# The best of England



## smith4188 (28 Aug 2015)

Next year's tour is going to be an extensive exploration of England, the ancient and the modern, the cultured and the crass, the inspiring and the inane.

What is there near you - a building, some scenery, a weird museum, an incredible pint, a dodgy bloke, a ridiculous shop, a toxic swamp, whatever - that I need to include on my list? All suggestions joyfully received. The stranger, the better.

Cheers
Steven


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## Illaveago (28 Aug 2015)

Down here in Wiltshire you have quite a few ancient monuments, Silbury hill, Avebury stone circle, West Kennet Long Barrow and down near Salisbury there is Stone Henge. Beer wise there is Wadworths of Devizes 6X I am not a beer drinker so I wouldn't know.
There is the National Trust Village of Lacock and Lacock Abbey with its connection with photography and the Harry Potter film.

Geoff.


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## smith4188 (28 Aug 2015)

Illaveago said:


> Down here in Wiltshire...



Good stuff. Thanks!


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## summerdays (28 Aug 2015)

Bridges.... From the very big, such as the Severn Bridge, to the smaller Clifton Suspension bridge, and lots of smaller ones than that too! Lots of things to see in Bristol but chances are you'll need to use a bridge or two on your travels!


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## Douggie954 (28 Aug 2015)

Visit the forest of Bpwland It is fantastic. So is the Tintern Abbey.


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## totallyfixed (28 Aug 2015)

I think it wouldn't be proper without visiting England's smallest county which ironically has the largest man made lake [looks completely natural] in Western Europe and the longest brick built viaduct in Europe. If you like McDonalds, forget it. Oh and an ancient great hall that has walls full of horse shoes that are given by any head of state that passes through Oakham, county town of Rutland. It is very strange given the sizes of some of them.


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## Jefferson Meriwether (29 Aug 2015)

Clipper tea is based in Beamninster & is the UK's 1st fair trade tea company. Even though I've never tried Clipper tea I doubt it's as nice as Elderflower tea  Palmers brewery is based in Bridport; their copper ale is nice. In Lyme Regis there's the Town Mill brewery who do nice ales; I recommend the Black Ven porter.

I've already told you about the Cern Abbas giant and his big wedding tackle


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## classic33 (29 Aug 2015)

Remains of the brothel where the Bronte sisters were reputed to have worked in.
Also the piece responsible for one third of The Thieves Litany. Cats' Eye's factory.
Go slightly further afield, whilst still staying local. Visit both birthplaces of Yorkshires' National Anthem. The writer came from nearby.


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## simon the viking (29 Aug 2015)

I think O.P mentioned an incredible pint.....

 

http://www.burtonbridgebrewery.co.uk/

You might as well close the thread now.....


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## smith4188 (29 Aug 2015)

All good stuff so far. And the idea is to visit every county, spending as many days there as is warranted by its size. So Rutland definitely gets a visit, albeit a short one. At least one great pint per county would be good too. Also, forgot to mention, any bonkers festivals, events and competitions would be great too.


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## Hill Wimp (29 Aug 2015)

classic33 said:


> Remains of the brothel where the Bronte sisters were reputed to have worked


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## simon the viking (29 Aug 2015)

smith4188 said:


> All good stuff so far. And the idea is to visit every county, spending as many days there as is warranted by its size. So Rutland definitely gets a visit, albeit a short one. At least one great pint per county would be good too. Also, forgot to mention, any bonkers festivals, events and competitions would be great too.



Did someone mention Rutland?.......

A close second to The Burton Bridge is.......

http://www.grainstorebrewery.com/drink/

And no I'm not an alcoholic honest..... just a real ale geek....


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## classic33 (29 Aug 2015)

Hill Wimp said:


>


Search Anne Lister, Bronte google map


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## classic33 (29 Aug 2015)

Try "Tornado Alley", Leeds. Wind speeds have been recorded at over 100mph.

Buttress Climb at Hebden Bridge, World Dock Pudding Championship at Mytholmroyd.


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## Illaveago (29 Aug 2015)

You could visit Snowdonia and take the train up to the summit of snowdon where there is a cafe with views unless it is cloudy. There is also a beach in that area

Called Whistling Sands, the sand makes the sound like rubber soles shoes on a polished floor when you walk on it.


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## Rickshaw Phil (29 Aug 2015)

Shropshire has a few bits that might be of interest:

Home of the Industrial Revolution.
The world's first iron bridge (in Ironbridge)
The world's first iron framed building and forerunner of the modern skyscraper (in Shrewsbury).
A tower that leans at an angle 3 times steeper than the Tower of Pisa (Bridgnorth Castle)
Birthplace of the modern Olympic Games (Much Wenlock)

Picturesque towns (Shrewsbury, Ludlow, Bridgnorth, Much Wenlock, Bishop's Castle to name a few)
Our own lake district (Ellesmere area)
The Shropshire Hills (Church Stretton and south-west Shropshire)
Boscobel House (Home of _*The *_Royal Oak that all the pubs are named after)
The Severn Valley Railway - one of the best known preserved lines in the country, regular film set and home to the replica of Trevithick's "Catch Me Who Can" - the world's second steam locomotive... but the one that didn't break the track.
Festivals: There are any number through the year but some you might like:

Shrewsbury Cartoon Festival: http://www.shrewsburycartoonfestival.com/

The Green Man Festival, Clun. (early May)
Arbor Day, Aston on Clun (late May)
Two different coracle regattas in Ironbridge (August) and Shrewsbury (September)
Shrewsbury Dragon Boat Festival (June)
Shrewsbury Flower Show (August) - In the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest show of its type in the world.
Tandem Triathlon, Bishop's Castle (July) http://www.tandemtriathlon.org.uk/
Like a good ghost story? The county has plenty but Wem Town Hall offers a cracker: http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/england/shropshire/hauntings/wem-town-hall.html

A good pint? Say no more:

The Three Tuns, Bishop's Castle - Britains oldest brewery (first licenced in 1642). XXX is one I'd recommend.
Hobsons - Cleobury Mortimer.
Ludlow Brewing Co. - Ludlow (what a surprise)
Salopian Brewery - now at Hadnall but formerly of Copthorne, Shrewsbury.
Stonehouse Brewery - Oswestry.
and several more......
How's that to be going on with?


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## ufkacbln (29 Aug 2015)

My references for any tour

1. Simon Jenkins "England's 1000 best churches"
2. Betjeman's "best British Curches"
3 . Julian Cope's "The modern Antiquarian" (also available as a Google Earth file)
4. Muirhead's Blue Guides -I have the 1926 versions
5. Google



..... And most important is the local pub. For the price of a pint you scan find out some wonderful local history from the locals


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## ufkacbln (29 Aug 2015)

.... and for the unusual


Try "Bo11ocks to AltonTowers: Uncommonly British days out" and it's sequel


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## smith4188 (30 Aug 2015)

Looking forward to Shropshire already. Cheers!


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## robjh (30 Aug 2015)

smith4188 said:


> ..So *Rutland* definitely gets a visit, albeit a short one. At least *one great pint per county* would be good too.


Try Rutland Brewery, which has its own pub right by Oakham station.


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## Hill Wimp (30 Aug 2015)

This could be a neverending tour


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## Illaveago (30 Aug 2015)

You could visit Somerset and the Cheddar caves try some mead and Cheddar cheese.


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## Hitchington (30 Aug 2015)

Near me?
Historic Deptford (often overlooked by it's flasher neighbour Greenwich) site of Henry VIII's royal dockyard and the site where Elizabeth Knighted Francis Drake. Home to John Evelyn, 17th century diarist who famously welcomed Tsar Peter the Great to stay at Sayes House, who repaid his host's generosity by smashing the place up with his entourage in drink fuelled debauchery. Also in Deptford is St. Nicholas Church which has at the gates two stone carved skull and crossbones which were inspiration to Captain Morgan, a privateer who adopted the symbol for his flag which then became know as the "jolly roger". Buried in the the grounds is 16th century play-write and friend of Shakespeare Christopher Marlowe.

The ride all along the Thames N4 to N1 is one of my favourites, going from Tower Bridge, along past Deptford, Greenwich, Woolwich (great museum), past Crossness Victorian steam Pumping Station (well worth a visit if you can time it when they have an open day, about 5 a year I think) and continuing to Dartford, Gravesend, Chatham, Whitstable, Canterbury....


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## srw (30 Aug 2015)

Maharajah's Well, Christmas Common.


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## smith4188 (30 Aug 2015)

Hill Wimp said:


> This could be a neverending tour



I know. I have to limit it to a long summer. Hopefully with loads of that typical English sunshine.


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## smith4188 (30 Aug 2015)

Illaveago said:


> You could visit Somerset and the Cheddar caves try some mead and Cheddar cheese.


 
Ah, mead. I remember my grandma giving me that as a ten year-old. Must try some more. Cheddar Gorge definitely, and isn't Wookie Hole around there too?


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## Hill Wimp (30 Aug 2015)

smith4188 said:


> I know. I have to limit it to a long summer. Hopefully with loads of that typical English sunshine.


Summer will just about cover 2 counties.


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## Donger (30 Aug 2015)

smith4188 said:


> All good stuff so far. And the idea is to visit every county, spending as many days there as is warranted by its size. So Rutland definitely gets a visit, albeit a short one. At least one great pint per county would be good too. Also, forgot to mention, any bonkers festivals, events and competitions would be great too.


 
You mean like the Cheese Rolling down Cooper's Hill near Gloucester? That is always truly mad. Also, you could always time it to arrive South of Gloucester just in time to race the Severn Bore along from Epney to Elmore Back. (Tide tables easily available on the net). I've done it a couple of times and it is good fun.


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## classic33 (30 Aug 2015)

Hill Wimp said:


> Summer will just about cover 2 counties.


Yorkshire!


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## Hill Wimp (30 Aug 2015)

classic33 said:


> Yorkshire!


Haven't you got 3 , North, West and South ?


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## classic33 (30 Aug 2015)

Hill Wimp said:


> Haven't you got 3 , North, West and South ?


One of each & York.


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## smith4188 (30 Aug 2015)

Donger said:


> You mean like the Cheese Rolling down Cooper's Hill near Gloucester?



I thought about cheese rolling and then read somewhere (wiki?) that it attracts 40,000 people. Can that be right? That's 10 times a Blackburn Rivers home game. So was hoping for something a little more obscure. Like a Blackburn Rivers home game perhaps.


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## Blue Hills (30 Aug 2015)

Douggie954 said:


> Visit the forest of Bpwland It is fantastic. So is the Tintern Abbey.


Forest of bowland seconded. I grew up not too far away but only relatively late in life, having long since moved away, only really began to appreciate it. A few years ago on a ride back from Chipping (corner caff apparently frequented by wiggins) i rounded a corner and exclaimed "fark me", so damn beautiful was it. Ok, i'm not going to be the next Wordsworth.

I'm assuming mr primrose has another book in the offing and despite his shameless attempt to get all his research done for nowt i will be seriously interested in buying it. Check him out.

Edited - just noticed that cyclechat changes words it doesn't like. Bit disapppointed. Sometimes a good anglo saxon word is just right/expresses the moment.


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## smith4188 (30 Aug 2015)

smith4188 said:


> Blackburn Rivers.


 
I'd love to know how to switch off auto correct.


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## smith4188 (30 Aug 2015)

Blue Hills said:


> I'm assuming mr primrose has another book in the offing and despite his shameless attempt to get all his research done for nowt i will be seriously interested in buying it. Check him out.



;-) Busted! Don't worry. I'll be doing plenty of my own research too. I just thought your collective local knowledge might guide me somewhere weird, or to a truly exceptional pint.


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## Blue Hills (30 Aug 2015)

Aha, good to know that you are again on the holy duality of cycling and drinking.

Ok, here goes.

The Golding Hop 

I used to think that its days were numbered when i used to often lead a bunch of merry (more merry on the departure) cyclists there.

It seemed to be from another age, wonderful strong cider, a famously grouchy but essentially nice landlord, great basic food from his wife.

The first time i saw it it was as a vision.

Seemed ripe for a conversion to a house or a gastro pub.

And on googling i find that google immediately suggests "up for sale

http://www.porterssurveyors.com/properties/the-golding-hop/

Oh Albion, what has become of you.


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## Blue Hills (30 Aug 2015)

I well remember the landlords reaction when asked forva cup of tea.

And if you wanted your water bottle filling, you were directed to a spring outside.

And the water was fine, though not as fine as the 7.5 per cent cider.

Happy (and not too long ago) days.


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## Blue Hills (30 Aug 2015)

smith4188 said:


> All good stuff so far. And the idea is to visit every county, spending as many days there as is warranted by its size. So Rutland definitely gets a visit, albeit a short one. At least one great pint per county would be good too. Also, forgot to mention, any bonkers festivals, events and competitions would be great too.


Not necessarily totallt bonkers but i can recommend the faversham hop festival. Wonderful under appreciated town (on one ride a compatriot of mine was leading we inexolicably whizzed straight through it), lots of folk getting nicely inebriated in the streets (but no trouble maybe thanks to more recent earlier closing), lots of nice free bands, good camping at local school, though not as cheap as it used to be - first time i went not too long ago i got two nights for £5 as the guy helping on the gate was from peckham and i said i'd riddren from there, orvthereabouts. Great fish and chip shop as well.


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## Blue Hills (30 Aug 2015)

Illaveago said:


> You could visit Snowdonia and take the train up to the summit of snowdon where there is a cafe with views unless it is cloudy. There is also a beach in that area
> 
> Called Whistling Sands, the sand makes the sound like rubber soles shoes on a polished floor when you walk on it.


I can vouch for the fact that they do whistle. Unlike many of these things, itbis not a myth adopted by tourist marketing types.


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## Blue Hills (30 Aug 2015)

smith4188 said:


> I'd love to know how to switch off auto correct.


Lucky you aren't from clitheroe. For a fair few years microsoft word had very fixed ideas on what folks really meant.


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## ufkacbln (30 Aug 2015)

Hill Wimp said:


> Haven't you got 3 , North, West and South ?




That is just being greedy!


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## smith4188 (30 Aug 2015)

Blue Hills said:


> Lucky you aren't from clitheroe.



I'm not. But only about 10 miles away.


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## Blue Hills (30 Aug 2015)

Yes, i know, i read your great book which rather began and ended with your impressions of your home town, very familiar to me for various reasons.

Am in a pub at the mo on a wonky tablet or i would link to that book.

Feel free to, on my behalf, provide the link.

I will just add the fervent recommendation to a book in a genre which can be bloody awful.

Your home town is where i saw my first ever live band - slade!

And a bit later the buzzcocks. Both great.


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## smith4188 (30 Aug 2015)

Blue Hills said:


> Your home town is where i saw my first ever live band - slade!
> 
> And a bit later the buzzcocks. Both great.



I saw Gary Numan and The Grumbleweeds there. Different nights, obviously. Neither great.


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## Illaveago (30 Aug 2015)

smith4188 said:


> Ah, mead. I remember my grandma giving me that as a ten year-old. Must try some more. Cheddar Gorge definitely, and isn't Wookie Hole around there too?


Yes Wookie Hole Is in that area how close I am not too sure.


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## classic33 (30 Aug 2015)

Hill Wimp said:


> Haven't you got 3 , North, West and South ?


We've the East Riding of Yorkshire as well. We had three until April 74.


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## Jefferson Meriwether (30 Aug 2015)

smith4188 said:


> Ah, mead. I remember my grandma giving me that as a ten year-old. Must try some more.



Morrisons sells harvest gold mead which is nice. You might not like it as much as you liked Rattlers cider but it's definitely worth a try. I personally can demolish a bottle of mead very quickly; having said that I can demolish most drinks quickly lol.


One thing that's just occurred to me; I know you'll potentially be down in Dorset June time but in July Tolpuddle has a Tolpuddle martyrs' festival.


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## smith4188 (30 Aug 2015)

Jefferson Meriwether said:


> One thing that's just occurred to me; I know you'll potentially be down in Dorset June time but in July Tolpuddle has a Tolpuddle martyrs' festival.



Is that a music festival or related to political martyrdom?


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## Jefferson Meriwether (30 Aug 2015)

From what I can gather from their website it's more of a political martyrdom festival though it does have music & family entertainment. I've never been to Tolpuddle, let alone the festival, so haven't got any 1st hand experience of what it's like.


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## Ian H (30 Aug 2015)

We have the Blackdown Hills, and the Luppit Inn (run by 93yr old Mary from the kitchen of her farmhouse). Ottery St Mary and the Tar Barrels. Beer (the fishing village) and Branscombe. The Bridge Inn at Topsham where you choose from the beer menu. Exeter Cathedral and city. Dartmoor. The wilds of mid and north Devon. Exmoor and the North Devon coast (Valley of the Rocks, Woody Bay). And loads more.


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## Brains (31 Aug 2015)

I live in Greenwich, so a lot here obviously with two UNESCO world heritage sites and obviously the prime meridian of the world, so keeping with the theme of time, a visit to the Daylight Inn in nearby Petts Wood (Kent), a 1930's Tudorbethan Grade II listed pub named after the local bloke than gave the world Summer Time (There has to be a British weather joke in there somewhere), to be fair, the pub is nothing special, but maybe that is a story in itself 

I would second the Faversham Beer Festival in Kent, I also accidentally chanced upon it a couple of years ago, and in keeping with Kent and Beer I have a couple of suggestions.

The Isle of Thanet micro-pub trail, 10 pubs in 20 miles, what could possibly go wrong ? 
http://www.micropubcrawl.co.uk/map/map.htm

For the seriously weird and whacky pub, I'll nominate the Rising Sun near Kemsing (Kent), I can not image the pub is run on a commercial basis, but that is a conversation you can hold with the parrot
http://whatpub.com/pubs/GRA/0189/rising-sun-kemsing


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## Hill Wimp (31 Aug 2015)

I can beat the 10 pubs in 20 miles, come to Deal and you can have nearly 40 within 3 miles 

Another festival is the Folk and Ale festival in Sandwich Kent. Lovely little medieval town with numerous ancient pubs and lots of good folk music and erm ........ lots of morris dancers


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## classic33 (31 Aug 2015)

Brains said:


> I live in Greenwich, so a lot here obviously with two UNESCO world heritage sites and obviously* the prime meridian of the world*, so keeping with the theme of time, a visit to the Daylight Inn in nearby Petts Wood (Kent), a 1930's Tudorbethan Grade II listed pub named after the local bloke than gave the world Summer Time (There has to be a British weather joke in there somewhere), to be fair, the pub is nothing special, but maybe that is a story in itself.


He could visit the origional and the site of its replacement. 100 yards further West, first one is in the wrong place.


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## Blue Hills (31 Aug 2015)

Brains said:


> I live in Greenwich, so a lot here obviously with two UNESCO world heritage sites and obviously the prime meridian of the world, so keeping with the theme of time, a visit to the Daylight Inn in nearby Petts Wood (Kent), a 1930's Tudorbethan Grade II listed pub named after the local bloke than gave the world Summer Time (There has to be a British weather joke in there somewhere), to be fair, the pub is nothing special, but maybe that is a story in itself
> 
> I would second the Faversham Beer Festival in Kent, I also accidentally chanced upon it a couple of years ago, and in keeping with Kent and Beer I have a couple of suggestions.
> 
> ...



I can second that pub.

On the pub theme, The Circus in central manchester. Incredibly small, so you won't be getting your bike in - you hit the bar as soon as you walk in. Remarkably still open, or it was a few weeks ago.

Oh, and mr primrose, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find britain's cheapest pint. And report back.


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## Bodhbh (31 Aug 2015)

Illaveago said:


> Down here in Wiltshire you have quite a few ancient monuments, Silbury hill, Avebury stone circle, West Kennet Long Barrow and down near Salisbury there is Stone Henge. Beer wise there is Wadworths of Devizes 6X I am not a beer drinker so I wouldn't know.
> Geoff.



All those, but I will not speak of Harry Potter however. Stonehenge is one of those places that gets knocked for being roped off, too expensive, touristy and next to the A303 (dad joke alert - why did they build it next to the A303?). On a bike, on tour, you can approach it from one of the several bridlepaths, off-peak and with the A303 out of clipping...and I think it's quite stunning.

I suppose the best way to do that part of the country is via the Ridgeway if you want to tie in a few ancient monuments (Uffington White Horse + hill fort, Waylands Smithy, Avebury, Stonehenge and Old Sarum, etc). Also there's not many options for multiday off-road adventures in the south of England, might as well take advantage off one while it makes sense.


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## smith4188 (31 Aug 2015)

Blue Hills said:


> Oh, and mr primrose, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find britain's cheapest pint. And report back.



I'll happily accept any and all England-based missions given. But wouldn't the answer to that one be something a bit dull like Wetherspoon's. Surely strongest beer, or even most-expensive-but-worth-every-penny beer, would be more fun?


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## smith4188 (31 Aug 2015)

Hill Wimp said:


> and erm ........ lots of morris dancers



I could hardly say I've seen the whole of England if I didn't see Morris dancers.


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## young Ed (31 Aug 2015)

most haunted place in britain and also home to the famous ITV series 'the darling buds of may'. here in Pluckley Kent
Cheers Ed


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## classic33 (31 Aug 2015)

young Ed said:


> most haunted place in britain and also home to the famous ITV series 'the darling buds of may'. here in Pluckley Kent
> Cheers Ed


Didn't realise you'd moved up here
_"Yorkshire is OFFICIALLY the most haunted county in England. For straight-up hauntings, Yorkshire comes in first with a whopping 404."_
_http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/ampp3d/ghosts-englands-most-haunted-place-4497861_


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## smith4188 (31 Aug 2015)

classic33 said:


> _"Yorkshire is OFFICIALLY the most haunted county in England. For straight-up hauntings, Yorkshire comes in first with a whopping 404."_



Not sure how to understand an "official" value for something categorically denied by science, but I'm prepared to check it out. Cheers!


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## ufkacbln (31 Aug 2015)

classic33 said:


> Didn't realise you'd moved up here
> _"Yorkshire is OFFICIALLY the most haunted county in England. For straight-up hauntings, Yorkshire comes in first with a whopping 404."
> http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/ampp3d/ghosts-englands-most-haunted-place-4497861_




If you fail to see a ghost - is it a 404 Not Found


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## Dave 123 (1 Sep 2015)

Cycle to Frodsham/Helsby in Cheshire. Get to a view point and look down over Stanlow oil refinery, the Mersey estuary and Runcorn. You'll also see the M56.

Do this at night, industrial hell becomes a twinkling wonderland!

Cambridge- Get a personal tour of Corpus Christi College Gardens from the Head Gardener (lovely bloke, witty, handsome....) Then go for a pint round the corner in The Eagle

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restau...e_Eagle-Cambridge_Cambridgeshire_England.html


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## Blue Hills (1 Sep 2015)

Dave 123 said:


> Cambridge- Get a personal tour of Corpus Christi College Gardens from the Head Gardener (lovely bloke, witty, handsome....) Then go for a pint round the corner in The Eagle



handsome dot dot dot?


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## Blue Hills (1 Sep 2015)

smith4188 said:


> But wouldn't the answer to that one be something a bit dull like Wetherspoon's. Surely strongest beer, or even most-expensive-but-worth-every-penny beer, would be more fun?



You're right, that was nagging me as I wrote it.

Kinda linked 2:

1: Colne - birthplace and burial place of Wallace Hartley, the bandmaster who supposedly went down with the Titanic as his band played on. Curiously, since he is I think the town's most famous son and there is a bust of him in the main street, there are no signs that I am aware of to the cemetary where he is buried (just past the top of the town) or, once you get to the cemetary, to his place within it, He takes a bit of finding and last time I was there, second time, it took me ages to find him again - I asked a few locals and they wondered what I was wittering on about. Once you find it (with a wonderful view of the back of Pendle), after all your walking up and down the cemetary slopes to find him you can retire to yes, the local Spoons named after him, which is particularly cheap even for a spoons - well under £2 a pint.. Like many of their pubs has little character but decent. And when I was last there a few weeks ago they had an impressive line up of particularly strong beers - when I commented on this the barman said they liked them and that they sometimes had a beer called Titanic Wreckage. The name sounded a tad tasteless, particularly in view of it being Colne, but I'm a fan of strong beer and having since googled it I find that it has a pertty fine reputation.

Colne also has a lot of cycling associations - the late lamented Karrimor was in that area and a stage of the Tour ends there next week. Not too far away, in a small lane at the back of Pendle (details if you want them) is an original Clarion Club hut.

More strong beer and may qualify for the most expensive grail you seek.

http://www.blackhorse.robinsonsbrewery.com/

Wondeful old fashioned interior, the building is listed I think - great place to spend a dark winters afternoon in one of its cosy corners.

I only discovered it relatively recently, along with Robinson's Old Tom on draught - a beer so wondrous and strong that they would usually only let you buy it in halves. The effects of a pint, or more if you can manage it, are bordering on psychedelic*.*

Tragically, a few weeks ago I wandered in anticipating the holy handpump and couldn't see it. They were only selling it in bottles (why go to a pub for a bottle?) as they said that Robinsons had raised the price of a barrel to a point where they say they would have to charge £8 a pint to make any money. They said that they might get the odd barrel in.


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## srw (1 Sep 2015)

smith4188 said:


> And the idea is to visit every county


But how do you define "county"? Historical pre-1974 county, historical post-1974 county, ceremonial county? Is Berkshire (no single authority for a decade or so) a county? Is Shropshire (unitary authority) a district or a county?


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## classic33 (1 Sep 2015)




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## robjh (1 Sep 2015)

classic33 said:


> View attachment 102324


 Poor old West Midlands. It's just like 1974 never happened.


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## smith4188 (1 Sep 2015)

Great info. And I had Old Tom in a pub in the Lakes about 20 years ago. I think I had a pint and half. I don't remember anything else.


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## smith4188 (1 Sep 2015)

srw said:


> But how do you define "county"?



I'm working off a list of ceremonial counties I found on Wiki.


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## Fubar (1 Sep 2015)

Derbyshire deserves a mention on behalf of Mrs Fu, if only for Well Dressing, Little John's grave (also the graveyard of Fanny Rust ) and the village of Eyam - where the residents quarantined themselves to stop from spreading the plague.


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## mcshroom (1 Sep 2015)

Ideas for Cumberland: -

- Waberthwaite for the traditional Cumbrland Sausage (by Royal Appointment)
- The 'Best View in England', and the Highest mountain in England in Wasdale (also the Biggest liar competition at Wasdale Head)
- Egremont Crab Fair (including Gurning Competition, and Greasy Pole Climbing)
- There's a US Navy ceremony every year in Whitehaven to celebrate the birth of the US Navy (John Paul Jones and the failed attack on Whitehaven Harbour)
- Breweries such as the Jennings Brewery in Cockermouth, or the Hesket Newmarket Brewery, or the micro-brewery behind the Kirkstile Inn might cover the beer.
- There's also the birthplace of the British Nuclear industry in Sellafield.


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## MontyVeda (1 Sep 2015)

mcshroom said:


> Ideas for Cumberland: -
> 
> - Waberthwaite for the traditional Cumbrland Sausage (by Royal Appointment)
> - The 'Best View in England', and the Highest mountain in England in Wasdale (also the Biggest liar competition at Wasdale Head)
> ...


Get yourself to Patterdale if you want a really good sausage.. Wabberthwaite is overrated and somewhat bland in my opinion (Yes, there's different varieties of sausage in Cumbria... a concept that seemingly all butchers outside of Cumbria cannot grasp).
And you can't miss Cars of the Stars in Keswick... and is that little toy museum in Cockermouth* still going?

pronounced 'cockermuff' ....and yes, it still sounds rude


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## classic33 (1 Sep 2015)

Fubar said:


> Derbyshire deserves a mention on behalf of Mrs Fu, if only for Well Dressing, Little John's grave (also the graveyard of Fanny Rust ) and the village of Eyam - where the residents quarantined themselves to stop from spreading the plague.


If he goes for Well Dressing, I think there's over 1,000 in the Six Counties. He'll never get them all.


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## classic33 (1 Sep 2015)

To find out about the 92 counties you can visit http://abcounties.com/counties/


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## classic33 (1 Sep 2015)

srw said:


> But how do you define "county"? Historical pre-1974 county, historical post-1974 county, ceremonial county? Is Berkshire (no single authority for a decade or so) a county? *Is Shropshire (unitary authority) a district or a county?*


Ceremonial County,


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## Blue Hills (2 Sep 2015)

Question to mr smith.

Am presuming this trip is going to be by bike.

What are accommodation plans?

Sounds like it will be an interesting book, or, if suggestions keep rolling in on here, several.

Great idea to do britain. Adventures/insights/human experiences don't necessarily have to be far flung.


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## smith4188 (2 Sep 2015)

Blue Hills said:


> Am presuming this trip is going to be by bike. What are accommodation plans?



Yes, by bike. I figured a mixture of camping, wild camping and maybe Warm Showers (although that's a new one for me). Hotels and even B&Bs are too expensive, although I might treat myself to somewhere dodgy on the sea front in Blackpool.


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## F70100 (3 Sep 2015)

If it's a small pub you're after, you could try The Nutshell in Bury St Edmunds. Being a Greene King pub though I can't especially recommend the beer.


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## Illaveago (7 Sep 2015)

I was going to suggest the the road from Shaftesbury to Sixpenny Handley which goes up Zigzag hill it is fun going up or down in a car, but I think it would be best going down on a bike. The road consists of a series of hairpin bends a bit like Stelvio but condensed into a hill. Fun!!
Once on the top of the hill you can get some lovely views.


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## Dora (8 Sep 2015)

I admit to having no idea how this helps but my friend Ronnie has an excellent route taking in the best and worst of Liverpool based around the Beatles - Strawberry fields, Eleanor Rigby's grave, some of their childhood homes and the waterfront in Liverpool. He's very proud of it - I'm sure he'll share his GPS tracks with you - or we can find someone who has GPS tracks.


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## smith4188 (8 Sep 2015)

Dora said:


> I admit to having no idea how this helps but my friend Ronnie has an excellent route taking in the best and worst of Liverpool based around the Beatles - Strawberry fields, Eleanor Rigby's grave, some of their childhood homes and the waterfront in Liverpool. He's very proud of it - I'm sure he'll share his GPS tracks with you - or we can find someone who has GPS tracks.



Since, as far as I could work out, liverpool's European City of Culture status seemed to be entirely based on its Beatles connection, that sounds utterly perfect.


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