July 2025. Stannington. Sheffield. Bit of clickbait there. “Minnies” sounds like one of those West Welsh parlour pubs serving Felinfoel from a dragon’s horn, doesn’t it ? Sadly, it’s just the locals name for the Rose & Crown, our second Stannington pub, a short walk in the heat past bees*, and a terrific view out… Continue reading MINNIE’S

July 2025. Newcastle upon Tyne. 17:38 train from Darlo 18:1015 arrive in Newcastle (late) Dash to Metro at Monument tram towards Heaton delayed 18:30 catch tram to Boldon Dash to cricket club, drink pint, dash back 19:25 tram back to Monument 19:50 tram to Chillingham Road …… 21:15 train back to Darlo Yes, a mad… Continue reading ELDER (AND WISER). TYNE & WEAR COMPLETE

July 2025. East Boldon. No sooner do I tell you my ambitious plans for August than family drama strikes, for the 36th consecutive month, and I’ve just spent all afternoon in a Kent A & E waiting room with my father-in-law eating lentil crisps. Such is life, and a reminder to take every opportunity to… Continue reading MY MAXIM  – SPORTS CLUBS IN THE GBG ARE INCREDIBLY DULL BUT THE BEER IS ALWAYS GOOD

July 2025. Darlington. I’m about to analyse my whereabouts in July, and it may horrify Kentish Paul to learn I spent as many nights in a Co-op car park in Darlington as I did at home in Sheffield. No sooner was I back from Waterbeach than heading out in the campervan to Cockerton library, where… Continue reading VE-VE-VESUVIO

July 2025. Waterbeach. Being all heart, I’d offered to pick Mrs RM up on her return from Nantes that Saturday evening. Being French and all, that flight decided not to arrive at Stansted till gone 10pm, wrecking my thoughts of a pint in the Sun. But then our lads arrived home from watching Neil, Cat… Continue reading 11:15 ON A SATURDAY NIGHT

July 2025. Belton, Grantham. It’s our decennial National Trust membership year as I get to feel we’re getting value for our £139.20 by visiting every stately home and deer park in England. Mrs RM was drinking DIPAs in Nantes while I pulled off the A1 north of Grantham to join the gentlefolk at Belton House,… Continue reading PUB DESERTS AROUND BELTON

Your contractually obligated July highlights package is a bit of a fraud. Look at this travel map, my busiest month since I completed the Guide in September 2022 (pretty much when parents health started a steep decline). You’ll notice trips to Hampshire, Newport Pagnell, Liverpool and Edinburgh still to write up, including one of the… Continue reading JULY ’25 STOCKTAKE + AUGUST PREVIEW

July 2025. Sheffield. You’ll remember (you won’t) that Mrs RM had cruelly abandoned me in Sheffield to swan off to Nantes, to tick mechanical elephant and drink Oompa Loompa stout in craft bars that look like they could have been in Chisinau, or Tallinn, or Sheffield. After that “meh” pint of Budvar I needed something… Continue reading FRENCH CRISPS AND SUSSEX IMPY STOUT