January 2025. Norfolk. A traumatic day yesterday, one I can’t bring myself to write about just yet. But I need to write to stay sane, so here’s Thursday’s £13.40 rail trip into darkest Norfolk. I’d targeted a first visit to King’s Lynn since just after Covid, after a couple of years when Lynn had looked… Continue reading WHAT ON EARTH HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN KING’S LYNN ?

January 2025. Littleport A bitterly cold night in the Fens, and I had to catch the 17:03 back to Waterbeach where I’d collect Mum’s Chinese takeaway 20 minutes later. As Pubmeister noted last time, Littleport is no jewel of the Fens, feeling as isolated as, say, Chatteris despite the railway. But then, Watlington has a… Continue reading ABK REPLACES DOOM BAR ON THE GREAT OUSE

January 2025. Littleport. Cambridgeshire. My only escapes from Waterbeach are brief ones, to unsung towns by rail. Towns like Cambridge, Ely, and now Littleport (pop. 9,168). A trip through 20 minutes of relentless black, fertile, soil brings you to Littleport station, from which it’s a bitterly cold 15 minute yomp to what passes as the… Continue reading YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO CASK IN LITTLEPORT

January 2025. Cambridge. From the Eagle it’s about 28 minutes back to Cambridge station if you don’t stop in the Fitzwilliam to knock over a priceless Ming vase; I reckoned I could do it in 18 minutes and get a half in the Old Ticket Office. I did it in 17, then remembered this sign… Continue reading REAL ALE ! IN A CAN !

January 2025. Cambridge. Leaving the Castle Inn the only polite thing to do is the 7.2 seconds of exertion it takes to climb the actual castle hill and admire Cambridge from its highest point. Or not. Across the road, you’ve got an almost hill leading to St Peter, and the form over substance of Kettles… Continue reading CATCHING CAMBRIDGE’S EAGLE AT THE PERFECT MOMENT

January 2025. Cambridge. I’ve read a few disparaging comments about the Cambridge pub scene recently, and although I’ve never been the biggest advocate for my home town I’m delighted to tell you that beer quality, at least, is holding up in Mill Road and the Kite quarter. Perhaps the charismatic landlords of yore have gone,… Continue reading BARRY WOM AND THE CASTLE INN

January 2025. Cambridge. Apart from Crispy Beef and a pint in The Sun, Waterbeach’s saving grace is its train railway station; an hour to London, 10 minutes to Cambridge, and only seven to Cambridge North aka Chesterton, from where I attempt a rare assault on 20,000 steps and only just fall short. I have no… Continue reading DRYANUARY IN CHESTERTON

January 2025. Royston. Is this the year of McMullens ? A new GBG entrant in Sevenoaks, lauded by Kentish Paul, if not BRAPA, and some very decent cask in un-pubby surroundings on Stafford Paul’s visit to Cambridge. It’s almost like cask breathers have been forgiven. I took Mrs RM for lunch in Royston. The Manor… Continue reading McMULLEN’S IN ROYSTON

January 2025. Thriplow. Mum’s carer comes at lunchtime, hopefully to get her to eat more, and we nip out for a quick dose of “not Waterbeach”. The Queen’s Head at Newton is unexpectedly closed, which is frankly something one of the Famous Five should never be. But a couple of miles south, just above Duxford’s… Continue reading INSET DAY IN THRIPLOW

January 2025. Eddington. Cambridge. 25 years ago ALL the pubs in Cambridge had real ale, 100%. I still have the book (thanks, Paul AInsworth) to prove it. It wasn’t always good (looking at you, Pemberton Arms), but that’s not the point, is it ? This century has seen marginal cask outlets in the Cambridge suburbs… Continue reading CASK DROPPED IN EDDINGTON HYATT