CATS CALLED GRACIE AND CELLOS ON BIKES – BACK TO BUNTINGFORD

October 2026. Buntingford. Hertfordshire.

The last time I wrote about Buntingford I got some right abuse for this line “One of the Scouse dads was burping loudly to impress his young daughter”. It wasn’t, in fact, his dad, it was his uncle, and he was, in fact, from North Wales, not Merseyside. These things matter. I apologised profusely.

In general this blog gets about one negative comment a year, mainly because I’ve captured someone in a photo who shouldn’t be there (see also : Coldplay kiss cam).

Like young Simon, I’m probably a bit more careful about photos these days, after the odd hour spent frantically trying to edit people out of blog posts while walking Welsh hills with intermittent internet.

This chap gave me a look on Sunday afternoon;

But once he knew I’d been living in that very house in Waterbeach six months ago that the proud new owners have just had beautifully rethatched he was delighted in the interest.

Mum and Dad would be delighted in the thatch, and the finials.

Quite a few finials in Buntingford, a market town of 7,989 souls in the posher half of Hertfordshire. You get cats named Gracie and cellos on bikes here.

I reckon I’d visited the Fox & Duck when I lived and worked in North Herts, before I started the GBG ticking mission.

There’s a lot to commend this community local, heaving on a Sunday afternoon like in the Commodores classic. A BBQ in the garden, gorgeous pub sign, Leeds v United on the telly, a joyous atmosphere at the bar with a great landlady in full flow.

And some low-key Halloween deccies compared to what to come that night.

Not the freshest Pride (seemingly drawn from the side room) I’ve ever had, but the pub was a gem.

Anyway, here’s the (rather dried up) ford that gives the town (half of) its name,

the bunting being what the locals will put up when BRAPA comes to town.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

12 thoughts on “CATS CALLED GRACIE AND CELLOS ON BIKES – BACK TO BUNTINGFORD”

  4. I was going to protest strongly that no way it could have been someone from north Wales that was behaving do uncouth, then I read ‘Caernarfon’.

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      2. I spend a lot of time at its Spoons as it’s the only place still open while wait 50 minute between train arriving and the late bus to Denbigh departing. Come to think of it, it’s the sort of place they’d have burp-alongs around the piano if there was one there. That would help with the City of Culture bid.

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      3. Wrexham for City of Culture is a bit ridiculous if I’m honest. Yes, the football club but not a great deal else unless you extend it out to the whole borough which does at least give you Erddig Hall and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. (UNESCO World Heritage Site). It’s got to be Sheffield hasn’t it? Not just because you live there, RM.

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      4. When does Wrexham get the Eisteddfod next ? Erddig Hall and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct are one thing, but Wrexham hasd had some good music events on in recent years. Sheffield has really underrated museums, but I’m not sure pubs count as culture. Give it to the Dons.

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      5. The National Eisteddfod was there last year, and before that in 2011, so it’ll be a while. In May every year there’s a music festival called Focus Wales, held in venues all over town (no one in their right mind calls it a city). I’ve not been, but I’ve heard good things. There’s a nice write up about it here by a fellow groundhopper

        Saturday Night at Focus Wales 2026

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