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
Tag: europe
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
CHAT GPT KEEPS ME OUT OF THE CRIME STATISTICS IN LAKESIDE THURROCK
September 2026. Lakeside Thurrock. One of the few selling points for the Ibis in Thurrock, apart from being handing for Dartford Bridge, was proximity to Lakeside shopping centre and its attendant railway station with half-hourly trips to the East End. Just as well, as it’s about as well-pubbed as Carluke. I hadn’t quite clocked that… Continue reading CHAT GPT KEEPS ME OUT OF THE CRIME STATISTICS IN LAKESIDE THURROCK
ALL ROADS LEAD TO MIRFIELD
September 2026. Mirfield. Your thoughts and prayers requested as I face three (3) nights of post-surgical support at the in-laws in Kent, with zero new GBG entries to entertain me in Tonbridge. Even shorter posts than usual to follow. I’m sure I’ll be looking at some creative rail trips to tick those new Guide pubs,… Continue reading ALL ROADS LEAD TO MIRFIELD
TOP PUB STOPS ON THE M1. THE QUEEN’S HEAD, MARKFIELD, J.22
September 2026. Markfield. Leicestershire. I wasn’t looking forward to the long slog home from Dorset on Monday morning. For a start, the campervan battery had been judged “marginal” by KwikFit, and with Mrs RM A.W.O.L. in Prague I faced using her step-by-step guide to a restart if it had drained again*. It can be chaotic… Continue reading TOP PUB STOPS ON THE M1. THE QUEEN’S HEAD, MARKFIELD, J.22
