retiredmartin

I have no real rules for blogging, beyond ensuring that I upset someone, hopefully someone too far away to hit me. But I reckon 400 words and ten pictures is tops. It took me over 3 years to read Moby Dick, a book that could easily have been condensed into 358 words. Back to the… Continue reading IT’S ALL FYNE

STILL on the great West Scotland Wander of a fortnight ago, I pause to congratulate Duncan on his excellent driving and commentary on the lesser-known Rural Killie Pub Krawl. With limited underground stations or landing spaces for private jets, pubbing in North Ayrshire is a challenge. You can see the success of my late August… Continue reading THE CHAUFFEUR

The only thing missing from Tuesday’s dash round Greater Paisley was a chance to appreciate the many cultural attractions that Scotland has to offer. So when Duncan offered a more leisurely trip on Wednesday to tackle tricky Ayrshire, I was determined to play the tourist card. “What’s in Maybole, Duncan ?” “Oh, nothing, nothing. Though… Continue reading DANCING ROUND THE MAYBOLE

I was just wondering why I hadn’t seen BRAPA’s August review when I realised I hadn’t done one myself. Membership of the GBG Tickers Society requires this monthly return on progress. I do have the minor excuses of being stuck in a field, in Dorset, at the start of the month. End of the Road… Continue reading AUGUST ’19 STOCKTAKE + SEPTEMBER PREVIEW

It was, of course, spectacularly kind of Pubmeister to taxi me around his own patch on my Scottish West Coaster, and Bing Maps reveals he drove 3 hours to help me make this a Ten Tick Tuesday. And his driving is certainly better than BRAPA’s. The only downside is the tinge of guilt I felt,… Continue reading TEN TICK TUESDAY – A PAISLEY PUB CHASE

I’m just back from the new Cambridge Brew Dog, where the cask was off and I was too early for the 8% Imperial Coconut Porter. Now I feel refreshed and ready for more GBG19-to-20 cross ticking and some distant memories of the Scottish jaunt. "And then I met up with Duncan Mackay and remember very… Continue reading JOIN THE PUB TICKERS AND SEE THE WORLD (WELL, RENFREWSHIRE)

You left me at the Cumbrae ferry, waiting for the return to Largs where Pubmeister was waiting to whisk me around the GBG pubs of Ayshire and Greater Paisley. Look ! There he is, hiding behind the yellow X below. For the very best photos of our emotional reunion, look at Duncan’s blog now. Actually,… Continue reading DON’T GO (BEER GUIDE TICKING IN SCOTLAND IF YOU DON’T LIKE SPOONS)

If you can’t find a pub cat, find a picture of a shark. I think that’s the rule. Foreign travel is always thrilling for the pub ticker, and the Caledonian Macbrayne ferry to Great Cumbrae (pop. 1376) is no exception. “Don’t forget your passport tetanus jab” said Duncan. No bar on board, even though it’s… Continue reading MAKING HAY ON GREAT CUMBRAE

No, that photo isn’t the new BRAPA outfit for the GBG20 season. I’m in Largs, birthplace of the ice cream wars and home to Nardini’s, whose famous fudge flavour ices were used extensively as props in This Life, apparently. Largs is an odd shaped hour on the train out from Glasgow Central. If it was… Continue reading SUNSHINE ON LARGS