April 2025. Gillingham. The in-laws took a post-Dockyard nap at the Travelodge; I reckoned two hours, plus half an hour to make themselves a cup of tea, which gave me 150 minutes to restore my sanity. Absolutely no new GBG ticks possible in that time, so let’s revisit much maligned Gillingham. You’ll see from the… Continue reading GILLINGHAM, PAST AND PRESENT
Tag: england
TOP 100 PUBS – THE ROCK INN, CHIDDINGSTONE HOATH
February 2025. Chiddingstone Hoath. Kent. You left us out in the gorgeous, straggly, villages west of Royal Tunbridge Wells, cheering up an octogenarian who’s not allowed out much except to have medical interventions and rehearse Handel’s “Messiah”. My last commenter (commentator ?) writes “You should have walked 30 minutes along the road to The Rock,… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – THE ROCK INN, CHIDDINGSTONE HOATH
PRIDE DRINKING WELL ON THE (DELAYED) BIG RETIRED MARTIN 60th BIRTHDAY TRIP TO UXBRIDGE.
February 2025. Uxbridge. You’ll remember the trauma of my significant birthday (22 December, but you knew that), as plans to mark the day with a fancy trip to Uxbridge were scuppered by my mum, bless her, staging a sit down protest. Last Wednesday I finally took that pilgrimage to the end of the Metropolitan line.… Continue reading PRIDE DRINKING WELL ON THE (DELAYED) BIG RETIRED MARTIN 60th BIRTHDAY TRIP TO UXBRIDGE.
(OVER)DUE A DEUCHARS. THE SIX BELLS, COVENT GARDEN, CAMBRIDGE
December 2024. Cambridge. Yes, another Covent Garden, this one tucked away between Fenners and the GBG pubs off Mill Road. Keep walking past the Six Bells and you’ll end up at that pub CAMRA used to run and the Live & Let Live, so why would a plain looking backstreet Greene King pub detain you… Continue reading (OVER)DUE A DEUCHARS. THE SIX BELLS, COVENT GARDEN, CAMBRIDGE
TOP 100 PUBS – THE ELEPHANT, FAVERSHAM
December 2024. Faversham. I’d paid the £7.10 (equivalent to a pint of Sam Smiths in London these days) to park the campervan overnight in Faversham, and was going to Do It All. A couple of ancient Sheps inns, the two new GBG entries, a Crispy Beef… My plans fell apart in the drizzle at the… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – THE ELEPHANT, FAVERSHAM
ALL THE PUBS IN RAMSGATE. No. 1 – THE HONEYSUCKLE INN
November 2024. Ramsgate. Another GBG year, another new Guide pub for Remarkable Ramsgate. “You’re joking – not another one!” says Brenda Mrs RM, who decides an afternoon in the caravan drinking discounted North Brewing cans beats Ramsgate in the rain. But I love Ramsgate, so much I’ve decided to start a mini-series on the pubs,… Continue reading ALL THE PUBS IN RAMSGATE. No. 1 – THE HONEYSUCKLE INN
ALL HUNKY DORY IN BURY ST EDMUNDS
September 2024. Bury St. Edmunds. Another night in Waterbeach, another lone new GBG tick. Yesterday I took a lovely fellow ticker to nine (9) South Yorkshire pubs; I think he was hoping for double that. But Chris Tavaré didn’t become our greatest cricketer by dealing in fours and sixes, oh, no. And a snatched Constitutional… Continue reading ALL HUNKY DORY IN BURY ST EDMUNDS
FILEY FAX – BEER TASTES BETTER IN PINT GLASSES
September 2024. Driffield, Bridlington, Filey. Armed with our “Southworth Groupies on tour ’24” T-shirts Mrs RM and I set off to the east coast towards Filey. Friendly Filey doesn’t welcome campervans, unless they pay £30 a night to stay on a patch of grass a mile from town, so we parked up in Delightful Driffield,… Continue reading FILEY FAX – BEER TASTES BETTER IN PINT GLASSES