retiredmartin

June 2026. London.

Another long drive last Wednesday; Sheffield to Waterbeach to see Dad (firmly asleep), then down to Tunbridge Wells ahead of Father-in-Law’s 88th birthday (firmly awake and raring to go). There’s some longevity genes in our families.

I dropped Mrs RM off at T’Wells Travelodge to blog, and ran for the South-eastern departure into Waterloo. Three London GBG newbies, let’s get the central ones done, at least*.

Waterloo East to Waterloo Platform 19, then South-Western to Richmond (London).

Note how Google paints Richmond as green and lovely, and terrible Twickers as grey and dangerous, which is entirely as it should be.

I missed the Official CAMRA Curated Survey of Richmond Licensed Premises** in the Spring due to family drama; it sounded like a great day out.

The only problem with organised days out is that you’re treated as a pariah if you leave the group to do the cultural bits. Not that I did much at 10 to 5 on a Wednesday.

The dash across Richmond Green is as good as ChatGPT says,

and the White Swan is simply magical, tucked away a few yards from the Thames.

Such an unpretentious pub,

with a really friendly welcome from the chatty young barman, and an escape from the monotony of Landlord and Pride.

Google says “gastropub”,

and I guess it is, but there were tables without reserved signs on them, and the locals weren’t loud like over the Thames,

and that pint (£6.10, since you insist I tell you) was cool and chewy.

“Very Good (4)” as they say in CAMRA.

*_{My final “London” Guide entry is a cricket club in outer Enfield with “ad-hoc” opening hours, which is nice.}

**_{Pub crawl}