retiredmartin

Well, when someone else is driving you to drink you may as well fill your boots. I have to say, Duncan is a perfect passenger, never once demanding an emergency stop on the hard shoulder of the A428 A487. So it was that on our way to St Davids we were only mildly diverted to… Continue reading HIDDEN BASS IN LLANYCHAER

Onward to Maenclochog, which is easy for you to say. Middle of nowhere, and 3 days on camel from Pontfaen. Never heard of it, which just goes to show how much of the UK is undiscovered. Like Erith and Belverdere. It’s a village that lets its heritage decline naturally, I’ll say that. And you thought… Continue reading BENCH SEATS AND BAVARIAN N/A LAGER

Keep up ! Keep up ! Next stop on the great “Pubmeister Does All of Wales” was somewhere called Maenclochog, which sadly means something like “37 minutes from civilisation”. Before we got there, Duncan got a bit distracted… During that stop in Pontfaen, someone mentioned Rosebush, which I always thought was a Citizen Kane reference.… Continue reading TIN SHED

No, not that lot. We’re just the secret society of GBG tickers whose rules are shrouded in murky DIPA mystery. Duncan was telling me about other folk who are nearly as obsessed with the Guide as he and Simon are, but of course they don’t blog so they don’t count. Duncan’s next tick was just… Continue reading FREEMASONS

Some of the most expensive and bizarrely-named “Guest Ales” encountered on our West Wales Wander came at the Royal Oak in Newport, (Pembrokeshire, as opposed to the estimated 33 other Newports). A traditional local catering to the huge tourist trade that Wiki seems to think Newport gets, presumably pilgrims heading uphill to Pontfaen. Goodness, there’s… Continue reading SEWIN FOR PEACE IN NEWPORT (PEMBS)

Last time in Machynlleth (was it really 3 years ago), I raved about the Alternative Technology Centre and the chocolate ice cream. Sadly, the ice cream has gone. But it still feels like a town on its uppers, with lots of independent shops and a fair few day visitors from the Midlands. And further afield.… Continue reading FOLLOWING THE AMERICANS TO THE REAL ALE PUB IN MACHYNLLETH

I’m typing this in Fitzgeralds in Sunderland. The beer, especially for a Monday outside Uni terms, has been excellent throughout. There you go, cask saved. Not sure about Wales, though it was doing well in Dolgellau when I visited several weeks ago. According to Google I could be there in just 12 hrs 39 minutes.… Continue reading A TORRENT OF DOLGELLAU

More incriminating material to prove us elite GBG tickers don’t stick to cask in Guide pubs. Leaving Patrick’s at a quarter to midnight on Sunday with two long days ahead on Wales :The Great Tick 2019, surely only Horlicks and Scottish shortbread awaited. Just like BRAPA in Cornwall, Duncan can’t walk past an open pub… Continue reading DON’T DO BANGOR STUDENT PUBS AT MIDNIGHT ON SUNDAYS, DUNCAN

A third raid on the Fiddler’s Dram classic, the second single I ever bought. Can you guess my first ? And a third trip to Bangor in three years; is it the Newport (Gwent, obvs) of the north ? It’s not even as if the Uni accommodation is that cheap, though it was superb. But… Continue reading NIGHT TRIP TO BANGOR