A couple of contrasting pubs to finish off lovely but overpriced Surrey. First up Friday Street, of which there is more than one in the GBG. Compare and contrast the pristine pink-penned Beer Guide page with my ragged old Philip Navigator. I’m a fan of the Surrey Hills below the A25, in the heart of… Continue reading FRIDAY STREET, SUNDAY PUBBERS
Tag: Good Beer Guide
MINING THE DRONE VALLEY
More Dronfield, in fact the new CAMRA branch’s pub of the year. You can see Hundall to the east of town on yesterday’s map extract, and there’s not much more to it than the Miner’s Arms and this tree. But it’s an impressive tree. Resilient, like the local area and its clutch of proper drinkers… Continue reading MINING THE DRONE VALLEY
HOPE FOR HARROW
Regular readers will know my opinions on the area known in the Beer Guide as North-West London, or “most of Middlesex” to you and me. Flat, intermittently interesting and short of great pubs (never mind beer), with a few exceptions. Back in the ’90s my job took me to such exotic locations as Eastcote, Neasden and… Continue reading HOPE FOR HARROW
TETLEY HERITAGE IN MALTON
On our way to a brewery break in Cropton we stopped at Malton for a last bit of Wi-Fi quiche before entering the Moors. The big news in Malton is Brass Castle’s cutting edge bar, but we fancied coffee and Battenburg cake in the Spotted Cow in Malton. It’s a Tetley Heritage Inn, which is still generally a… Continue reading TETLEY HERITAGE IN MALTON
IN PRAISE OF THE GOOD BEER GUIDE
Well the new Beer Guide arrived on Monday, only a week after folk in Wimbledon and Essex were tweeting about their local pub being in it. Unlike the Southerners, I won’t be breaking the embargo by revealing entries before 15 September. Whatever my irritation with the postal system, the Guide is a wonderful thing, and… Continue reading IN PRAISE OF THE GOOD BEER GUIDE
FRODSHAM
Frodsham was a good place to finish Cheshire’s Beer Guide entries this year, a typically attractive market town with an excellent tuna cob from the Devonshire bakery. Lots of smart people in a town looking like a Beaconsfield with half-timbered buildings. More listed buildings than you could ever wish for too, though lacking the petro-chemical illumination beauty… Continue reading FRODSHAM
EVESHAM MARKET SQUARE
Last year I took my Dad on a whirlwind tour around the National Trust properties on the Warwick/Worcestershire/Gloucestershire border. He’s nearly recovered in time for this year’s NT crawl. Snowshill Manor stood out that day; Despite the lure of the Fleece in Bretforton and several Cotswold options we stopped in Evesham looking for food, or at least… Continue reading EVESHAM MARKET SQUARE
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
HEXHAMSHIRE – FOLLOW THE WALL
One of my favourite songs is “Fareweel Regality” sung by The Unthanks, an ode to the beauty of old Hexhamshire that gets me every time. The real Hexhamshire magic comes south of the ancient county town, following the River Allen down to the Pennines and some magical pubs along the A689, where you’ll find the products… Continue reading HEXHAMSHIRE – FOLLOW THE WALL
AN ITINERARY
WARNING TO NON ACCOUNTANTS – CONTAINS SPREADSHEETS I’ve been asked about my travel itinerary, possibly on the mistaken belief that I’m literally on a permanent journey. I do have a home, much as I resist being stuck in it for any period of time. I don’t plan much into the future, trying to align fine waking weather, Eurostar/Ryanair/hotel… Continue reading AN ITINERARY
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