retiredmartin

July 2026. Sawley. Derbyshire.

A really great day’s pubbing organised by Super Shawn of Leicester; half a dozen stops in suburban Derby close to the Trent.

The only issue is the anti-social inclinations of some pub crawlers surveyors. Folk who leave the main group to drink halves (ugh) off the main trail or, even worse, visit Grade I listed churches.

All Saints has the sort of “natural” garden* I appreciate,

and acoustics so good that folk travel from Maistone to sing there.

Talking of Maidstone, Kentish Richard was at that moment adding the nearby Railway Inn to his day’s ticks, while the railactual way line was stopping me from catching up with the main party as I had to wait eight (8) minutes for the freight to pass at the Lock Lane crossing. If there’s one thing I detest it’s standing still.

So they’d already left Pub 3 as I reached the Trent Lock, with its dramatic view of the old power stations near Ratcliffe-on-Soar, set for demolition by the end of the decade.

As someone once said, “When you have lost your last power station just off the M1, weep, for you will have lost the last of England“.

At least there are still turtle doves** in our wine gardens,

and black and white photos of “the good old days” in a Vintage Inn, my second in a fortnight after Apperley Bridge.

Where’s the promised Bass though ?

Oh well, a half of Citra*** will do. I suppose.

Actually, supped in about two minutes in a garden full of Madri drinkers, it was cool but a bit “meh”. But since CAMRA has yet to produce a cool but a bit “meh” rating, it’s a 3.

*_{It’s a designated wildlife area, like the garden at RM Towers}

**_Whatever

***_{At least, we thought it was Citra. How wrong we were}