Today’s Reader of the Day is the mysterious sidspid, who recommends Kirsty MacColl as the soundtrack as I take you down to fifteen remaining ticks. Blimey, Kirsty was a great songwriter (sometimes let down by tinny production), look at these lines; There’s Suzy-Ann with her tits and curlsWhere mediocrity excelsFor those vicious boys and their… Continue reading FIFTEEN MINUTES, FIFTEEN (15) TICKS LEFT. CARBOST OR BUST.
SWEET LITTLE SIXTEEN (Too young to get married) (as you might ruin my Sligachan GBG tick)
Am I allowed to reference Chuck Berry in 2022 ? Anyhow, sticking rigidly to the Scottish Tickathon, here’s the sixth tick of the final twenty-two, which by my maths makes that a Sweet Sixteen to go*. Big thank you to Cal Mac (Calvin MacDonald, who built the first oracle to take tickers across the sea… Continue reading SWEET LITTLE SIXTEEN (Too young to get married) (as you might ruin my Sligachan GBG tick)
THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN (17) – GBG TICKING IN STORNOWAY
More almost up-to-date blogging from the Scottish Highlands as the Countdown to GBG Completion wobbles on. This post comes from the front seat of a campervan parked in the car park of the Applecross, waiting for noon opening while Mrs RM fixed Spanish IT issues. From the Uists we caught a ferry to Harris, which… Continue reading THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN (17) – GBG TICKING IN STORNOWAY
18 (GBG PUBS LEFT) WITH A BULLET ! CLADDACH KIRKIBOST HAS FALLEN
Another update from The Road to GBG Completion, this one from the Hebrides Hotel in Tarbert where we’re getting our money’s worth (£16 a fish finger sandwich) by hogging a table and the WiFi. We awoke early on Saturday morning in Mallaig, hoping the ferry to the Uists had turned up. It hadn’t; just a… Continue reading 18 (GBG PUBS LEFT) WITH A BULLET ! CLADDACH KIRKIBOST HAS FALLEN
Nnnnnnn…19 GBG ticks to go. Mallaig around midnight.
A short post from Stornoway, where the Americano in Eleven has revived me sufficiently to tell you about the 3rd tick on our Quest to Tick the West (of Scotland). You’ll recall how I started Friday needing 22, knocking off a couple at the end of an 8 hour slog to Mallaig, whose Steam Inn… Continue reading Nnnnnnn…19 GBG ticks to go. Mallaig around midnight.
MRS RM PHONES THE LOCHABER PUBS TO ASK THEM TO STAY OPEN A BIT LONGER
I’ll give you a pub by pub account of our progress towards GBG completion, and leave the 200 pubs in July and August till later. Sorry if you were waiting on that Scilly report. Yesterday (was it Friday ?) was stressful. The campervan needed new tyres and a leaky shaft (whatever that is) fixed. So… Continue reading MRS RM PHONES THE LOCHABER PUBS TO ASK THEM TO STAY OPEN A BIT LONGER
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN – 22 BECOMES 21
Two (2) weeks ago I completed Wales AND England and suddenly only had 22 to complete the Beer Guide and follow in the shadow of the Pubmeister. Twenty two ? Piece of ****, surely ? Well, first I had what we’ll call family drama, meaning a week spent at “home”, and then this week the… Continue reading THE FINAL COUNTDOWN – 22 BECOMES 21
WOOHA ! – THE GRAMPIANS HAVE FALLEN
The last week of June saw the Aberdeen & Grampian chapter of the GBG completed in the picturesque setting of Findhorn Bay on the Moray Firth, from where you can see all my 22 remaining Guide pubs. Threatening clowds, mud and sand, weatherbeaten pubs, pashminas and campervans; a lovely place. Best seen from the Google… Continue reading WOOHA ! – THE GRAMPIANS HAVE FALLEN
CRAFT BEER IN ELLON. A BREWDOG FREE ZONE
Ellon (pop. 10,070) is one of the most populous UK towns I’d never visited before this mammoth ticking year, which is odd when you think of its reputation as the birthplace of woke craft beer. I would have visited in 2019 but I was so sick after the bus trip to Oldmeldrum I gave it… Continue reading CRAFT BEER IN ELLON. A BREWDOG FREE ZONE
WHAT’S THE STORY, TWO TICK BANCHORY ?
Deeside and the approach to the Cairngorms is gorgeous; if I ever finish the Guide I’ll come back and do it properly for you. For now it’s all about relentless ticking, as we head to Banchory, a mini Helensburgh. Two ticks, starting with the Douglas Arms, a heritage pub whose heritage charms I rather missed,… Continue reading WHAT’S THE STORY, TWO TICK BANCHORY ?
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