August 2026. Cardiff. I’d dragged Mrs RM down to South Wales for a few days to escape the monotony of that Yorkshire-Cambridge-Kent run, and treated her to a couple of nights in the Zip hotel on the corner of David Lloyds sprawling fitness centre that impressed me so much in 2023. £31 a night buys… Continue reading A MANCHESTER TAKEOVER OF CARDIFF
Tag: travel
ROSS OR (D)ROSS ?
August 2026. Ross-on-Wye. Surely you’ve caught up on the blog after subjecting us to a torrent of posts, Retired Martin ? Er, no. Last weekend saw a third big trip of the week (nothing compared to the real ticker who cross continents on a daily basis) as we headed down to Cardiff for the traditional… Continue reading ROSS OR (D)ROSS ?
COVENTRY – BACK IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE (OF PUB CRAWLS)
August 2026. Coventry. A decent break from pubs between Frome and my next Big Trip Out, which I used dreaming up alternative blog titles to “Sent to Coventry“. I’ve been struggling with the relentless driving of the last few years (never mind the 30,000 a year of the previous 20), so it’s back to Platform… Continue reading COVENTRY – BACK IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE (OF PUB CRAWLS)
SPOONS OR NOTHING, THEN
August 2026. Bristol. A day in Bath, a day in Frome, two (2) identical Chinese takeaways from Twerton’s wonderful Bamboo Garden, which proves I know how to live. After the Zig Zag beer in Frome, the Zig Zag rail journey home, as a fallen tree (posh version of cows on the line) near Bristol Parkway… Continue reading SPOONS OR NOTHING, THEN
DOOM BAR IN TWERTON
August 2026. Bath. I’d opted for a couple of nights down in Bath, a little luxurious but the student residences on the edge of town were cheaper than a Doncaster Travelodge, Twerton Mill’s riverside rooms near Bath City FC spotless and (most importantly) with high-speed Wi-Fi. OK, they’re also half an hour’s walk from actual… Continue reading DOOM BAR IN TWERTON
A SAWTRY REDEMPTION
August 2026. Sawtry. Near Huntingdon. This was the view from our motel window last Saturday, near the lowest pub in the country*. Redwings Lodge, on the B1043 (Ermine Street) alongside the A1(M) at Sawtry, was the only place (well) under a hundred quid we could stay near Dad last Saturday night. This weekend is actually… Continue reading A SAWTRY REDEMPTION
WELCOME TO CHESVEGAS
July 2026. Chesterfield. One more trip to write up and then I’ll do that July highlights post you’re all clamouring for. Mrs RM’s ongoing rehabilitation had meant a postponement of our Big (but largely sober) Trip to Chesterfield with Blackpool Jane, so I popped there myself last Thursday to explore the no/low scene, and to… Continue reading WELCOME TO CHESVEGAS
TOP 100 PUBS – BROAD CHARE, NEWCASTLE
July 2026. Newcastle. Not even lunchtime as I leave the Free Trade for the walk through Ouseburn back into Toon. Actually, it’s a rare walk along a dried up river (I never knew that watercourse was actually called the Ouseburn till today), my first look at this Newcastle cultural highlight since a Julia Jacklin gig… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – BROAD CHARE, NEWCASTLE
“Back to Crammy”
July 2026. Cramlington. Northumberland. When you say “Northumberland” these days you think Harry Potter, posh Cambridgeshire families at the beach, and a small island covered in bird muck. But there’s an awful lot of old mining towns before you get there, I can tell you. I spent ages getting ChatGPT to work out the best… Continue reading “Back to Crammy”
BOB TROLLOP. OR IS IT ?
July 2026. Newcastle. Mrs RM’s sporting injury (pics only available to Patronised readers) precluding a return to the Cask Camino, I set off alone in search of blog material. You can get a return to Newcastle for £33 from Sheffield, and outside the heady stag/hen weekends the Toon has bargain central rooms, as you can… Continue reading BOB TROLLOP. OR IS IT ?
