I like to imagine my readers in their condominiums (nothing to do with prophylactics, apparently), following my progress round the UK on giant maps or Google Street View, perhaps mirroring my mileage on their exercise bikes. Here’s on Journey to Glory (random Spandau Ballet reference for Mark C) completing Gloucestershire. Charfield , tucked in the… Continue reading GLOUCESTERSHIRE HAS FALLEN – A CHARFIELD CRACKER
Tag: Gloucestershire
NEWNHAM – A SEVERNTH HEAVEN ?
If I hadn’t deleted my notes I’d no doubt have been able to give you Pevsner style notes on the qualities of the misericords of Gloucester Cathedral or the joys of Cinderford, but instead all I know is we parked up (FREE !) by the Severn where Mrs RM did a Zoom call (not to… Continue reading NEWNHAM – A SEVERNTH HEAVEN ?
MOOCHING ROUND MINCHINHAMPTON
In May 1980 the New Musical Express published a letter from India posing the question “Where is Beatles Band ?”. In May 2022 I’ve been missing not for 20 years, but 3 days, and get comments from an American asking “Where is Retired Martin ?”. Mainly I’ve been watching Eurovision in Belfast gay bars, Dave.… Continue reading MOOCHING ROUND MINCHINHAMPTON
CHELTENHAM CRAFT & CANALS
One last Gloucestershire tick and a flying visit to the side streets of regal Cheltenham, with the streets around the Railway Inn proving the hardest to negotiate/park. In a break from the norm, the writing on the wall reads not “dining and rooms” but “Smokey Phi Phi“, as the Railway undergoes the sort of gentrification… Continue reading CHELTENHAM CRAFT & CANALS
BACK UP YOUR FILES – A LESSON FROM PRESTBURY
“Let’s keep these ******* (*)pubs ticked” said Mrs RM, in her defiant rather than angry tone, as we completed a round half dozen in Greater or Lesser Cheltenham. In normal circumstances my first action now would be to refer to my copious and comic notes taken that night 12 days ago, but I deleted them… Continue reading BACK UP YOUR FILES – A LESSON FROM PRESTBURY
THE CROSS HOUSE, TEWKESBURY – FINALLY A PUB MRS RM LIKED
Another half an hour through gorgeous west Gloucestershire hills and a fourth (4th) tick of the afternoon in Tewkesbury. Four attractive towns too, none of the usual grim northern cities I subject Mrs RM to. And is she grateful ? Tewkesbury is gorgeous, isn’t it ? Come on a day it isn’t flooded is my… Continue reading THE CROSS HOUSE, TEWKESBURY – FINALLY A PUB MRS RM LIKED
NOTHING POSH ABOUT NEWENT
From Herefordshire (leaving one straggler in Luston to complete the county) we headed over the border into Gloucestershire. The border is the dashed line, painted by drunk Victorian workers in 1857. Why can’t we have straight county/state boundary lines like the Americans ? I was last in Newent the week before lockdown, behaving like nothing… Continue reading NOTHING POSH ABOUT NEWENT
SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE
Still on Thursday night, as I finish a long day in training for the Proper Pub Day Out in Bath with the inevitable crispy beef and Singapore Rice just off Whiteladies Road. On the walk down from the Westbury I’d been scrutinising the Google reviews, it helps with bumping into folk, and found the Dragon… Continue reading SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE
36,603 STEPS ROUND BRISTOL
The Number 43 from Kingswood (with me the only passenger) rumbled into Haymarket with my Premier Inn the backdrop. No bargain chain hotels here, you have to cross the Severn for those, so I needed to get value from my mini-break by completing the Bristol ticks. Back on foot as I head north to Westbury… Continue reading 36,603 STEPS ROUND BRISTOL
BY THE CHIME OF THE KINGSWOOD CLOCK
On the train back from Nailsea I surveyed the task ahead; Six ticks in the bag, and three more scattered round the edges of Bristol to do on Friday after a day on the Bass in Bath. Mmm. Bit risky, I reckon they’re best done NOW. Starting with the Lyon’s Den in Kingswood, just outside… Continue reading BY THE CHIME OF THE KINGSWOOD CLOCK