This Week's Free Pub Walk - The White Hart in Campton, Beds. (Walk 1)

Free Pub Walk: Coupon No. 128-051107 (expires 05/11/07)

The White Hart (Walk 1) in Campton, Bedfordshire.

An easy circular walk via Campton Plantation, through open pasture and ancient woodland with some magnificent trees.

The White Hart has been in the same family for over 30 years and remains a traditional village local. It regularly features in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide.

Download for free using the Coupon above - click on the pub name above, then order the pub walk and enter the Coupon Number during the checkout process. No payment is required so if you arrive at the Paypal page, hit the back arrow and look for the box at the very bottom of the previous page.

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Walkers are Welcome in Wales

Walkers are Welcome in Wales

With nearly half the paths in Wales difficult to navigate as a result of years of neglect, it is encouraging to see that earlier this month Prestatyn was officially designated the first town in Wales to get "Walkers are Welcome" status.

The Walkers are Welcome initiative is aimed at encouraging communities themselves (rather than well-meaning organisations!) to promote their towns as walking areas - ensuring footpaths are well maintained and well sign-posted to optimise the pleasure given to users and boost the local economy from increased visitor numbers.

The first Walkers are Welcome conference was held last weekend and the idea is spreading amongst both those interested in walking and improved access as well as community-minded groups.

It seems to me that pubs could lead this initiative for their own areas as it would not only raise their profile locally and serve their community but also improve walker access and therefore help to improve their own trade.

Anyone interested in finding out more about how their town or community can meet the criteria should see Walkers are Welcome.

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This Week's Free Pub Walk - The Wykeham Arms, Winchester, Hants.

Free Pub Walk: Coupon No. 202-291007 (expires 29/10/07)

The Wykeham Arms in Winchester, Hampshire.

This pub has won just about every award going. Very popular with locals but also with an enviable reputation for good food and wine that has survived the passing of its previous legendary landlord Graeme Jameson.

Its in the Good Pub Guide of course and this year the Guide has just awarded it the title of Best Food Pub in Hampshire.

So this is a great opportunity to try a pub walk in Winchester with plenty of variety and historical interest.

Download for free using the Coupon above - click on the pub name above, then order the pub walk and enter the Coupon Number during the checkout process. No payment is required so if you arrive at the Paypal page, hit the back arrow and look for the box at the very bottom of the previous page.

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Pubs Told "Forget Food if you Want to Make a Profit"

Pubs Told "Forget Food if you Want to Make a Profit"

It is often said that pubs make little money from the drinks they serve and it is the food that keeps them in the black. Well maybe not any more, if the audience at a Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) event is to be believed.

According to the Morning Advertiser, the event debated the motion "forget food it you want to make a profit". The audience were surveyed before the debate and rejected the motion. However, by the end, they had switched sides and voted in favour.

The arguments centred on the question of whether the market was becoming flooded (“supply is going to exceed demand quite soon ... unless everyone starts to have four meals a day...") and whether pubs could sell enough to justify the additional expenses in the kitchen.

I'm sure this was all just a bit of fun and I hope it is not taken seriously by our publicans. For me, the lunch menu in a pub is equally as important as its real ale, its atmosphere and its hospitality and service. The reality is most of us do not expect cordon bleu... just simple, wholesome, tasty, value-for-money dishes - oh and generous portions too of course!

To read more on the debate see Pubs told "forget food if you want to make a profit"

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This Week's Free Pub Walk - The Haunch of Venison, Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Free Pub Walk: Coupon No. 125-221007 (expires 22/10/07)

The Haunch of Venison in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

This is a delightful walk around the cathedral city of Salisbury including a 14th century pub recommended in the Good Pub Guide.

I have chosen this pub walk as the first free pub walk for my blog as Salisbury is a favourite cathedral city of mine and this weekend also coincides with the last few days of the Salisbury City Art Trail. The trail gives opportunity to not only view their work but also to meet and talk with some of the 100 artists taking part.

The Art Trail passes close to the Haunch of Venison so you could vary our pub walk route so that you can add an additional cultural dimension to the trail! A map is available from Salisbury Tourist Information.


Download for free using the Coupon above - click on the pub name above, then order the pub walk and enter the Coupon Number during the checkout process. No payment is required so if you arrive at the Paypal page, hit the back arrow and look for the box at the very bottom of the previous page.

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How to Get Free Pub Walks - Update

How to Get Free Pub Walks - Update

Now that the competition to find the Nation’s Favourite Pub Walk has closed and judging is underway, there are still 4 ways to download pub walks for free from the MyFavouritePubWalks.com website. Here's how:

1. Visit this blog regularly which will now feature a free pub walk each week - in addition to continuing to report on current issues affecting our countryside, our community pubs and more. Remember it's easy to subscribe so you needn't miss a single pub walk (each pub walk is free for that week only).

2. Register for our free newsletter with its regular collection of free pub walks to download, award-winning pubs, features, promotions and offers (we guarantee your privacy and you can unsubscribe at any time).

3. Simply send us a pub walk to qualify for a year's free membership with unlimited downloads of all the pub walks in our growing database. Not only that, we want your favourite pub walks so badly that we will pay you!

4. Or take out an annual subscription for unlimited downloads of all our pub walks. With 10 Reasons to Join including our 12-month, no questions asked, money-back guarantee, you really have nothing to lose.

This Week's Free Pub Walk is here


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Footpath Closures - Foot and Mouth Update

Footpath Closures - Foot and Mouth Update

Surrey County Council has created an excellent interactive map where you can zoom in and clearly locate footpath closures and identify alternative walking routes that remain open. To find out more, click on Foot and Mouth footpath closures.

There is an almost constantly changing Protection Zone around the infected premises so if you are walking in the area it is worth checking out this new interactive map.

There is some positive news as domestic markets for sheep and cattle re-opened at midnight last night (in the FMD Low Risk Area outside the Bluetongue Protection and Control zones). Despite these movement restrictions being eased, the situation remains dire for many farmers (see earlier post).

Currently, there are eight Foot and Mouth disease infected premises in the Surrey area. On Bluetongue, there are currently 24 infected premises in the Suffolk area.

For the latest information, click on Foot and Mouth footpath closures.

Today's pub walk: The Three Horseshoes in Cockfield, Suffolk.

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Legal Right of Access to our Coast

Legal Right of Access to our Coast

Last week the government confirmed that it would legislate to give a legal right of access to the English coastline. This was a very welcome announcement at the Labour Party Conference and followed strong lobbying by Natural England, the Ramblers Association and many others.

The public consultation period only ended on 11 September (see earlier post) so this was an unexpectedly quick decision from the government and no doubt the timing of the conference had a helping hand in this. Whatever the reason though, this is very welcome news for anyone that gets real pleasure from our varied and dramatic coastline.

Read more at The Government Backs Coastal Access

Today's coastal pub walk: Sailor's Return in East Chaldon, Dorset.

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