I can’t say I’m surprised how basic the Portland pubs are; neighbouring Weymouth is also a haven for lovers of unreconstructed boozers. Those in Portland seem to rotate their Guide places, so we get a second GBG newbie, and folk saying “Why didn’t you go in the Royal/Britannia/Add Your Choice ?”. Everyone must be… Continue reading OUR FORTUNES SWELL IN FORTUNESWELL
Tag: Dorset
PORTLAND SOCIAL CLUB – THE DIFFICULT SECOND ALBUM
Our Sunday entertainment concluded on the sceptered Isle of Portland, a 90 minute walk from the Wyke Smuggler. It would have been an hour if we’d stuck to the path, rather than the sand and pebbles, but where’s the fun in that ? Here’s a delightful bit of OS map. Note how the straight lines… Continue reading PORTLAND SOCIAL CLUB – THE DIFFICULT SECOND ALBUM
ON CHESIL BEACH…
Before we set off for the Isle of Portland, we popped back to Spoons on Sunday morning for our Eggs Benedict. There were only enough microwaved packets for one of those (draw your own conclusions) so I had to settle for the fry-up. Spoons breakfasts really are on the slide. Relishing the WiFi and unlimited… Continue reading ON CHESIL BEACH…
CHRISTCHURCH BAY – PONIES, DOMS, CIDER, WOWSERS
Sometimes the hardest part of doing these blogs is deciding which travel “experiences” to lump together and which to allow to shine on their own. Here’s the four exciting pubs I did from Lymington in what I will call Christchurch Bay. You can see them marked on the map if you’ve got good eyesight. Starting with the… Continue reading CHRISTCHURCH BAY – PONIES, DOMS, CIDER, WOWSERS
LULWORTH CASTLE
A last post from Dorset before an overnighter in Market Drayton, and a pub of the year contender in the Castle near Lulworth Cove. A group of us reached this after a four hour circular walk that took in several miles of farm sewerage, numerous wrong turns, knee deep mud, a loo stop at Chaldon… Continue reading LULWORTH CASTLE
FROM POOLE TO PURBECK
In the year City won the League Cup with this goal I spent my last summer holiday before secondary school in Swanage, buying football related tat and playing mini-golf. The pubs made no impression on me then, sorry to say. In 40 years nothing much has changed. This quintessential English seaside town has seemingly resisted the… Continue reading FROM POOLE TO PURBECK
BOURNEMOUTH & BOSCOMBE
I failed to get a ticket for what was, by the look of it, City’s best League performance since the heady days of Autumn. More time for exploring the pubs of Dorset, which is fast becoming one of my favourite counties. Bournemouth itself looks the weakest pub town, at least on the basis of a paltry… Continue reading BOURNEMOUTH & BOSCOMBE
WAREHAM – WELL WORTH THE WAIT
Pub Curmudgeon has visited as many great pubs as anyone I’ve met, and I recall him praising the King’s Arms in Dorset’s Wareham a few years back. This is a particularly attractive small town, bypassed en route to Corfe Castle and the Purbeck coast, which might explain why I’d never been before. The ten minute train… Continue reading WAREHAM – WELL WORTH THE WAIT
CORFE CASTLE’S ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
In a week when the purpose of CAMRA is under discussion (again), I should say that the quality of beer in a succession of Beer Guide pubs has been fantastic recently. Yes, even in (South-East) London. If all CAMRA does is provide a structure for pubs to be assessed for beer quality and recommended in an annual… Continue reading CORFE CASTLE’S ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
LAST 5 STANDING -SQUARE AND COMPASS, WORTH MATRAVERS
Of the last five pubs to have been in every Good Beer Guide, Dorset’s Square and Compass was the one I was most looking forward to revisiting, as much for the glorious coastal views from the garden as the pub itself. So far London’s Star and Buckingham Arms have been better than I remembered, while Newton’s Queen… Continue reading LAST 5 STANDING -SQUARE AND COMPASS, WORTH MATRAVERS
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