retiredmartin

September 2026. Cranborne Chase. Dorset.

Pubs and football and Chinese takeaways are all well and good, but it’s people who really interest me.

Take the people Mrs RM and I brought into the world. What explains Matthew’s musical taste compared to mine (or James’s) ?

Why’s he wearing a Townes Van Zandt t-shirt in 2026 ?

“That’s Townes, not Steven” says Matt when I mention his t-shirt in Duston. And he’s seen Stevie in Springsteen’s band, lucky lad.

“I do know that, Matt !“. But do I ?

Over last weekend I’ll see three Townes Van Zandt t-shirts, which officially marks revival status. Mind you, I’ll also see six Arsenal tops, and no-one wants a revival of that.

End of the Road attracts a wide and eclectic repertoire. If my esteemed readers have heard of more than a half dozen of these I’ll be impressed.

You might assume Pulp are the big draw, but it’s Geese the lads have come to Cranborne Chase to see.

Salisbury Cathedral to the north, Badger Brewery to the south, a parched camp ground with Larmer Tree’s wedding venue in the middle where we head from Northampton, loaded down with crates of Aldi lager.

I get the campervan pitch, the boys get the tents.

Mrs RM had sorted out the camping gear; she just can’t cut those apron strings*.

I know some of you still believe this is a beer blog, so here’s the lists from the real ale bar.

If this was a beer festival (ugh) in Salisbury Cathedral in March it would be fine, but served a little too soon in tents into plastic cups the cask isn’t dragging the youth away from the craft bar that opens a day later.

Thursday is not great for my artisanally curated diet. A bowl of onion bhajis and mango chutney washed down with Sixpenny Best and Summer Lightning that reminds me I need a night in Salisbury.

I leave my sons with a curated list of my music recommendations so that they can catch up with me, and never see them again all weekend.

The boys head down to the Woods for Geese (the pashmina lady in the campervan next to me believes they’re called ducks). I decide the cinema is the place to be.

If you can identify that 1989 film, featuring one of our greatest actresses, from that warning you win a prize.

*_{Joking. She spent the weekend in Bratislava with another famous pub blogger.}