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
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All posts (720)
November 2025. Rye, Odd to think we’ve had a caravan in Rye Harbour for 3 years and I hadn’t been to all the town pubs before this last week. Heading back to Landgate from the Globe, Mrs RM had stopped a few yards short, staring at the Queen’s Head, about which I knew nothing. “What’s that like ? Let’s go in”...
Your brief monthly highlights package. Only forty-five pubs, 21 new GBG entries, in a month of high quality and variety. I almost caught up on the blog, too, though with reading Russ’s comments (thanks Russ) occupying 35% of my time I may never have time to go to the pub again. Amongst all that quality, a real...
November 2025. Rye. The usual routine. 2 days in Waterbeach, leave a bag of washing in the garage for pick up later, pack light for trip to Rye via London. I cannot believe how much luggage folk drag around the capital. 22 minutes between trains.at Kings Cross St Pancras. You’ll recognise the lure of this place, but...
November 2025. Norwich. We daren’t travel too far at the moment, with declining parents and unsold properties, so it’s lucky I can get so much joy from an afternoon in a big city walking suburban streets, gazing at street art and churches, and only having to choose which pub to nip in and eavesdrop on Narrrrfolk...
November 2025. Norwich. 10 minutes out from Norwich market along residential Unthank Road to my new GBG tick, a genuine new pub from the Fat Cat stable rather than an old one you’ve walked past a hundred times and thought “Wonder when that’ll get in the Guide ?”. Looks lovely from outside, the interior of this...
November 2025. Norwich. I’ve taken more rail journeys these last 3 years than I had in all the previous 57, and despite the overcrowding on the Sheffield to Manchester routes and the unpredictable late cancellations I’m glad to get away from the car. No, really. But Monday nights trip south was a nightmare, an...
November 2025. Sheffield. Back from Leeds on Monday morning, quick walk to RM Towers to take the brown bin in, check taps, put heating down, then return to Sheffield station for the train south to Waterbeach. Wash and repeat. The rain adds something to central Sheffield. But obviously not the rail network, with a...
November 2025. Leeds. My last train back from Leeds to Sheffield would have been a ridiculously early 22:37, with a half hour walk from my gig out in Hyde Park’s student land. Could I possibly make it back ? I asked ChatGPT for my chances of making that train, based on probable stage times (often a bit earlier on...
November 2025. Leeds. A few minutes at bucolic Bramley station, waiting for the train back to Leeds. It’s late, but is it late enough to Delay Repay ? In Leeds, which is one of the most confusing stations in the UK to escape from, I head towards Swinegate, the Calls, and a pre-emptive recommendation 5 minutes...
November 2025. Pudsey. West Yorkshire. Back in Sheffield at the weekend for a couple of days to a) collect post (there isn’t any, except the Caravan Club glossy), b) put the bin out (it’s empty, but habit), c) make sure the heating is working in the middle of a sudden freeze (yep), and d) have a night in Leeds. All...
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