Well, at least I now had one tick to take home from Lockdown Eve, even if the terror alert brought an abrupt halt to the day (it didn’t). On to Borough, as I entered a 3rd hour of walking (1:30 at retiredmartin pace). I stopped to admire a child playing with one of the dolphins… Continue reading KEG COMFORT IN BOROUGH
HANGING AROUND – WAPPING WRAPPED
“Enough of the walking, give us a pub !” I hear you cry. Here it is; Bit of a beauty, and I can’t believe I haven’t been in the Prospect of Whitby before, having wandered round Wapping a few times. Having set off from King’s Cross at 10.10 last Wednesday Google Maps had told me… Continue reading HANGING AROUND – WAPPING WRAPPED
“And the whisper room that winds around St Paul’s”
“And the lights on the bridgeWilliam Blake and the gridAnd the whisper room that winds around Saint Paul’sSir John Soane, found me in his parlor all aloneWeeping at the beauty of it all“Maria McKee, Right Down To The Heart Of London, 2020 When Lockdown hit hard in March I turned to my melancholia for comfort,… Continue reading “And the whisper room that winds around St Paul’s”
A LAST HURRAH
Lots of short posts for you, in case I run out of material before December. November 4th 2020. The last day before Lockdown 2, with no idea how long it might last, and whether there’d actually be any pubs to return to. Disastrously, I’d allowed young BRAPA to score more GBG ticks than me in… Continue reading A LAST HURRAH
THE KING OF UPPINGHAM
The last week before Lockdown 2 was a frantic attempt to bag as many GBG counties as possible, targeting (in the words of Management Consultants who’d charge $30k a day for this stuff) the low hanging fruit like Rutland. You might think you’ve heard scant detail about Rutland (53rd on my list of favoured counties),… Continue reading THE KING OF UPPINGHAM
JIMMY HILL’S KOSSAK
Lunch in Leicestershire’s Langtons., which are a bit like the Hamptons This is the Welland Valley, previously a haven for Proper Pubs with pub games selling Marston’s and Batemans. This was the Horse & Trumpet in Medbourne. I believe the centuries old tradition of kicking the Watneys Red barrel between Hallaton and Medbourne continues in… Continue reading JIMMY HILL’S KOSSAK
ALTHORP LACINGS
One for our happy American readers now. Althorp, family home of Diana, burial place of Lawrence Washington, and part of a map where you’ll find Chinkwell Clumps and Nobottle Woods. Technically Daventry, though I’m sure that’s still being contested with Northampton. A second GBG pub in Little Brington joins its Greater neighbour this year under… Continue reading ALTHORP LACINGS
LIVE AND LET LYNN
Really stretching out these posts from the week before “Lockdown 2 : Only the Welsh may go to the Pub“. With Doom Bar denied, I headed to the cluster of pubs in South Lynn nearest the football ground; bound to be a midday (or earlier) opener there. I’ll be honest. I really should have explored… Continue reading LIVE AND LET LYNN
DOOM BAR DESPAIR AT THE PORTERHOUSE
Two more King’s Lynn posts for you, as I get full value from my £11.40 off-peak return having completed Norfolk. I know you’d been waiting for that pic. Choices, choices. The perennial Guide entry for Lynn is a characterful old small hotel bar that doesn’t open till 6pm every night, which seems a bit miserly.… Continue reading DOOM BAR DESPAIR AT THE PORTERHOUSE
LYNN LOCKDOWN SPECIAL
Since Pubmeister’s seismic report last year, King’s Lynn has become THE Norfolk destination for #PubMen bored of Norfolk’s endless identikit backstreet free houses. Even Kentish Paul braved the town recently; his report includes words like “Hanseatic”, “Bullards” and “Boondoggle” which may be of more interest to those of you interested in beer and history. How… Continue reading LYNN LOCKDOWN SPECIAL
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