You left me on Day 3 of the Forest of Dean Big Tick, having just been warned by a pub cat to “beware the back streets of Cinderford“. It took me to realise that’s what those miaows meant, I don’t speak cat and had to use Shazam. Next stop, Upper Soudley’s White Horse., tucked between… Continue reading SAVED PENALTIES & SAVED PUBS IN UPPER SOUDLEY
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.
BAR-FLIES, PUB CATS AND DOGS AT THE COCK
Next, a shameless pitch for the pub cat market, estimated at being worth about $7.7 trillion annually for bloggers and tweeters. A short post from Blakeney, winner of “Best Village” apparently, despite having no central pub and having converted all its pretty shops to chintzy houses. Decent walks, too, though until my “scratch and sniff”… Continue reading BAR-FLIES, PUB CATS AND DOGS AT THE COCK
COLEFORD – WORKING WITH FIRE & STEEL. AND LUCOZADE.
First Lydney, now Coleford. More towns about which I could have told you nothing a week ago, beyond the fact that BRAPA hadn’t yet upset the locals and they didn’t have a Wetherspoons. On my fourth trip down the M50 this summer, I at least had the joy of a journey down the west… Continue reading COLEFORD – WORKING WITH FIRE & STEEL. AND LUCOZADE.
THE RETIREMENT OF THE VILLAGE RATCATCHER
The Forest of Dean is the gift that keeps on giving. I recommend you cancel your fortnight in England’s most beautiful town, wherever that is*, POLL: England’s Most Beautiful Town – Group C — Pub Curmudgeon 🍻 (@oldmudgie) August 14, 2018 and spend a night in a £30 guest house in Coleford or Cinderford. Update… Continue reading THE RETIREMENT OF THE VILLAGE RATCATCHER
LOST IN A FOREST (OF DEAN)
Back to that strict chronology you ticking types like, and a first exodus on this blog into the Forest of Dean, armed with your best wishes for my safe return. I felt FoD, or whatever locals call it, may have more to explore than anywhere else in the UK. You might be interested to see… Continue reading LOST IN A FOREST (OF DEAN)
INTERLUDE AT THE GREAT WESTERN
No post yesterday, due a lack of internet in my otherwise reliable Wolves guest house (good grief those Everton fans made a mess of the city on Saturday). So I’ll have to wait till I get home to bring you about 762 posts from Gloucestershire, including a horror show in Cinderford. In the meantime, a… Continue reading INTERLUDE AT THE GREAT WESTERN
CHEAP PUB LUNCHES IN CAMBRIDGE
A short break between trips down the M5/M50/A40 back in the flatlands, as I bring you a beer and food matching report from Cambridge. The Southworth clan have just invaded Cambridge, so I was treating this as reconnaissance. And I like to visit all the local GBG entries each year. So could the Kingston be… Continue reading CHEAP PUB LUNCHES IN CAMBRIDGE
NOW, EVEN NEWPORT GOES MICRO MAD
Back at the terrifying underpass at Newport Station at 7pm, I had a few choices after checking in at the Spoons. Train to Cardiff to join a crowd of 7 million celebrating the TdF with Brains in a plastic cup. Go to bed, listen to Brexit debate over a Chinese takeaway. As 2), but find… Continue reading NOW, EVEN NEWPORT GOES MICRO MAD
LIPSMACKIN’ CHEPSTOW
You’ll be delighted to hear that, following discussions between myself and our readers in Kent and Ireland, brokered by Kofi Annan, I have agreed to discontinue the weird “paint effect” filter. Instead, I bring you Chepstow in black and white, which I hope you like. Actually, it looked like a black and white town in… Continue reading LIPSMACKIN’ CHEPSTOW
THE GOOSE & CUCKOO – SOMETHING ELSE
If you’re getting bored of reports from isolated village pubs, hankering for photos of tat shops and misspelt advertising in quirky towns, your wait will soon be over. But for now, a few more rural Gwent gems. That OS extract captures the variety of Wales perfectly. Posh Abergavenny with its pashmina shops, scruffy Blaenavon… Continue reading THE GOOSE & CUCKOO – SOMETHING ELSE
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