retiredmartin
Martin
Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.
July 2026
August 2026
September 2026
Top Words
- pubs
- pint
- sheffield
- spoons
- cask
- bass
- beer
- stocktake
- preview
- arms
All posts (720)
November 2025. Sheffield. A night in Sheffield between the statutory two in Waterbeach, just time for laundry, a read of the mail, a gig and a catch-up with James. He’d phoned to ask to catch-up, possibly to make sure I’m not investing his inheritance in Crypto, and it pays to keep in touch with your children, as...
November 2025. Rye. Waterbeach. Sheffield. While Mrs RM stays down in Rye Harbour till Christmas I’m doing the Rye-Waterbeach-Sheffield trudge (all by rail thankfully), checking on parents and children and cottages. Might even get the occasional pub/gig/City game/Chinese takeaway in, if I remember where I am. I seem...
November 2025. St. Leonards. Sussex. There’s lots of unexpected things you learn about east Sussex after 30 years of ticking pubs and 3 staying in a caravan down there. Rye isn’t as genteel as Mermaid Street suggests, Hastings has an old town (our lads missed it completely on their visit) and neighbouring St...
November 2025. Eastbourne. Not a great pub town, bar the Lamb, but Eastbourne has Beachy Head up the road, 2 good Spoons, and a gem of an art gallery. Mind, the exterior of the Towner is better than the interior. Only the exceptional Ravilious gallery was open and free. Ravilious is a great, but if you want real art...
November 2025. Eastbourne. Mrs RM is spending a season down in Sussex by the Sea, attending to elderly parents (sound familiar?). Arranging Lasting Powers of Attorney never seemed so urgent. I’m hoping to spend a while down there too, ticking GBG pubs and National Trust castles. Some dreich weather to start this...
November 2025. Tonbridge. Having spent the extravagant sum of £3.20 to park next to Tonbridge Castle (it was 6.43pm, they charge 8am till 8pm but kindly gave me a credit of those 43 minutes in the morning) we were going to get full value for our night out. Supper in Spoons, which seems to be back in favour these...
November 2025. Tonbridge. There’s five (5) Tonbridge entries in the Good Beer Guide this year. Southwold has none (0), Stafford only has three. One of those is the very beery Nelson Arms, one’s a Spoons, one is the upmarket craft/cask/toastie gem that is Fuggles. Mrs RM, after a challenging day, wanted that...
November 2025. Tonbridge. A day attending to the in-laws of Royal Tunbridge Wells, where it transpires all Michael wants is a front row seat at the Assembly Hall, listening to a sombre piece about Anne Frank performed by his own choral society. It’s less fun than Rosie, I’ll say that. While the in-laws stay at the...
November 2025. Rye. I’d almost overdone it on that first visit to the Ypres on my return to Rye (not the only one, apparently), and it was unfortunate that I had exactly 32 minutes till the bus back to our caravan park, which is exactly the time needed for a last pint. Yes, yes, I could have walked, but it’s pitch...
November 2025. Rye. First time at our caravan down in Rye Harbour for a year; it’s been on let almost continuously in an attempt to recoup the site fees. It all feels worth it as you take the A2070 from Ashford past Snargate and Romney Marsh, and the bus into Rye from the nature reserve… Continue reading BACK IN...
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