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North Walsham Pub Day (Revisit) – Peasants’ Tavern

Julian and I were beyond excited to once again visit North Norfolk’s leading transportation hub and mark my words, it won’t be long before North Walsham International Airport is opened. Imagine the possibilities of that, direct access from Las Vegas to its Norfolk equivalent, I can just see the A380 landing now.

Anyway, back in April 2023, Julian and I visited every pub in North Walsham, including an attempt to visit the Market Tavern which was a bit shut. I noted at the time:

“We were told in the Hop In that the landlord died which is why it closed, but hopefully it can re-open again in the future as a pub as the venue seems entirely viable financially.”

Well, I’m pleased to note that Charlie (from the King’s Head in Norwich) and team have taken over the premises and it is now thriving once again. Julian and I decided that we needed to visit Charlie and also complete our North Walsham pubs.

We spent a few hours at the pub which is located just off the main square. The pub re-opened in April 2014 and had previously been known as the Carpenter’s Arms and the Market Tavern. The latter pub name was introduced by Pete Callaway in 2013, when he opened the pub with a focus on pie & mash, and that name survived until he sadly passed away and the pub closed. I can find nearly nothing about this building, although it’s listed and was originally constructed in the early nineteenth century.

And always a delight to be in the company of the hugely talented Charlie. And Julian of course. He must be nearly 30 now and he’s lost none of his enthusiasm, I hope that I’m still as energetic at his age.

A nicely balanced selection of real ales from a range of local breweries. It was no surprise to discover that they were all impeccably kept.

Julian spent the day drinking mostly this, which surprised everyone, but Charlie was too professional to question it as there’s a drink for everyone. I questioned it though as I’m not professional. There are a few non-alcoholic options available, something of a must in pubs now. Unless they’re really badly run pubs which think that Stella, Madri and Budweiser are the height of sophistication, but I mustn’t be judgemental….

Spot on with the crisp selection, I’m always sceptical about pubs that just have Walkers. The beer on the right is the Rheingold from Derby Brewing Company, which was hoppy and rustic, whilst the one on the left is the Winter Stout from Panther, a creamy number with coffee and chocolate flavours.

They have a craft beer fridge and I noted with some excitement the Raspberry Dark Chocolate Coconut Cluster from Vault City. It didn’t disappoint, although for my own Bounty loving tastes, I would have preferred more coconut. However, there was a nice level of sourness and the raspberry and chocolate were much more evident. Marvellous, a case in point of how a bar can offer cask ales and craft beers to suit the needs of the many.

There’s a tastefully decorated room to the rear and also a pleasant little external courtyard area for the warmer summer months, or for the cold months as well if you’re a smoker. The pub is also open long hours, from 12:00 until 23:00 every day of the week. On the matter of seating, I very much liked the higher chairs by an area near to the bar, but they didn’t block the bar for those who wanted to see what was available on the pumps. There were also numerous power points for customers to use, as well as wi-fi. Looking at some older photos, the transformation has been extensive and very much in keeping with the building, it is a vast improvement. I can imagine the amount of blood, sweat and tears that went into planning and delivering on this evolution of the property’s use.

I accept that I’m slightly biased in writing this (although I’m very independent), but this is a quite marvellous pub. It’s got a traditional vibe with its focus on beer, community, conversation and pies, but it’s also got the craft beer edge that I also like. I’m not sure that they’d refer to it as a micropub, as it’s quite a chunk of space to the rear, but it has that sort of energy. I very much hope that this pub does well, and I’m confident it will with the quality of the people there, and maybe there might be a little series of these venues across North Norfolk. And I can pledge that Julian and I will do our best to visit them all.

December 4, 2024
Bournemouth – Goat & Tricycle (Good Beer Guide)

Continuing my never-ending quest to visit every Good Beer Guide pub in the country, the Goat & Tricycle is an intriguing building which is formed of two different pubs. The one on the left (which has a beautiful green tile frontage which is pretty much impossible to make out on my photo) was known as the Pembroke Arms and this half of the pub is listed, so they go crazy in the other half I can imagine. This venue is from 12:00 until 23:00 every day of the week, other than on Fridays and Saturdays when it opens until 23:30. They serve food on Mondays to Saturdays, with around ten real ales usually available.

There’s the real ale range and there’s a strong presence from the Liberation Brewing Co who are based in the Channel Islands and I remember that they dominated the pub scene when I went to Jersey. Anyway, the selection was broad and it’s evident why it’s listed in the Good Beer Guide.

The beer list on the chalkboard and also a collection of implements that hopefully will never fall on a patron’s head. The service was friendly and welcoming, although there weren’t any seats available as it was busy. The pub was clean and I liked that they kept the front bar clean and dry.

This is the BOB from Wickwar Wessex Brewing Company. A sessionable beer which was malty with flavours of toffee and biscuit. I like drinking a liquid Twix though, so no complaints there.

This is listed as a Winter Ale on Untappd, but I’m not entirely sure what they actually are, I just thought it’s be something stronger in terms of the ABV but this little number was 4.1% which is hardly going to lead to much falling over. Decent beer though, very malty and I got a taste of cinnamon, but I decided that I was probably an idiot on that as no-one else seemed to be.

The on-line reviews are mostly positive and the negative ones are mostly ridiculous by the looks of it. One customer wrote:

“Worst pub in Bournemouth by some distance! Rubbish selection of ales all from Butcombe. Inferior nonlocal Westons cider available at £6 pint. Bright lights and a dreadful environment. Avoid like the plague!”.

I mention this as I liked the pub’s response to the review:

“Just to be warned everyone, this gentleman spent 30 minutes in our pub, he bought a Liberation IPA, drank half of it then tipped half an Old Rosie into the same glass, drank it and then left. Was extremely rude whilst at the bar, complaining we weren’t a Wetherspoons. Walking into a Butcombe pub complaining its full of Butcombe beer. 0 stars for you Greg”.

I think that’s a humorous response personally, I liked that they noted the rather dreadful sounding Snake Bite type drink. And there’s a nasty review which gave them 1 out of 5 because they were honouring their licensing conditions by not allowing under 18s in and the customer noted “this was inconvenient as we had agreed to meet a friend there”. I feel their pain.

The atmosphere in the pub was relaxed and laid-back, it was a comfortable place to be even without a seat to sit at. The service was efficient and customers were served in turn, with what felt like a genuine welcome offered to all. The pub is owned by Butcombe Brewery and there are apparently a couple of function rooms available, which isn’t entirely surprising since they’ve formed this venue from two separate premises. Anyway, all rather lovely and I’d merrily recommend this pub to others given the range of real ales and the ones I had were well-kept.

December 3, 2024
Bournemouth – All Hail Ale

I debated whether or not it was worth getting soaked in the rain to visit All Hail Ale, but I decided the thought of craft beer was certainly a justifiable reason and so I went for the wet look. My contribution towards the hospitality industry really is quite impressive I think.

The beer board, although the venue helpfully uses Untappd and so I was already aware of what was available. This is a carefully thought through selection, I was suitably impressed as there were different beer styles and a mixture of cask and keg.

The bar area, all cosy and comfortable with a fair range of spirits to choose from. The staff member was engaging and personable, evidently knowledgeable about the beers which always comes in handy.

Inside the pub, all on-trend, modern and fits very well into the craft beer vibe. There were a range of games to play as well, although I decided against playing Cards Against Humanity on my own.

I was surprised this wasn’t rated higher on Untappd, it’s Dainty from Eight Arch Brewing Company and I thought it was really rather good. Lots of stonefruit, a tropical flavour and decent mouthfeel, all very smooth.

This is the Mavka 2024 from Siren Brew that I decided to treat myself to. Decadent, smooth and gorgeous (all like me, other than I’m not very decadent), there was a heap of coconut, coffee, chocolate, all in all a delightful third. It doesn’t come cheap, but I paired it with some robust ham & mustard flavour crisps to accentuate the flavours. I was happy just with crisps as I had already eaten, but the pub lets you bring in food from nearby food venues. I think dogs are welcome as well, although I don’t have a dog and so I didn’t bring one.

The reviews are mostly all very positive but there’s a quite ridiculous one saying that “I was expecting something more like the vibrant offerings available in Southampton and the New Forest. Sadly this is more of an old man’s drinking den”. It sounds all very fake to me, likely someone jealous that this venue is offering some excellent beers and they wanted to have a venue like that. The venue has been going for a few years now and seems to have built up a really good reputation.

I really like this venue, it was calm and comfortable, with a welcoming ambience. The staff member was friendly and engaging, the surroundings were comfortable and I liked the higher seating. There was a decent mix of cask and keg, although I only went for the keg options on this occasion, although that’s not entirely unusual. If I’m back in Bournemouth I think I’ll meander back in here, I was really rather pleased with the whole arrangement.

December 2, 2024
London – Camden (Borough of) – Remnant Street

I noticed this street a few days ago when I was meandering about in London and I wondered about its history and whether there were a few tales to tell. I’m not entirely sure that there are, indeed, the street only took its current name in 1935 as before that it was defined as being an extension of Great Queen Street. The street got its name from James Farquharson Remnant, 1st Baron Remnant, a British politician and lawyer. He was the Conservative MP for Holborn (the area where the street is located) between 1900 when he was elected unopposed until 1928. His great grandson, Philip John Remnant, is still in the Lords as a result of the hereditary Peerage, although he’s one of the elected ones by fellow Peers and he will be removed soon as part of the Government’s changes to the Upper House. I had to look this up, but apparently Remnant comes as a name from the Middle English remenaunt(e) ‘remaining part survivor’ perhaps used for someone whose siblings had died in infancy.

The street is the one in the middle of the image (the unnamed bit to the right of Great Queen Street). This map is from the 1880s and before they built the road known as Kingsway in the first few years of the twentieth century, which is what caused this stub of street to need a name of its own.

Incidentally, we can tell that the street sign is before the 1965 borough changes, the year that Holborn, Hampstead and St. Pancras were all joined together to form the Borough of Camden. As an aside, in 1900 the Borough of Holborn was formed when the below parishes were all merged together:

St Giles in the Fields and St George Bloomsbury
St Andrew Holborn Above the Bars with St George the Martyr
Liberty of Saffron Hill
Furnival’s Inn (part)
Gray’s Inn
Lincoln’s Inn
Staple Inn

And there’s Remnant Street in the middle, looking towards Kingsway (or the A4200 for those who prefer that). There was some excitement in November 1964, when the Daily Express reported that there had been an armed raid on the Post Office on the street, with a motorcycle escape by a gunman who took off with £240. And the News Chronicle reported in 1969 that self-service for postal orders had been introduced in London, at the Remnant Street Post Office. Indeed, nearly every mention of this street in newspapers on-line seems to be in reference to the Post Office. The building still stands, but the Post Office closed long ago and it’s now part of the Centre for Commercial Law Studies.

It’s not really the most exotic of streets, I could have chosen somewhere with a bit more obvious history, but there we go. I had thought that it might have been named as it was a bit of a remnant street, and although that oddly is indeed what it has become, that’s not the reason for its naming. There was some excitement at the other end of Remnant Street in 2018 though when the Co-operative Bank was shut and they opened up a Greggs in its place, but that’s about as far as I can go in terms of shattering stories about the street.

November 28, 2024
London – Camden (Borough of) – The Seven Stars (Good Beer Guide)

I’m slowly, but steadily, working on my project to visit every pub in the Good Beer Guide. This building, located on Carey Street near to the Hunterian Museum, is thought to have been built in 1602 although the bar is mostly Victorian. There’s no shortage of history to the pub, which was originally called the The League of Seven Stars in a nod towards Dutch geography (the Seven United Provinces of the Netherlands). I didn’t go up to the toilets in the pub, but they are noted for their steep stairs and a sign which requests customers not to swing on the rail. It’s located near to the Royal Courts of Justice so they are treated to a considerable amount of trade from the legal profession.

A range of Greene King and Adnams beers is not what I was hoping for as they’re so common in East Anglia, but it’s something perhaps slightly different for London. I went for a pint of Broadside which cost £6 and was well kept and tasted as expected. There are some reviews which mention, quite grumpily, that the pub doesn’t offer tasters and that is highly unusual. Anyway, the service was friendly and engaging, so the atmosphere felt inviting.

The slightly infamous pub cat visible in the background. It’s said that Shakespeare might have visited the building given that his plays were performed at Middle Temple, although that’s perhaps a little fanciful. More likely is that the pub was used as the inspiration for The Magpie & Stump featured in Pickwick Papers. The building is listed in CAMRA’s list of outstanding interiors of national historic importance and they note:

“The frontage bears the date 1602 but the building itself probably dates from “only” the 1680s, and was extended into the building on the right in 1878. The core of the pub is the part with doors embellished with etched and gilded glass, declaring ‘private counter’ (on the left) and ‘general counter’ (right). These names are probably unique, certainly in the experience of the writers, and correspond to the more commonly used ‘private bar’ and ‘public bar’. So there were evidently two separate areas fronting on to a common servery and divided, no doubt, by a timber screen. The counter (a plain affair) and bar-back are Victorian and the coloured advertising panels in the head of the latter are typical of the period around 1870-1890. The pub further expanded into the building on the left hand side in relatively recent years to form a cosy drinking area called the ‘Wig Box’.”

A rather better cat photo than my efforts.

I did try though.

I couldn’t quite understand these chairs, as one customer tried to sit on them and nearly fell off before meandering to one of the tables. The tables have table-clothes on so it wasn’t entirely clear to me whether drinkers were allowed to sit at them. The pub is primarily food led and there’s a blackboard which is chalked up with the daily menu. I must admit, the whole arrangement felt a little uncomfortable so I wouldn’t want to linger, but it’s a popular venue. Most surfaces were sticky which made it a little challenging to find somewhere to stand and not stick to something, but the food is very well reviewed and I’m sure it’s marvellous. Anyway, another Good Beer Guide venue ticked off.

November 28, 2024
Tallinn Trip – Ryanair Flight Home and End of the Trip

I suspect my two loyal blog readers thought that this Tallinn series would never end. Well, whilst I was trying to be decadent in the lounge, Bev was having a lovely time judging by this photo that Steve sent. I didn’t say anything.

We were all reunited once again, at least for a short while. Bev and Susanna, who are quite upmarket, had paid for the posh bit of Ryanair and we were separated via this glass screen. I think Bev rather enjoyed being with the elite, but I’m used to being in the poor section.

And ready to board, aircraft EI-DHX, not an aircraft that I’ve been on before (although as I’ve mentioned before, my records are a little incomplete). The aircraft is 19 years old and is a Boeing 737. Anyway, slightly geekiness aside.

The flight itself was uneventful, I was fortunate that although the flight was busy I had no-one next to me so the whole arrangement was suitably comfortable. I’ve had plenty of trips with Ryanair recently, but although their reputation isn’t always great, I’ve found no issues with them. We got delivered back in the satellite terminal which delayed matters somewhat and because Susanna and Bev dithered we had to wait for them after the border. Ross rushed off to get his train, we didn’t see him again…. I sat at the back of the shuttle and it’s mildly entertaining to watch it go along, like a DLR in reverse.

And to my great delight: luxury of luxury, Susanna had parked her car in the posh part of the airport so we could just walk there. I had tried to take us to the shuttle bus just assuming we were in some cheap car park. I was fortunate that everything went to time as I had only three hours before I got back to work, but Susanna dropped me off with at least a little time remaining. All told, this was another quite marvellous trip and I’m pleased to report that the group is next year going to what is likely Ljubljana and Slovenia, so I’d better start planning that. And thanks to Susanna, Bev, Steve and Ross for their company, I have many happy memories of Tallinn and look forwards to returning. I’m also pleased to report that the whole adventure went very well as Bev managed to catch the plane this time and there were no issues at the end like in Gdansk when Susanna and Bev slept in after their wild night out. Once again, Steve and I were inspirational, but we don’t like to go on about it.

There were numerous things that I still wanted to post about, I might get around to adding them in some sort of special feature, but now it’s time to start another exciting series of posts 🙂

November 28, 2024
Tallinn Trip – Tallinn Airport LHV Lounge

Using my new Priority Pass card, I thought I’d pop into the lounge at Tallinn and risked trying to get in over three and a half hours before my flight which is earlier than they need let passengers in.

The staff member was helpful and didn’t query my early arrival, but when I entered I could see her logic in thinking that the lounge would cope with the numbers. Lots of power points and chairs of various heights, although I would have preferred more high tables.

The range of sandwiches, yoghurts and croissants.

Salad elements were available as well. The on-line reviews are mostly positive although some people weren’t entirely surprised and delighted by the lack of hot options in the morning. It all felt sufficient to me, although I do prefer cold breakfasts to hot, so I might be biased on that. I enjoyed this lounge and it was clean, comfortable and it all felt well managed.

Thanks to this haven of tranquility, I emerged refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to face whatever the rest of the day threw at me. And what was waiting for me on the other side of those frosted glass doors? Ah yes, the motley crew of Bev, Susanna, Steve, and Ross, who had been faffing about in the airport cafe. I can only imagine the horrors that they had witnessed. The stale pastries…. The overpriced coffee…. The lingering smell of despair…..

November 26, 2024
Tallinn Trip – The Flight Back Begins

Okay, buckle up buttercup, because this Tallinn saga is hurtling towards its grand finale (much like Susanna storming up those steps, bless her!). I’m sure I’ll come back to fill in some gaps, but for the moment I think I’ll draw this riveting series of posts of our Tallinn trip to a close. Above is Freedom Square (Vabaduse väljak) with St. John’s Church in the background and the Victory Column (Võidussammas) to commemorate those who died during the Estonian War of Independence.

So, the final day dawned, and fuelled by my usual travel anxiety and an insatiable craving for complimentary croissants, I bolted for the airport solo knowing that it was only about an hour walk.

By chance, a bus stopped near to me at a bus stop which was an airport bus and since I still had my Tallinn Card with free public transport, I rushed on it. This arrangement promptly meant I was very early arriving at the airport, but plus ça change….

Just five hours before my flight, so once again I cut it quite fine. I have never missed a flight and I know that it will happen at some time and I’ll likely post very extensively about it.

The terminal at Tallinn Airport was packed….

Ours was the 11:30 flight to Stansted Airport.

Right, just two posts left in this series, the lounge and the flight. I bet my two loyal blog readers can’t wait to see what I’m start writing about after those. I loved a bit of tension and anticipation.

November 26, 2024
Tallinn Trip – Baltic Way

I wrote about the Baltic Way a couple of weeks ago, forgetting that I had visited these footprints marking where the route of this heroic moment took place. There are similar markers in Riga and Vilnius, “two million hands, one unbroken chain, freedom regained”. Or ‘nationalistic’ and ‘anti-Soviet’ as Russian leaders referred to it as, as they were not keen to acknowledge the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and the secret protocols which tore Europe apart.

November 26, 2024
Tallinn Trip – Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Firstly, it’s no secret to those I witter onto about this, but I’m using AI more and more in numerous aspects of life. However, I wondered whether AI could recognise where I took this photo of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral from and it correctly identified it as Kiek in de Kök. Impressive.

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral stands as something of a majestic monument to the Russian Orthodox faith in the heart of Tallinn. Perched atop the important Toompea Hill, its imposing silhouette and gleaming onion domes dominate the city skyline, a constant reminder of the complex history between Estonia and Russia. Constructed between 1894 and 1900 during a period of intense Russification, the cathedral was intended as a symbol of imperial power and dominance. It’s fair to say that things changed quite quickly in that regard during the first twenty years of the twentieth century. Its location, directly facing the Estonian Parliament building, further underscores this historical tension. The cathedral’s significance extends beyond its visual grandeur as it serves as the main church of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, and it remains an active place of worship for many Orthodox Christians in Estonia.

Despite its beauty and religious importance, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral continues to be a source of controversy in Estonia. For many, it represents a painful reminder of Russian imperial rule and the suppression of Estonian national identity. Calls for its demolition have surfaced periodically throughout history and numerous politicians have talked about it again since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I can’t imagine they’d ever seriously consider demolishing it, it would be something of a breach of religious freedom and just show intolerance. But, I can see the anger and difficulties that exist with this building.

Back to the dedication of the Cathedral though. Alexander Nevsky (1221-1263) was a pivotal figure in medieval Russia, renowned as a prince, military leader and saint, so that feels like a life well lived. Born into nobility, he became Prince of Novgorod while still young and quickly established himself as a skilled warrior and strategist. He defended his lands against invasions from Sweden and the Teutonic Knights, achieving decisive victories in the Battle of the Neva (1240) and the Battle on the Ice (1242). These triumphs secured Russia’s northern and western borders, preventing Swedish and Teutonic expansion. Recognising the growing might of the Mongol Golden Horde, Alexander wisely chose a diplomatic path showing his skills as something of a statesman. He submitted to Mongol rule and paid tribute, ensuring relative peace and stability for his people while other Russian principalities suffered greatly. This pragmatic decision, though controversial, allowed him to focus on strengthening his lands and consolidating his power. A devout Orthodox Christian, Alexander fostered close ties with the Church and supported its growth. His piety and commitment to his faith led to his canonisation as a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1547. Alexander Nevsky remains a revered figure in Russian history, celebrated as a national hero, a skilled military leader, a wise ruler, and a symbol of Russian resilience and resistance against foreign invaders. It’s not necessarily the perfect fit for a major religious building in Tallinn, but there we go.

We went inside the Cathedral, but I didn’t take any photos as they’re discouraged. It’s a grand affair, slightly dark and suitably blinged up, although I hope that doesn’t cause any religious distress as a comment as it’s undeniably opulent. However, it is also peaceful and calm, there’s a spiritual feeling to the whole arrangement and that seems a suitable thing in a cathedral.

Although back to AI, Google Gemini created me a generic image of inside a Russian Orthodox church, although this looks nothing like Alexander Nevsky Cathedral so it’s just another one of my meanderings down some side street of irrelevance. Since I’m on this tangent though, I’ll continue by noting there’s a possibility that Google AI will at some stage scan this article and think that this is an interior from the Cathedral, which will distort matters in the future on a wider level in numerous ways. This is the same way that AI poses a threat that there are ever fewer journalists because AI is writing ever more and just copying things that it finds on-line, with perhaps an inevitable decline in standards. But, I digress once again.

November 25, 2024