October 2026. Thaxted. Essex. A Sunday night in a campervan in small-but-perfectly-formed Thaxted, staying yards from an actual GBG newbie in the Swan. I’d have ticked John Webb’s Windmill (where the Giddy Up Bar is marked) as well, but the current restoration project rather scuppered my view. Luckily, there’s a picture of what it did… Continue reading “PICKY BITS”. THE SWAN, THAXTED
Tag: europe
THE MERMAID, RYE. SURPRISINGLY PUBBY
October 2026. Rye. East Sussex. The six minute bus ride from Rye Harbour into town costs a curious £2.90, which is just the level at which you’ll consider striding hobbling along the footpath instead, taking in the bucolic views of the oil refinery. There’s a very pretty walk through the nature reserve into Rye, but… Continue reading THE MERMAID, RYE. SURPRISINGLY PUBBY
COR ! WHAT A STUNNER. THE PRINCESS OF PRUSSIA, ALDGATE E1
October 2026. East London. Heading, or at least hobbling, towards the Tower of London and an intriguing GBG27 newbie. This is Tandleman Southern HQ territory, and the Princess of Prussia is apparently close to his flat decorated in Dumbarton FC colours, just around the corner from the venerable Goodman’s Field. You might think the biggest… Continue reading COR ! WHAT A STUNNER. THE PRINCESS OF PRUSSIA, ALDGATE E1
NEW AND SHINY IN RYE
October 2026. Rye. East Sussex. We’d been down in Rye a whole fortnight (bar the bi-weekly trips to attend to elderly parents), so about time we left the harbour, and actually visited the town, I guess. You’d think we’d have visited all the pubs, cafes, museums and twee shops in Rye already (I even bought… Continue reading NEW AND SHINY IN RYE
DRAUGHT BASS AT THE FLOWERPOT
October 2026. Derby. Rushing out of the Tiny Tap to avoid the strains of the debut Duran Duran single I find myself at the Darley bus stop with a (late) bus called either 9.1 the nines, 6X the sixes or the comet approaching. I try to pay on my phone. It fails, the driver taps… Continue reading DRAUGHT BASS AT THE FLOWERPOT
“Carling, Darling”. SURPRISING SAXILBY
September 2026. Saxilby. Lincolnshire Unsurprisingly, you might think, my only recollection of Saxilby was of the Mandarin Chinese takeaway I’d popped in after ticking the Anglers years ago. Long after I forget my name and whether I like Autovac beer I’ll be able to tell you what score I gave the crispy beef in the… Continue reading “Carling, Darling”. SURPRISING SAXILBY
KILLING TIME IN DRONFIELD
September 2026. Dronfield. There’s a large number of new Beer Guide entries that only open at weekends, including one 10 minutes away on the train to Dronfield. Actually, 10 minutes on a train that’s delayed 19 minutes and then a 20 minute walk along the road to Unstone. where the Drone Valley tap awaits. Well,… Continue reading KILLING TIME IN DRONFIELD
THE BRAMPTON MILE, M’DUCK
September 2026. Chesterfield. When a new Beer Guide comes out each September the temptation is always to look for trips to towns with lots of new ticks, even if that means a train to Newton Abbot or Carlisle. But my priority on Monday was nursing my gammy leg I don’t like to talk about, but… Continue reading THE BRAMPTON MILE, M’DUCK
IGNORE THE CLOSED SIGN. THE HEWETT ARMS, SHIREOAKS
September 2026. Shireoaks. Nottinghamshire. 10 minutes through the old colliery site to the GBG brewery tap, ten minutes back to the station, still feeling that ache at the back of my leg but keeping up with Google maps generous timings now. One of the most attractive approaches to a Beer Guide pub anywhere, I reckon.… Continue reading IGNORE THE CLOSED SIGN. THE HEWETT ARMS, SHIREOAKS
TAKE THE STRAIGHT LINE TO HEADCORN
September 2026. Headcorn. Kent. We settled my father-in-law at the Queen Vic Hospital, the most notable thing about East Grinstead, in a room decorated with this painting of a cricket ground with the shortest boundary in Kent. Just as I always tell you that young people are great, and CAMRA does a marvellous job (but… Continue reading TAKE THE STRAIGHT LINE TO HEADCORN
