A second day in the Chilterns gave me the chance to finish Buckinghamshire and put BRAPA in its box. If Simon continues averaging 20 pubs in 3 days he’ll have caught me up by next Christmas, and that won’t do at all. I was looking forward to exploring the Ridgeway but my walking boots haven’t… Continue reading A BRAKSPEAR REBELLION IN THE CHILTERNS
EURO WATCHING IN WOOBURN*
Wycombe is a large drab town surrounded by great countryside and a few classic pubs. It also has the hardest football ground to get away from at the end of the match. Wooburn Green feels like the end of the straggle of habitation drifting east from central Wycombe, after which you enter a great expanse… Continue reading EURO WATCHING IN WOOBURN*
FIVE MILES OUT OF LONDON OFF THE WESTERN AVENUE
Hanwell hasn’t been celebrated in song in the same way as nearby Perivale was in 1980, though admittedly Costello wrote about 80 songs that year and I haven’t heard them all yet. Never mind, the equally venerable Stonch wrote about his Hanwell walk recently. That ended up with a pint in the Fox, one of West London’s… Continue reading FIVE MILES OUT OF LONDON OFF THE WESTERN AVENUE
THE 179 FROM CROYDON TO PECKHAM
Despite my reservations on this site about the gentrification of London’s pubs, and inconsistent beer quality, I do still love the place. Weekends are the time to visit, with Travelcards less than half-price and those yummy-mummy Sunday lunches to enjoy. A light drizzle wasn’t stopping me finishing off South-east and South-west London’s Beer Guide entries.… Continue reading THE 179 FROM CROYDON TO PECKHAM
BLACK SABBATH, MUD AND DOG TOOTH
I really tried to get Matt to write this, as you really need a 14 year old to explain the appeal of a day listening to old blokes playing old heavy metal tunes in the mud. No joy this time. Download at Donington is the successor to what I remember as Monsters of Rock from my own… Continue reading BLACK SABBATH, MUD AND DOG TOOTH
RULE BRITANNIA IN THE NORFOLK BROADS
A night in the Norfolk Broads, one of the few bits of Britain I don’t get. Despites Bowie’s recommendation I’ve never felt the slightest inclination for a slow exploration of fields;a canal trip round the Black Country lockworks sounds much more appealing. It’s also very dull on the ground, which is why I so rarely seen any more… Continue reading RULE BRITANNIA IN THE NORFOLK BROADS
ANOTHER CHESTERFIELD CLASSIC
They may have a different view in Mansfield, of course, but Chesterfield really is one of the great small towns. Quirky, compact, cheap, great walks and (occasional) county cricket. Sadly, despite the sterling efforts of local CAMRA, it will never compete with Sheffield for pub tourists, but pound for pound it’s even better. And of course… Continue reading ANOTHER CHESTERFIELD CLASSIC
BUXTON’S TAP
Perhaps strangely, I prefer driving Mrs RM to drink rather than the other way round. Since she reads this, I’ll stop there. We had lunch at Buxton Brewery’s Tap, a place I’d wanted to visit for some time. Their apparent lack of commitment to cask has upset some, but they’ve produced some of my favourite bottled… Continue reading BUXTON’S TAP
SQUAWK
Mrs RM used to have Cheshire Building Society as a client, before they were taken over by Nationwide is a move seemingly designed to annoy Macclesfield Town. For a resident of Cambridge, she’s therefore more than usually familiar with East Cheshire’s underrated little towns and overrated hotels. Macclesfield and Congleton are still favourites of ours,… Continue reading SQUAWK
MIDDLEWICH – LOCKS AND LocALES
Pub Curmudgeon knows Cheshire much better than me, but I’m always struck by how many towns of similar size there are, Chester apart. They’re a mixed bunch as well, with towns a few miles apart providing sometimes startling contrasts. Folk in “Craft Central” Crewe often deny the existence of neighbouring Nantwich, a town surviving on… Continue reading MIDDLEWICH – LOCKS AND LocALES
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