The night before the ferry to the Isle of Man, and a chance to finish my most northern Lancashire ticks, leaving just the scary ones near Matthew Lawrenson to do. Onto Morecambe, one of our most ridiculed of resorts. Ridiculed by people who’ve never been, just like Stockport. You can get a room along the… Continue reading BRING ME SUNSHINE
OVER THE MOON IN OVERTON
A night in Morecambe before the ferry sails to the Isle of Man. What a wonderful life, as Eric would say. But then he didn’t have to contend with the WiFi in the Newport Spoons. Morecambe gave me the chance to visit a real outlier, the Ship in Overton. No, I’d never heard of it… Continue reading OVER THE MOON IN OVERTON
THE RAINHILL (MEGHAN) TRAIN(OR) TRIALS
More tenuous titles for you as I finish Merseyside GBG for the year, AND break my Meghan Trainor duck. You don’t get nonsense like this with Pubmeister, you know… Oh, perhaps you do. As I’ve said before, only slavishly following the Beer Guide path takes you to the world’s most unexpected places. Like Rainhill, in… Continue reading THE RAINHILL (MEGHAN) TRAIN(OR) TRIALS
A QUICK DASH TO KNOTTY ASH
If it’s any consolation, I’m finding these posts as exhausting as you are. But I’m almost at last week’s Isle of Man trip (aka HenGate), which you can read about on Pubmeister’s blog if you’re desperate for Manx mutterings. First up though, Merseyside Complete. With every new entry in Merseyside CAMRA being either a micro… Continue reading A QUICK DASH TO KNOTTY ASH
WELCOME BACK TO CHIPPING SODBURY
One more from Gloucestershire for now, leaving most of the Forest of Dean and the less hipster bits of Brizzle for August. If I finish Glos before GBG19 comes out it’ll be a breakthrough year. I’d been looking forward to a return to Chipping Sodbury, to reassure myself it’s not a fictitious joke place like… Continue reading WELCOME BACK TO CHIPPING SODBURY
CHARFIELD’S PEAR TREE – A HALF IN A PINT POT
I keep telling you how micro pubs aren’t real pubs, then finding one I like. Here’s yet another winner. No, I’d never heard of Charfield, either. But not only does it have a micro pub, but the “African Conservation Experience” AND “Sofa Riot*“, On the same site. Russ should investigate. Anyway, the Pear Tree confounds… Continue reading CHARFIELD’S PEAR TREE – A HALF IN A PINT POT
CAT ADOPTION DRAMA IN WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE
A few short posts now, as anything over 300 words gets exhausting in this heat. Please send your rain, Professor Pie-Tin. (NB: It came ten minutes after posting, in a deluge). Good question from Wickingman in the comments in the last post, asking which counties are most reliable for beer quality (at point of dispense,… Continue reading CAT ADOPTION DRAMA IN WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE
PLAYING THE GLOUCESTERSHIRE CASK ALE LOTTERY
Recently I’ve wondered if this summer might be the summer that kills cask as a mainstream drink. You’ll have seen how resentful I’ve been about cask in Scotland, and eleven pubs over two days around the Brecons this week brought two drinkable pints (both in a Spoons). In Beer Guide pubs. But then again, last… Continue reading PLAYING THE GLOUCESTERSHIRE CASK ALE LOTTERY
TEWKESBURY REIGNITES THE COB v BAP DEBATE
As Summer drags on, a PubMan’s thoughts turns to Gloucestershire, one of the counties I’ve never completed. Despite it being virtually on my doorstep (compared to Shetland, anyway). The A14/M6/M42/M5 takes you past some of our most picturesque roadworks, en route to a dismal collection of budget hotels and “aparthotels” (hovels) that I’ll spare you.… Continue reading TEWKESBURY REIGNITES THE COB v BAP DEBATE
THE MORNING AFTER THE NIGHT BEFORE
So England missed their big chance to be humiliated by France, what they call “Le blessing en disguis“. I was too tired to watch it with the Beer and Pub “lads”, and my BLOC room is windowless so I actually fell asleep in the second half. Just before the final whistle I rushed across to… Continue reading THE MORNING AFTER THE NIGHT BEFORE
