Walking. Gossip. Travel.

Tag: Swindon

  • Ridgeway – Day 1 (It’s All About the Greggs)

    Ridgeway – Day 1 (It’s All About the Greggs)

    [I originally posted this in June 2018, but have reposted it to fix some broken image links]

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    We left the Travelodge all refreshed and reinvigorated for the first day of walking. But all walking adventures need to start with some fine dining, so off to the artisan bakers we went…

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    Here it is, Swindon’s finest baker. Second to none.

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    The door situation was confusing, so I let Steve work it out. I also didn’t want to look too desperate by running into Greggs, although that was how I felt…

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    Here he is at the counter, busy adding things to his order and holding up mine. But my time came, and I got a delicious chicken bake and latte, enough to suffice me for a few hours. We also brought dinner here, as there’s unlikely to be anything as good later on.

    So the morning has started off in a lovely manner, it’s now off to the bus station ready to get the bus to Avebury.

  • Ridgeway – Day 0 (Sir Daniel Arms)

    Ridgeway – Day 0 (Sir Daniel Arms)

    [I originally posted this in June 2018, but have reposted it to fix some broken image links]

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    Our final pub visit of the day was to the Sir Daniel Arms and it was hard to contain Bev’s excitement. When we arrived at the pub Bev was a short distance behind complaining, so it felt that we were back on the Hadrian’s Wall week…..

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    I used the app as I didn’t want to wait for the others to faff about ordering. My food arrived before the drink, but I’m very patient and didn’t complain to the others in the group that they were holding up my drinks order. Although my rather lazy approach to ordering meant that I never did see what real ales were available at the bar.

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    Perfectly acceptable burger at a very reasonable price. My food arrived before everyone else’s, so that was perfect as well, win-win.

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    Here we all are as a group, team Ridgerats or whatever it was Susanna called us. We still haven’t thought of a group name, I was thinking more along the lines of something involving the word Greggs.

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    Two photos of the pub interior, it was fortunately quite quiet when we were there.

  • Ridgeway – Day 0 (The Hop Inn)

    Ridgeway – Day 0 (The Hop Inn)

    [I originally posted this in June 2018, but have reposted it to fix some broken image links]

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    Pub number three was the Hop Inn, which Bev told us was a former sex shop. We didn’t feel it appropriate to ask too many questions. Not through lack of wanting to ask questions of Bev, but because we didn’t really want to know the answers. The Bev Enigma is something that needs to unfold slowly.

    This is the first pub that all met up at, so Maggie, Bev, Steve M, Steve, Dave and Susanna were all here, marking the official start of the Ridgeway adventure.

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    I was delighted with the choices here, some interesting beers and numerous ones that I hadn’t seen before. The liquorice stout sounded positively luxurious, but there was no way that I couldn’t order the peanut butter & banana porter. Despite the ABV, it was very drinkable and there was a lingering and pleasant after-taste of the banana, although I couldn’t get the taste of the peanut butter at all. But, I’d order it again.

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    We were delighted to see that there was a pizza menu, and we planned to just stay here all night. I noticed that the chicaritzo pizza looked particularly tempting, which would have gone beautifully with a pint of stout. Then, horror of horrors, they announced that they had just three pizza bases left. I worked out that as there was seven of us, that would mean that after I had a pizza to myself the others would have just one pizza between three people. This clearly wasn’t sufficient, as one member of our group can devour an entire pizza in one mouthful (not me), so we had to make the sad decision to move on. Which meant I never got to try the liquorice stout….

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    The interior of the pub, very on-trend and contemporary, and very much my favourite sort of pub. Of all the pubs we got time to go to in Swindon, which was only four, this was my favourite. But, onwards we marched to pub number four for food.

  • Ridgeway – Day 0 (The Beehive)

    Ridgeway – Day 0 (The Beehive)

    [I originally posted this in June 2018, but have reposted it to fix some broken image links]

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    Second pub was the Beehive, a Greene King pub located on Prospect Hill in Swindon. The welcome was friendly and there were six real ales available, a wide selection for a relatively small pub, although there was nothing which looked particularly interesting for my own preferences. So, it was time for a little cider instead.

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    There were four rooms in this Victorian pub and a central bar. It had a slightly quirky and interesting interior, and it didn’t feel too mauled about and modernised.

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    The crisps were three months out of date, but the quality of Monster Munch doesn’t diminish and they tasted fine  🙂  Mind you, we had been tempted to come to this pub by the mention in the Good Beer Guide that they had free crisps, something which wasn’t happening when we got there. If they had been, it is quite possible that we wouldn’t have left….

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    The cider selection.

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    Beer notes, which I know Greene King encourage, but many of their pubs don’t provide them so willingly.

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    Dave and Steve, getting on well with the locals.

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    Then our quiet was shattered, in marches Bev, complaining that we’re not in the pubs she has gone round looking for us. Before she comes to sit down with us, we discover that she knows half the customers in the bar, reminding us that she used to live down the road.

    Actually, this turned into a feature of the whole evening, Bev walking around like she was on a farewell tour of Swindon. Locals fêted her, some confirmed they were related to her and there was a real feel that Bev had made a substantial impact on Swindon during the year which she lived here. If the walls of Swindon could talk, what stories they would tell…

    After a second pack of Monster Munch (these ones were in date), it was time to move on to the next pub. Bev had discovered that a former sex shop was now a pub, and that was where she wanted to go.

  • Ridgeway – Day 0 (The Savoy)

    Ridgeway – Day 0 (The Savoy)

    [I originally posted this 11 June 2018, but have reposted it to fix some broken image links]

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    We thought for our pub visits in Swindon that we should rely on the Good Beer Guide, so many thanks to Nathan for sending the details of pubs which were listed.

    The Savoy, which is a JD Wetherspoon pub, had made the cut and so we thought we’d go there for a quick drink and small snack.

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    There was a pleasant external beer garden area, although Bev later complained about the locals when she went to examine the clientele…… This was our last chance to talk about the others before they turned up, so we made sure that we took advantage of that opportunity.

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    Since the devastating removal of pastrami bagel from the menu, the chicken wrap will have to do….

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    A lovely pint of Guinness, although perhaps not perfectly poured…

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    There were nine real ales available, an impressive number, and they were well selected with some interesting options. The stout had a rich and pleasant flavour, with the price of £2.29 being particularly appealing. The service at the bar was also engaging, with the team member being willing to offer samples and she happily discussed the options available.

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    Interior of the pub, which is a former cinema that originally opened in 1937 for ABC. It was redesigned in 1973 to add a pub at the rear and was taken over by Cannon in 1986, before closing in March 1991. It re-opened as a JD Wetherspoon pub in February 1996.

  • Bassett Down Golf Club in Swindon

    Bassett Down Golf Club in Swindon

    Bassett Down Golf Club

    Address: Basset Down Golf Club, Basset Down, Swindon, Swindon

    Local Council: Swindon

    I haven’t yet visited this pub, but maybe sometime soon….. When I do, this text will disappear and my ‘fascinating’ comments about the pub will appear instead.

    For the moment, here’s my list of Good Beer Guide pubs visited. And for anyone interested, which I accept isn’t likely to be many people, my favourite pub so far is the Hop and Vine in Hull. Untappd is a handy place to see where I’ve been recently (and feel free to add me, the more the merrier).

    I also don’t have an interview with anyone from this pub, but if they want to take part then please do contact me. It’ll also be an effort to update this database with pub closures and updates, but I’ll change the details of anywhere that I’m contacted about. I’m updating on a regular basis new pubs and also removing venues which are clearly more restaurants than pubs. And the pub that I’m saddest about closing is Goose Island in London which shut its doors in late 2022…..

    This project is I accept entirely unachievable, namely trying to visit not only every Good Beer Guide pub in the country but having a fair crack of trying to visit as many pubs as I can. But, I have to start somewhere and here is where we’re starting. The image in the photo is from the Phantom Brewery Tap in Reading.

  • White Hart in Swindon

    White Hart in Swindon

    White Hart

    Address: Wanborough Road, Stratton St Margaret, Swindon

    Local Council: Swindon

    I haven’t yet visited this pub, but maybe sometime soon….. When I do, this text will disappear and my ‘fascinating’ comments about the pub will appear instead.

    For the moment, here’s my list of Good Beer Guide pubs visited. And for anyone interested, which I accept isn’t likely to be many people, my favourite pub so far is the Hop and Vine in Hull. Untappd is a handy place to see where I’ve been recently (and feel free to add me, the more the merrier).

    I also don’t have an interview with anyone from this pub, but if they want to take part then please do contact me. It’ll also be an effort to update this database with pub closures and updates, but I’ll change the details of anywhere that I’m contacted about. I’m updating on a regular basis new pubs and also removing venues which are clearly more restaurants than pubs. And the pub that I’m saddest about closing is Goose Island in London which shut its doors in late 2022…..

    This project is I accept entirely unachievable, namely trying to visit not only every Good Beer Guide pub in the country but having a fair crack of trying to visit as many pubs as I can. But, I have to start somewhere and here is where we’re starting. The image in the photo is from the Phantom Brewery Tap in Reading.

  • Wichel Inn (Formerly Known As The Bayberry) in Swindon

    Wichel Inn (Formerly Known As The Bayberry) in Swindon

    Wichel Inn (Formerly Known As The Bayberry)

    Address: 2 Frogden Road, East Wichel, Swindon, Swindon

    Local Council: Swindon

    I haven’t yet visited this pub, but maybe sometime soon….. When I do, this text will disappear and my ‘fascinating’ comments about the pub will appear instead.

    For the moment, here’s my list of Good Beer Guide pubs visited. And for anyone interested, which I accept isn’t likely to be many people, my favourite pub so far is the Hop and Vine in Hull. Untappd is a handy place to see where I’ve been recently (and feel free to add me, the more the merrier).

    I also don’t have an interview with anyone from this pub, but if they want to take part then please do contact me. It’ll also be an effort to update this database with pub closures and updates, but I’ll change the details of anywhere that I’m contacted about. I’m updating on a regular basis new pubs and also removing venues which are clearly more restaurants than pubs. And the pub that I’m saddest about closing is Goose Island in London which shut its doors in late 2022…..

    This project is I accept entirely unachievable, namely trying to visit not only every Good Beer Guide pub in the country but having a fair crack of trying to visit as many pubs as I can. But, I have to start somewhere and here is where we’re starting. The image in the photo is from the Phantom Brewery Tap in Reading.

  • Woodlands Edge in Swindon

    Woodlands Edge in Swindon

    Woodlands Edge

    Address: Midwinter Close, Peatmoor, Swindon

    Local Council: Swindon

    I haven’t yet visited this pub, but maybe sometime soon….. When I do, this text will disappear and my ‘fascinating’ comments about the pub will appear instead.

    For the moment, here’s my list of Good Beer Guide pubs visited. And for anyone interested, which I accept isn’t likely to be many people, my favourite pub so far is the Hop and Vine in Hull. Untappd is a handy place to see where I’ve been recently (and feel free to add me, the more the merrier).

    I also don’t have an interview with anyone from this pub, but if they want to take part then please do contact me. It’ll also be an effort to update this database with pub closures and updates, but I’ll change the details of anywhere that I’m contacted about. I’m updating on a regular basis new pubs and also removing venues which are clearly more restaurants than pubs. And the pub that I’m saddest about closing is Goose Island in London which shut its doors in late 2022…..

    This project is I accept entirely unachievable, namely trying to visit not only every Good Beer Guide pub in the country but having a fair crack of trying to visit as many pubs as I can. But, I have to start somewhere and here is where we’re starting. The image in the photo is from the Phantom Brewery Tap in Reading.

  • Wroughton Bowls Club in Swindon

    Wroughton Bowls Club in Swindon

    Wroughton Bowls Club

    Address: Barrett Way, Wroughton, Swindon

    Local Council: Swindon

    I haven’t yet visited this pub, but maybe sometime soon….. When I do, this text will disappear and my ‘fascinating’ comments about the pub will appear instead.

    For the moment, here’s my list of Good Beer Guide pubs visited. And for anyone interested, which I accept isn’t likely to be many people, my favourite pub so far is the Hop and Vine in Hull. Untappd is a handy place to see where I’ve been recently (and feel free to add me, the more the merrier).

    I also don’t have an interview with anyone from this pub, but if they want to take part then please do contact me. It’ll also be an effort to update this database with pub closures and updates, but I’ll change the details of anywhere that I’m contacted about. I’m updating on a regular basis new pubs and also removing venues which are clearly more restaurants than pubs. And the pub that I’m saddest about closing is Goose Island in London which shut its doors in late 2022…..

    This project is I accept entirely unachievable, namely trying to visit not only every Good Beer Guide pub in the country but having a fair crack of trying to visit as many pubs as I can. But, I have to start somewhere and here is where we’re starting. The image in the photo is from the Phantom Brewery Tap in Reading.