August 2024. Alton. Hampshire. A short (“cheeky”) trip out with the in-laws to Southampton, and a short stop on the way back to Kent in an unsung Hampshire town. The trick with octogenarians is to find a town with a central car park with free disabled spots, a small, walkable town centre, and a stream… Continue reading ALTON HOURS
Author: 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.
FRANCIS BENALI FOUND IN EASTLEIGH
August 2024. Eastleigh. We could have driven straight home from Beaulieu to Tunbridge Wells, saving £80 on two Travelodge rooms in Britain’s dullest town, but a) it would have meant another night sleeping in Mrs RM’s childhood bedroom in Southborough, b) I had that pub up the road in Upton to tick and c) it’s… Continue reading FRANCIS BENALI FOUND IN EASTLEIGH
FLOWERPOTS REDEMPTION IN UPHAM
August 2024. Upham. Southampton. Slow but steady ticking last week, following up the obligatory Southampton micro with a more traditional pub in the smart South Downs villages, which probably claim allegiance with Winchester. 616 souls in Upham, but the Brushmakers still took unexpected effort to track down, but ain’t it gorgeous? Bench seating, fresh flowers,… Continue reading FLOWERPOTS REDEMPTION IN UPHAM
CIDER NEAR BEAULIEU
August 2024. Beaulieu. The in-laws said “We’d like to go to Beaulieu“, and my favourite thing in the world after travel, weird America songstresses and Chinese takeaways are folk who say what they want. Oooh, Texas on the blog AGAIN. The well-trodden A21/M25/M3 to Southampton and beyond is a bit of a slog, particularly the… Continue reading CIDER NEAR BEAULIEU
THE RAMSGATE “PUB” – DOES WHAT IT SAYS ON THE TIN
August 2024. Ramsgate. Let’s bring Kent to a conclusion, so I can tell you about how I got my 86 year old Father-in-Law to drink two pints of cider (not CAMRA approved) in Southampton micros. If I run out of blog material I might return to Ramsgate’s hidden charms, like the gorgeous Addington Street, but… Continue reading THE RAMSGATE “PUB” – DOES WHAT IT SAYS ON THE TIN
A PORK PIE IN BROADSTAIRS
August 2024. Broadstairs. Just the two pubs to finish the Kent chapter of the Guide for a 12th successive year, but disaster strikes as I walk up to the door of the quaintly named “Pub” on Ramsgate High Street. In honesty, it feels ages since I’d last had a “micro fail”, and I’d quite missed… Continue reading A PORK PIE IN BROADSTAIRS
SMACK BOYS
August 2024. Ramsgate. How lovely to read last night of the BRAPA clan’s outing to Cardiff to see punk legend Billy “Idol” Joel. I reckon Daddy BRAPA is the real punk with his Old Speckled Hen glass. Simon’s latest post took The Longest Time to read. 8 minutes ? An hour, two if you look… Continue reading SMACK BOYS
Ramsgate – More than just the biggest Wetherspoons in the world
August 2024. Ramsgate. Just two (2) more ticks to complete Kent’s GBG entries for another year, pipping young BRAPA to the post. Ha ! It’s Saturday in Thanet, so I’ll have no problem getting those two, and a relaxing day by the sea with Mrs RM awaits before we scoot over to Tunbridge Wells for… Continue reading Ramsgate – More than just the biggest Wetherspoons in the world
£17 POUNDS !
August 2024. Canterbury. A new Guide entry, an old favourite, a pre-emptive tick and two hours of cheery conversation with strangers. Let’s call it a night, Canterbury. Actually, the town centre is so compact we immediately bumped into Kathy and Wayne who we’d left 5 minutes earlier trying to finish off a shared sticky toffee… Continue reading £17 POUNDS !
TALKING U.S. POLITICS OVER STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING WITH TEXANS IN THE THOMAS BECKET
August 2024. Canterbury. A night in one of the UK’s top tourists towns, a million visitors a year, not all of them French and Italian teenagers either. Crossing over the Great Stour again, as we left the delightful Dave aka @Asthouart to his tea and his wonderful art, Canterbury looked magical. And who knew of… Continue reading TALKING U.S. POLITICS OVER STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING WITH TEXANS IN THE THOMAS BECKET
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