It’s taken 28 years of a ticking career to finish Mid Wales, one of the most beautiful but frustrating of the GBG “counties” (I know). And it all ends at Llangurig, between the Beacons and the lakes, as we anxiously wait for noon opening at the Black Lion. I must have driven past it half… Continue reading MID WALES HAS FALLEN – LLANGURIG BASS CLICK BAIT SPECIAL
LOITERING IN LLANIDLOES
File this post under “for future historical reference only“. Lovely little Llanidloes (pronounced Lanny-Dee-Lowes, I believe), has 10 pubs for a population of 2,929, which is almost Isle of Man proportions. We stopped for a mid-morning saunter and cheese and sourdough; the cheese is still evident in the campervan a month later. Like nearly all… Continue reading LOITERING IN LLANIDLOES
NO CHANGE IN NEWTOWN, THANKFULLY
Probably 3 days into the West Wales Wander by now, and a break in Newtown, which I’d call Nice Newtown but it’s naff. They had free parking for the Jubilee and let me park the campervan in the attractively named “The Gravel” next to McDonalds. Newtown isn’t a must see, a bit functional like Atherstone… Continue reading NO CHANGE IN NEWTOWN, THANKFULLY
WAITING FOR THE BEEHIVE TO POSSIBLY OPEN
A penultimate Mid Wales tick in one of those “unimproved” rural pubs the Welsh specialise in. “Old man’s pubs” says Mrs RM. The Beehive in Manafon has taunted me for years with its “challenging” opening hours and shy social media presence, and when we arrive there is no sign of a Friday night opening. After… Continue reading WAITING FOR THE BEEHIVE TO POSSIBLY OPEN
BWLCH-Y-CIBAU….EGGS, SOOTY & NBSS 3.5 DOOM BAR
I’m not suggesting the Welsh don’t know their place, but a month ago I was aware some pubs weren’t taking the Jubilee totally seriously… Is that a giant avocado under that crown ? Luckily for the Stumble, tucked away in the gorgeous hilly bit of Montgomeryshire, it’s redeemed by its Doom Bar. And a giant… Continue reading BWLCH-Y-CIBAU….EGGS, SOOTY & NBSS 3.5 DOOM BAR
DOVEY VALLEY PORK SCRATCHINGS DISASTER
Into Mid Wales, always a bundle of fun, both the pubs and the opening hour traumas. Despite the occasional pashmina mum at the Machynlleth Alternative Tech place (it’s mostly toilets), I really like this blob of hilly villages between the Brummy seaside and Offa’s Dyke. Sadly this post is a bit short on the tourist… Continue reading DOVEY VALLEY PORK SCRATCHINGS DISASTER
LLWYNGWRIL, HANDY FOR THE HILL
Well, not far from Snowdon, anyway. From a jubil(ee)antly ticked North-East Wales to an attack on the North-West, the land of Helly Hansen, Patrick’s Bar, and some of the most glorious scenery in the world. And a cycle hire scheme to rival those electric bikes you rent by the minute from Cambridge station. More knitting… Continue reading LLWYNGWRIL, HANDY FOR THE HILL
NORTH-EAST WALES HAS FALLEN
“Oh no, I was enjoying the endless Channel Islands posts“. Never mind, time for loads of Wales, then even more loads of eastern Scotland, and then Devon.. A month ago, the weekend of the Royal Jubilee, possibly the Jubilee of the year Elvis died given how far I’m now behind on the blog. I wanted… Continue reading NORTH-EAST WALES HAS FALLEN
JERSEY OR GUERNSEY ?
Milking the Channel Island for blog posts is like milking Jersey cows, given that you can’t milk potatoes. Mancunians will be delighted to know the problems at their airport knocked on to delay our return from Jersey by 80 minutes, 80 minutes spent following planes on flightradar24. Back home I coloured in the book, and… Continue reading JERSEY OR GUERNSEY ?
JERSEY ROYALS
Day 6 of the Channel Islands (“Chis”) chunter. Home day, the GBG chapter triumphantly completed. Mrs RM just wanted to sleep, so I made her take a bus trip to the furthest extremity before our mid-afternoon early evening flight to Manchester. The pink line takes you past the German war tunnels, the maze, and about… Continue reading JERSEY ROYALS
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