note.

Three (3) pubs, of which the Lord Nelson on a Waterbeach-style hillock looks the most inviting at dusk.

It’s the three weird beers that get you in the Guide,

but it’s the Tim Taylor at just under a fiver that you judge a pub by, and this is an intensely bitter but slightly sharp pint of Landlord that gets a 3 from me.

The Nelson is packed with dads and lads about to watch the rugby, having just seen Plymouth stuff the Scouse bus-wreckers at a jubilant Home Park.

Children in pubs are a joy, but they rather limit your photographic opportunity, so you’ll just have to imagine a small Yorkshire modernised village pub with odd humour.

You know the sort.

I’d given myself 15 minutes to walk the 21 minutes back to the station, so excuse the highlights reel,

comprising river, survey marker,

and red and white maypole round which Poppleton celebrates Sunderland’s annual defeat in the promotion play-offs.

Bet that pub in the background gets in GBG26.