June 2025. Waterbeach. While all is peace and quiet over in America, here in the UK there’s a heatwave that’s affecting our internet quality. That’s my only explanation for the map extract above. Note in particular the size of the telephone above the White Horse. It’s good to celebrate excellence, and last Sunday we enjoyed… Continue reading A SUPERIOR CURRY NIGHT IN WATERBEACH

June 2025. Poynton. Cheshire. A rare stop in Poynton, doggedly in Cheshire though feeling like Stockport overspill. A burgeoning commuter town famous for the shared space at the heart of its 4 lanes that dispenses with frippery like traffic lights and invites everyone to be polite and give way to each other. There was an… Continue reading POLITE PEOPLE IN POYNTON

June 2025. Macclesfield. Half a dozen pubs in Macclesfield on our Proper Day Out; the Castle (again) the top pub, but our final stop probably won the coveted Beer of the Day. The Queens has the top mobility scooter, too, but lacks the classic multi-room interior of the best of Holt’s Salford estate. Lovely tinsel… Continue reading THE BOYS OF SUMMER SCORE MACCLESFIELD’S HOLT BITTER

June 2025. Macclesfield. A slight change to the “written in stone” itinerary as rumbling tums necessitated a lunch stop, and the Hyde’s place from 2021 hadn’t been great, though at least the Mandarina offered a straight glass. Rumours that Jon had travelled the 4 hours from Frome just for a pint in a Wetherspoons were… Continue reading FOUND IT ! THE MACC BASS HUNT

June 2025. Macclesfield. The Macclesfield Proper Day Out (none of your “curated exploration nonsense here”) heads for Pub No. 2 via the steep incline of Back Wallgate. Regular readers may remember that bollard; the one that extinguished my chances of late fatherhood (two is plenty). I’d already done a recce on the barrels outside the… Continue reading THE CASTLE, MACCLESFIELD. ALMOST PERFECT

June 2025. Macclesfield. Less tickin’, more talkin’. That’s the story of my pub life post GBG completion. And that’s how it should be. The shy Unretired Martin of 40 years ago is now a social creature seeking out company on pub crawls to discuss hopping rates, CAMRA regional reviews, and the correct spelling of Church… Continue reading THE MACC LADS KICK OFF AT THE WATERS GREEN TAVERN

June 2025. Glossop. A favour for Matt (who turned 24 on Sunday !) meant a quick pint in Glossop, home to some of the Dark Peak’s best views, and a classic pub right on the door of the station. The publican of The Star had expressed some astonishment I could buy Jaipur in Spoons cheaper… Continue reading A STAR IN GLOSSOP

June 2025. West Wickham. South-East London. The struggle is real. A 2:15 hour train trip to Boring Beckenham in the June heatwave to tick two GBG micros that could have been anywhere. Anywhere in Kent or South London, specifically. You’re expecting me to say “It’s not you, Beckenham, it’s me“, aren’t you ? But it’s… Continue reading MILD PERIL IN WEST WICKHAM

June 2025. Beckenham. It’s not cheap getting to London from Waterbeach during the week, but it’s cheaper when you’re old. £25.50 day return to Beckenham, with two (2) new GBG pubs as I bring London ticking to a crescendo. A train to Beckenham isn’t as straightforward as a train to Kings Lynn. How many stations… Continue reading A DAY TRIP TO BECKENHAM