September 2025. Enfield. Home from Carshalton, and straight back into London the next day. “Proper” tickers would have squeezed in halves in all three remaining London pubs that Friday night, but post-completion I only deal in pints, and want to take the time to appreciate the culture in places like Carshalton, and Atherstone, and Enfield.… Continue reading GORDON HILL ! A WALK TO THE JOLLY BUTCHERS IN ENFIELD
Tag: travel
MATCHING M & B MILD WITH DESI BAKRA IN SMETHWICK’S RED COW
August 2025. Smethwick. Our last day in Birmingham, though the new GBG is going to send me back there soon enough (NO SPOILERS) and a rare stop in Smethwick, famed for its Gurdwara. The fast train from Kiddy to Brum takes you past fields of pumpkins at Blakedown and drops you at Galton Bridge, handy… Continue reading MATCHING M & B MILD WITH DESI BAKRA IN SMETHWICK’S RED COW
DID I ENJOY THE GREAT BRITISH BEER FESTIVAL ?
August 2025. Birmingham (or is it Solihull ?) I’m not a beer festival fan. I always say this to folk who equate beer with pubs. Frankly, the venues are dull, the beer not as cool and crisp as in the pub next door and if I’m going solo I find it hard to start the… Continue reading DID I ENJOY THE GREAT BRITISH BEER FESTIVAL ?
LACINGS DON’T LIE. THE COMMERCIAL, BURNLEY
August 2025. Burnley. My feeble attempts to visit GBG pubs since Guide completion seem limited by a) having to spend the weekends ploughing up and down the A1 between Sheffield and Cambridge, b) only drinking pints and c) using public transport. Just as well none of the other tickers would do b) and c)…. Shockingly,… Continue reading LACINGS DON’T LIE. THE COMMERCIAL, BURNLEY
80 SHILLING. ONE QUID.
July 2025. Edinburgh. Yes, Edinburgh. A second Scottish tickathon in a month. This would normally have been a prohibitively expensive trip, but by the mere act of being old, fixing train times and also starting at 6am from a car park halfway up the A1 in Darlington, I got the cost down significantly. Just imagine… Continue reading 80 SHILLING. ONE QUID.
A WISTFUL LOOK AT THE RIFLE DRUM
July 2025. Northampton. I’m drowning in blog material at present, but resisting the temptation to rush through some of our loveliest unsung towns. Like Northampton, on a first visit to the centre in seven years, an old codgers trip where we met the actual Mayor of that fine town. It seems to be a town… Continue reading A WISTFUL LOOK AT THE RIFLE DRUM
SCANADALOUSLY, MY FIRST TIME IN LIVERPOOL’S VINES
July 2025. Liverpool. Thursday night brought a gig at Manchester’s New Century Hall, and I really didn’t fancy any GBG ticking before hand after that Stannington Stagger. As Simon will find out when he completes in 2044, the chase is better than the catch (Lemmy, 1980). So goodness knows how I dragged myself to Sheffield… Continue reading SCANADALOUSLY, MY FIRST TIME IN LIVERPOOL’S VINES
STANNINGTON BRASS
July 2025. Stannington. Sheffield. Back from Newcastle, GBG ticks in the bag, I then added an NCTSS 4 with a “cheeky” crispy beef and Singapore rice from China Dragon outside Darlington station. It deserves an extra half mark, really, for being open after 10pm when Google says it’s shut. I genuinely have no idea if… Continue reading STANNINGTON BRASS
Could YOU walk past the Laurieston ?
July 2025. Glasgow. Back at Glasgow Central from edgy but exciting East Kilbride I had a couple of hours till my £66 return to Sheffield, sadly not long enough to attempt a visit to Carluke’s craft bars but time aplenty to walk across the Clyde for a curry. That area southside down to Hampden Park… Continue reading Could YOU walk past the Laurieston ?
A CLIMB TO THE BEN NEVIS
July 2025. Glasgow. One night in Glasgow, an expensive one we’ll hear more about later. 10 minutes on the train back from Jordanhill brings you into the heart of the West End, where a room in a flat off Argyle Street like this one; cost £30 at the start of the century. Thinking about it,… Continue reading A CLIMB TO THE BEN NEVIS
retiredmartin 