The Inspiration for MyFavouritePubWalks.com - Guest Post on WalkTalkTours Blog

The Inspiration for MyFavouritePubWalks.com - My Guest Post on WalkTalkTours Blog

I was recently invited to write a guest post on the WalkTalkTours Blog, talking about my passion for pub walks, what inspired me to create MyFavouritePubWalks.com and my vision for the site's future. To read it please click on guest post.

Not long ago I discovered WalkTalkTours on Twitter who, as their name suggests, have audio walking tours that you can download for your MP3 player. These include narrative on interesting and historical features which you can listen to as you follow their walking routes. Great idea!

I will be reviewing one of their audio tours in a later post but for now I invite you to read my guest post, and from there you can click through and take a look at their site for yourself.

The Pub Walker

The official blog of MyFavouritePubWalks.com

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A Pub Walk from The Globe Inn by the Grand Union Canal

A Pub Walk from The Globe Inn by the Grand Union Canal

Well, wasn't last Sunday a fantastic day for a pub walk! When the heat is on, I’m always torn between a waterside walk where the mere presence of the water seems to cool the air; and a woodland walk where the shade brings more immediate and tangible relief.

We had found a walking route on-line that seemed to combine the best of both with woodland, wonderful views and then a return along the Grand Union Canal towpath. And to finish off there was The Globe Inn, featuring in the AA Pub Guide and situated right on the towpath itself, near Linslade, Bedfordshire.

The Globe is tucked away from the road but clearly has a loyal following of people using the towpath. It was busy but there was still plenty of seating, not only by the towpath, but also in the beer garden by the play area and inside too. And being right by the canal, most people sat outside to enjoy the constant activity and wildlife of the waterside.

One of us had the impressive House Deli-board which, as you can see, was beautifully presented.

We would have liked a little more variety on the salad front, rather than the preponderance of different green leaves, but in fairness we got what it said on the menu and it did not disappoint.

The other two in our party had the butternut squash, spinach, lentil and spicy coconut curry with lemon & parsley basmati and wild rice. It was not huge but it was a mild and delicious blend of flavours, as good as the menu description had suggested. And just as a bonus to refresh, the Greene King XX mild was on special offer at £2 per pint which tasted particularly good after the walk.

So the three of us came away with a few pence change from £30 (excluding tip) which was a very pleasant surprise with three of us eating!


I shall have to make a few changes to the walking route before sharing it at www.myfavouritepubwalks.com as there was rather too much road walking from the railway station and the wonderful views are now no more – the walk must have been written a good few years ago as the view was meant to be from a hilltop over young trees and yes, you guessed, the trees grrew!

In the meantime, if you would like any other suggestions, you can click on waterside pub walks for others that include some cooling water along the way.

The Pub Walker
The official blog of MyFavouritePubWalks.com
Follow us at twitter.com/PubWalker for live updates
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Why I Love Walking in The New Forest

Why I Love Walking in The New Forest

After a long week with too many hours spent in an office, it was glorious to set out for the New Forest last night. A beautiful, balmy evening with nature that refreshed my soul.

Low sun, clear sky, close to a full moon. Barely another soul seen and, even then, only from a distance.

The New Forest is on our doorstep but I never tire of the sense of wilderness that can still be experienced there when one steps away from the main paths.

We started out with a search for some orchids my wife had stumbled upon a couple of days before.

Close to the path, a friend had drawn her attention to them and we had been keen to

return and try to capture their delicate beauty in a photograph.

There were a few dozen of them and they clustered in a shallow dip amongst the ferns and grasses.

Just a few paces away from this small area there were none to be found at all which made the discovery all the more special.

We walked through deciduous woodland, conifer plantations and glades with the setting sun creating sharp contrasts of light and shade.

We looked out over open heathland and areas of lawn, and climbed to viewpoints, regularly catching fleeting views of deer along the way.

We stood and stared and just soaked up the natural, peaceful, surroundings.

The New Forest has a character all of its own, whether you think of the free-roaming horses, ponies, donkeys and pigs, or its unbeatable blend of landscapes and numerous habitat types.

It remains in many ways wild but surprisingly accessible to all. It is criss-crossed with cycle paths and popular riding country but we saw evidence of neither as we ventured away from the more touristy areas.

And this is its appeal - it can be whatever you want it to be and it can offer something to anyone who enjoys the outdoors.

I find the New Forest can always surprise and enthral and it offers a brief and welcome escape from life's pressures. It is my favourite walking area and I am privileged to live only a stone's throw away.

Not last night but, of course, sometimes we combine our walks with a pub stop and the New Forest has its fair share of those too.

If you would like any suggestions for a pub walk, you can find a few by clicking on New Forest pub walks, and we'd always like to hear of your favourites too.

The Pub Walker
MyFavouritePubWalks.com
Follow us at twitter.com/PubWalker for live updates
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Poet in a Pub?

Poet in a Pub?

I do love to hear of pubs finding novel ways to attract new customers. How about the idea of “Poet in the Pub” being tried in a number of Hampshire pubs?

According to the Hampshire Chronicle, The Three Horseshoes at Bighton near Alresford will host comedy ‘stand-up’ Elvis McGonagall on Wednesday June 2nd.

Customers are invited to write a short poem or limerick on the back of special Poet in the Pub beer mats and then Elvis will read these out before sharing a selection of his own unique poetry.

The theme is the village you live or drink in so it also helps to reinforce the message that the pub sits at the heart of the local community.

The idea comes from the Hampshire County Council’s rural arts scheme, known as Hog the Limelight, who usually bring their events to village halls. When they approached local landlords about using pubs instead they were met with an enthusiastic response.

The innovative pubs taking part are: (sorry you've already missed the first one!)

Wednesday 26 May 2010
The Cricketers Arms
Tangley, Andover SP11 OSH
tel 01264 730283

Wednesday 2 June 2010
Three Horseshoes
Bighton, Alresford SO24 9RE
tel 01962 732859

Wednesday 9 June 2010
Horse and Groom,
Woodgreen, Fordingbridge SP6 2AS
tel 01725 510739

You can either pick up a beer mat from one of the pubs or download a copy by clicking on Poet in a Pub beer mat.

Any pubs out there with other innovative ways of attracting new customers or bring back existing ones more frequently. Of course my favourite, easy and effective method is the one you'll find at www.myfavouritepubwalks.com/publicans.

The Pub Walker
MyFavouritePubWalks.com
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Walkers – A Menace or Meal Ticket for Publicans?

Walkers – A Menace or Meal Ticket for Publicans?

Publicans seem to give walkers a very mixed reception. Some welcome them with open arms with a “Walkers’ Special” on the menu, whilst others curse them for clogging up their car parks over lunchtime and then disappearing for a few hours simply to call in for one quick drink on their return.

So how do you turn a menace into a meal ticket?

Some thoughts:

- There are 8 million regular walkers in England along, that’s 8 million people working up a hunger and a thirst each month, every month. (Source – Sport England survey)

- Walking is Britain’s most popular outdoor activity. Generally, people on higher incomes participate more in recreational walking than people on lower incomes. (Source – The Ramblers)

- 891 million day trips for leisure in Great Britain in 1998 included a ‘walk, hill walk or ramble’. This is 15% of the total of all leisure day trips. The figures are old but the popularity of walking is even higher today. (Source – The Ramblers)

- Increasing numbers of young people are giving up the stuffy atmosphere of the gym (saving a fortune on their memberships) and getting out into the countryside for their exercise instead. (Source – The Ramblers)

- Ever increasing numbers of older people join walking groups too and we all hear constantly about the power of the “grey pound”.

Need I say more? This is a huge market and many like nothing more than to finish their walk at a traditional pub. Certainly that is my experience from the many walkers I know.

So my advice is seize the opportunity and get a pub walk written down that leads those hungry and thirsty walkers straight to your door, rather than someone else’s. Have copies available in the bar to take away, send it to your local paper and get it on the internet! When people enjoy a walk and are welcomed at the pub, they do it again and again and what’s more they tell their friends.

If you think your car park is being abused by walkers, rather than turn them away with a rude notice, think about what you can do to get them through the door instead, even it its just making sure you have a copy of the menu and the specials board outside (many pubs still don’t).

Finally, why not even offer a free meal to the walker that produces the best walk from your pub? And again tell your local paper. You could be surprised at how this takes off!

For more information on attracting walkers to your pub, visit www.myfavouritepubwalks.com/publicans.

The Pub Walker
MyFavouritePubWalks.com
Follow us at twitter.com/PubWalker for live updates
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