Still blogging from the Welsh Wander nearly two weeks ago, and a Friday night in Lymm felt the perfect way to rest up before yet another trip into Manchester. Mrs RM parked up in the car park near the Cross, jumped when she saw the parking patrol out and about at 20:00 in a small… Continue reading LYMM – COBBLES, CURRY, CASK FLYING OUT
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.
NO DUFF (AT) THE MAGIC DRAGON
A flying visit to Wrexham/Wrecsam, whose latest attempt to join the Hollywood elite in League 2 (Barrow, Sutton, Rochdale) came to a stuttering halt at the weekend, leaving Stockport favourites for automatic promotion. I’m sure Mudgie will be delighted. I was almost as delighted to finally get the Magic Dragon Tap ticked, though leaving one… Continue reading NO DUFF (AT) THE MAGIC DRAGON
WAITING ON THE CLWYDIAN RANGE
The penultimate stop on our North-East Wales wiggle took us around the mighty Clwydian range, where Mrs RM and I used to head for in the mid-90s before ticking to stay in Bed & Breakfasts run by mums in Pantymwyn for £35 and walk the ridge from Loggerheads walk. Our tick is in Maeshafn, pronounced… Continue reading WAITING ON THE CLWYDIAN RANGE
NO SLEEP ‘TILL TREMEIRCHION
Mrs RM, restored to full happiness by the purchase of a duvet with Manchester bee decoration in St. Asaph, pressed on past numerous roadworks to Tremeirchion. We’d taken these tiny roads, akin to deepest Devon, last August when it was unexpectedly closed and we had to make do with a Brunning & Price in Bodfari… Continue reading NO SLEEP ‘TILL TREMEIRCHION
THE LOCAL’S CHOICE IN ST. ASAPH
The North Wales holiday coast isn’t typically top of a ticker’s bucket list, but in recent years I’ve made the case (and lost it) for Rhyl and Prestatyn better that the Flintshire Tourist Office. Can I do the same for St Asaph, coincidentally bearing the same name as the stately cathedral that dominates the town… Continue reading THE LOCAL’S CHOICE IN ST. ASAPH
LOSING MRS RM ON THE CONWY RAMPARTS
I’m off to visit some famous walls tomorrow*, and not Chester either, but I reckon Conwy has the best of the wall walks. And I somehow persuaded Mrs RM to walk them, with the promise it was the quickest way back to the campervan. Just shy of the walls, we note a weird row of… Continue reading LOSING MRS RM ON THE CONWY RAMPARTS
CONWY – RISING PRICES, SMALL HOUSES, “MAGIC”, GUTO KEBAB
You left Mrs RM and myself in the Conwy Valley Hotel, a motel 5 miles south of town with ’80s discos and keg Lees MPA. You may be horrified to learn I resisted (both). While many travellers succumb to the on-site overpriced breakfast, it’s pretty much retiredmartin policy to NEVER eat at the hotel, and… Continue reading CONWY – RISING PRICES, SMALL HOUSES, “MAGIC”, GUTO KEBAB
APRIL ’22 STOCKTAKE + MAY PREVIEW
Mrs RM promised me she’d get me behind with the blog, and the April highlights post finds me nine (9) days and twenty-three (23) pubs behind. I’ll never catch up ! Do I care ? Of course not. April saw me tick fifty-five (55) new GBG entries, a return to form after the Spanish flu… Continue reading APRIL ’22 STOCKTAKE + MAY PREVIEW
MISSING PATRICK IN BANGOR
Last tick of a thrilling day, a sixth (6th) in North Wales, and what is always a joyful return to Bangor. Even when Duncan insists we drink after midnight on Sunday. Except it wasn’t. Due to Mrs RM’s punishing schedule, I didn’t go to Patrick’s Bar, which as you know is one of my favourite… Continue reading MISSING PATRICK IN BANGOR
3 “D”s IN A ROW – MORE LOCAL BEER NEAR SNOWDON
A resume of our trip round North Wales as we approached the crucial part of the day where we had key decisions to make; -Stay in the campervan in a layby on the A55 or book a nice hotel with fluffy pillows -Chance a Chinese takeaway in Bangor or just eat the rest of the… Continue reading 3 “D”s IN A ROW – MORE LOCAL BEER NEAR SNOWDON
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