We stayed in Musselburgh for a couple of nights at the excellent Old Bakery, where a lovely lady gave us an unnecessarily detailed tour of a flat vacated by her son for the lesser comforts of Aberdeen Uni. The irritation of a tutorial on how to sit at the table was offset by the joy… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – STAGGS, MUSSELBURGH
JEDBURGH JAPES
Still a frisson of excitement as you reach the Scottish border on the A68 (nearest GBG pub – 3 hours walk). The presence of border guards cleverly disguised as burger vendors is the highlight, though the calling card from the Welsh chapter of the Mansfield Vespa club runs it close. A caring husband keeps his… Continue reading JEDBURGH JAPES
ABSOLUTELY MORTAL IN GREENHAUGH
It’s a bit unfair to call the middle of Northumberland a beer desert, though you can see from the Beer Guide extract below just how few there are between the A1 and the A69, so you have to get your ticks when you can. That lack of pint pots is due to the lack of… Continue reading ABSOLUTELY MORTAL IN GREENHAUGH
GBG PUB No. 10,000 – A BELLINGHAM BEAUTY
Obviously the number of pubs is largely incidental; completing the Beer Guide is all about finishing counties, then countries. I only realised I was close to the 10k when I finally updated my GBG spreadsheet last week. Excitingly, this minor landmark was in a place I’d never been before, that I’d always assumed was a hamlet a… Continue reading GBG PUB No. 10,000 – A BELLINGHAM BEAUTY
PIERCEBRIDGE ON THE GREAT NORTH ROAD
Leaving Derbyshire, I can now bring you back into the 21st Century with reports from my Scottish trip with Charles, the “Meisterdrinker of Dereham“. This was our route (A-C), as straight as you could hope for, except for the exciting diversion at Junction 56 on the A1, as the slip road to the B6275 is being… Continue reading PIERCEBRIDGE ON THE GREAT NORTH ROAD
DOUBLING UP IN DRAYCOTT
Fear not, I’ll soon have completed Derbyshire’s GBG entries, including one with a Derby County flag in; I’ll wait until Alan is asleep before I sneak that post out. This week I see Duncan the Pubmeister posting on Irvine, and Simon on North Marston, so Draycott doesn’t seem that unusual a blog topic. Following the… Continue reading DOUBLING UP IN DRAYCOTT
ILKESTON PUBS – ONE STEP BACKWARDS, TWO STEPS FORWARD
And a nice Shipstones mirror for Alan Winfield today, as I get even closer to the Stapleford home of the great man. I’m sure Alan has done virtually all of Ilkeston‘s 30 odd pubs. Quite a few closures of late, including the Brewery Tap, a pleasant but quiet micro. Last year I wrote; “The new… Continue reading ILKESTON PUBS – ONE STEP BACKWARDS, TWO STEPS FORWARD
BRINSLEY – MIDNIGHT FIG & POMEGRANATE HANDWASH
Having goaded Alan Winfield the other day, I’m on safer ground with this trip to rural Notts, about 10 miles north of Alan’s turf. And about five miles north of the scariest place on earth, the divorce capital of the world. Owing to an amendment to our marriage contract, Mrs RM must always make trips… Continue reading BRINSLEY – MIDNIGHT FIG & POMEGRANATE HANDWASH
WINCHESTER – FINDING ALFIE
Hampshire is nearly conquered for another year, and then I can turn my attention to the funny little island calling from across the Solent. Winchester (a.k.a. best place to live in the UK) has turned into quite a decent base for us, with a little home for our campervan at No Man’s Land a couple of miles east of town… Continue reading WINCHESTER – FINDING ALFIE
THE HOME OF GREENE KING IPA
Perhaps the question I’m asked least is “Just why is Greene King IPA so good ?“. As the 13th anniversary of its success in the 2004 Best Bitter awards approaches, I bravely took a trip to Bury St Edmunds to test the nectar at source. Actually, I went there to get some brutal hardcore metal… Continue reading THE HOME OF GREENE KING IPA
