Possibly undeserving of its own post, but unquestionably as attractive as any pub gracing a tin of Devon biscuits over the last 30 years, I finally made it into the Royal Oak, Winsford. Readers of this blog, as opposed to the sensible folk who just look at the pictures, will remember the Regal Tree Royal… Continue reading BACK ONCE AGAIN TO THE ROYAL OAK, WINSFORD
YET ANOTHER ROYAL OAK IN EXMOOR
Should you ever find yourself in Exmoor without your trusty Good Beer Guide (any year) just look for a Royal Oak. By law only pubs called the Royal Oak (or possibly ExMoreAle) are allowed GBG status. This one is in Luxborough; it says so on the sign. Though a quick look at the OS suggests… Continue reading YET ANOTHER ROYAL OAK IN EXMOOR
ENTERTAINING THE HERD IN BISHOPS LYDEARD
Oooh, a poster for an event you haven’t quite missed yet. It’ll never catch on. Next stop, Bishops Lydeard, which for the purpose of this post ONLY I’ve decided rhymes with herd or third. Tomorrow it can rhyme with fish if you want. “Show us the trains, already” says the heritage bore. Not only a… Continue reading ENTERTAINING THE HERD IN BISHOPS LYDEARD
BICKNOLLER (MAKES ME WANNA HOLLER)
Yes, I walked up there, from the Bicknoller Inn. Hero. Apparently I made it to the top of Thorncombe Burrow, in the bosom of the Quantocks. Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, I felt drowsy at the summit in a field of fernand dozed off 20 minutes, dreaming about GBG delivery day and… Continue reading BICKNOLLER (MAKES ME WANNA HOLLER)
NO SLUMBER TILL STOGUMBER
It must be the heat. I actually called that last post “Wantage Is Gonna Get You“, before I noticed my error. I’m tempted to blame it on Spellcheck, and hope that Stogumber doesn’t come out as Stokes cucumber or something. As you can see, my next stop on the venerable (i.e. overpriced) West Somerset Railway… Continue reading NO SLUMBER TILL STOGUMBER
WATCHET IS GONNA GET YOU
Is there any more alluring a sight than beer in an Otter glass with Gloria Estefan singing “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” on a big screen in a Watchet club ? Well, yes, Pub Curmudgeon drinking John Smiths Cask in Preston, but you’ll have to wait for that. Back to Watchet for a second tick.… Continue reading WATCHET IS GONNA GET YOU
PAUVI PANI RAKLO
No idea what it means, but one of you will. Incidentally, I saw a version of my blog translated into German last week and it made me sound really scary. “Schneller ! Schneller ! Setz dich !” etc etc. Anyway, this is Zummerzet in Zummer, so less scary than Nathan Lyon. Except that I was… Continue reading PAUVI PANI RAKLO
THE ROAD TO BEGGEARN HUISH
Oooh, a very Somerset place name, as I set up camp in Exmoor for a concerted attempt to finish that GBG county for the first time. £32.30 a night B & B in the White Horse in Washford, which I can assure you is an all-time bargain. If they can open branches across Devon and… Continue reading THE ROAD TO BEGGEARN HUISH
THANK U, RICKFORD, NEXT
Grief, Somerset is lovely. Shame about the beer (so far). Would I get better Butcombe on the edge of the Mendips ? Is VAR the best invention, ever ? Well, no. To both. But Rickford is worth the trip, for the Masonic Lodge and ducks by the waterfall, And what Wiki calls a gauging house.… Continue reading THANK U, RICKFORD, NEXT
LAST OF THE SUMMER SQUASH IN YATTON
The GBBF may have diversity (not the dance act, a serious omission) and a 70s cover band, but you only see oversized vegetables in pubs. So pubs win. The biggest pumpkin I ever saw was a prize winning specimen in the Three Horse Shoes in Boroughbridge. Between giant veg, Yorkshire weather and Boycott, you’d never… Continue reading LAST OF THE SUMMER SQUASH IN YATTON
