Mrs RM knew me well enough to predict Dartford would win its their mini-bout with Chesham for my affections. She worked in Erith for a while and so is well aware of the Thames estuary’s many merits. There’s a certain joy about being a decent-sized town’s only tourist, and even the closure of Dartford’s wonderful little museum… Continue reading DARTFORD’S SIREN CALLS
THAME – AN UNDERRATED BEAUTY
I can’t really imagine why you’d visit Thame, unless you were using the Travelodge as a base to visit Oxford and Waddesdon, or doing something bizarre like visiting the Beer Guide pubs. Haddenham makes a much better rural pub crawl, and Long Crendon is the quintessential “lil Ol’ England” that I once heard an elderly… Continue reading THAME – AN UNDERRATED BEAUTY
CHESHAM – CONTRASTS AT THE EDGE OF METRO-LAND
Chesham sits at the end of the Metropolitan line (nearly an hour out) and in many ways feels like most of the dullish North London suburbs as much as the attractive Chilterns town its normally regarded as. As always, you need to walk a bit. I used to walk around here quite a bit when I worked… Continue reading CHESHAM – CONTRASTS AT THE EDGE OF METRO-LAND
BLOG UPDATE -THE PICTURES ARE BACK
In accordance with the helpful Boak and Bailey guidance on blogging etiquette, I should let you know I’ve restored the missing photos to my earlier blogs that I’d deleted because I’m stupid. Thanks to my eldest son, who can now spend as long on his computer as he likes. They might look a tiny bit… Continue reading BLOG UPDATE -THE PICTURES ARE BACK
TOWCESTER TAP
Four seasons in one day yesterday, but sunny enough for an hour in one of Northants many unsung towns while my youngest son spent my chinese takeaway budget on skateparks. Towcester is, of course, best known for the traffic chaos on the A5 that scars an otherwise pleasant small town, even on the 350 days… Continue reading TOWCESTER TAP
LAST 5 STANDING – THE STAR TAVERN, BELGRAVIA
I’ve been revisiting the last five surviving pubs in every edition of the Beer Guide, and wrote positively about the Buckingham Arms and Queen’s Head last year. On Saturday I took the chance to test standards in the Star Tavern in Belgravia. The Star has a head start already as it’s such a beautiful approach to it through… Continue reading LAST 5 STANDING – THE STAR TAVERN, BELGRAVIA
WOLVERHAMPTON – GREY PAES, BRIGHTER DAYS
My regular catch-up with ex-colleagues over curry moved from Kinver to Wolverhampton, and again proved that Auditors are human beings. Wolverhampton is a tricky place to tie down. One the one hand it has The Great Western and a great Art Gallery, on the other it has less great architecture and pubs than you might… Continue reading WOLVERHAMPTON – GREY PAES, BRIGHTER DAYS
LAUNCESTON – ‘SPOONS NEEDED
I finally timed my Falmouth return well enough to justify a lunch stop at Launceston, a place clearly well below Okehampton and even Bodmin on the tourist trail, but highly praised by a family friend who was born there. The best thing about it is the view above, which you get from the weird multi-storey car park. You can… Continue reading LAUNCESTON – ‘SPOONS NEEDED
VARIETY IN PENRYN
I spent an afternoon in Penryn with my sister. It almost links up with big brother Falmouth now, but has its own distinct atmosphere. While Falmouth is increasingly an odd mix of upmarket retirement housing and modern bars, Penryn still retains a quieter feel more reminiscent of a pleasant Isle of Man coastal town. There are… Continue reading VARIETY IN PENRYN
SOUTH ZEAL – DEVON’S VALLEY OF BEER
I’ve now driven the A30 enough times en route to Falmouth to start to be able to chunk it into manageable bites, and its a pleasant journey apart from Bodmin’s roadworks. If I run out of things to write I’ll tell you about the beer desert that is Launceston. Just before Okehampton is a glorious range… Continue reading SOUTH ZEAL – DEVON’S VALLEY OF BEER
retiredmartin 