Walks

A Walk can be an Open Air Museum

A BS3 Museum Walk (Others Are Available) Join me on one of my regular walks from my home to Ashton Gate, the home of Bristol City. I am highlighting the exhibits I connect with. If you were to undertake the walk you would, undoubtedly, see different things. Exhibit 1 – Perrett Park I enter Perrett Park through its main entrance at the top end and move slightly to the right. In front of me, on the skyline, I see, to my left, Dundry Parish Church. To my right I see Clifton Parish Church (Christchurch). Over the course of 12 months I am able to watch the sunsets as they move between the two churches, Dundry in the winter and Clifton in the summer. The variety of views seem infinite as do the range of colours and skyscapes to absorb. As one descends the steep concave slope which makes up the park, near the bottom entrance you encounter two anchor points. They are left over from World War. Barrage balloons were tethered there in attempts to deter the Luftwaffe bombing Bristol Docks and the goods marshalling yards at Temple Meads railway station. It’s difficult to imagine anyone bombing the harbourside in Bristol today. Or is it? I forgot to mention that, from the top of the park, you can see the Suspension Bridge. Exhibit 2 – A Victorian Post Box After leaving Perrett Park one quickly reaches St John’s Lane a long road that winds through Bedminster. At the junction with Paultow Road a Victorian pillar box is encountered. I have a thing about post boxes because they are a good way to mark the evolution of a particular location. In a place like Bristol that usually means the...

Give Thanks to the Book of Trespass

Give Thanks to the Book of Trespass When you’re walking footloose and fancy-free Along some seemingly ancient footpath, Checking your progress on the OS map, Senses working XTC overtime, (Apophenia! You’re part of it all! Just look at the view!) It’s hard to remember...

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Walking the Wall

Walking the Wall from Walbridge to Brimscombe In the early years of the twentieth century, A jingoistic electoral cry appeared: ‘We want eight and we won’t wait!’ (The eight being dreadnoughts or battleships), Well, we waited at Walbridge for a bit And almost numbered...

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Walking with Charles Dickens

Stickin’ with Dickens by Katie McCue: No Deviations Stickin’ with Dickens- In happy anticipation I stepped on to the platform at Paddington station with my two companions. I was ready and more than willing to put myself in the very capable hands of Stuart Butler...

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A Ghost Pub Pilgrimage

A Ghost Pub Pilgrimage

A Ghost Pub Pilgrimage through Stroud and the Five Valleys
Raising funds for the Trussell Trust in September

Walk and/or bicycle your way through this list of pubs.
Tick them off.
Keep a diary or a record if you wish.
Take photos for the archive.

Let these pub names and addresses
Come alive again
(‘Have another?’
‘I don’t mind if I do.’)
And help us all out in these hard times;
Let’s find them and toast them with imaginary pints
On a series of Ghost Pub Pilgrimages on foot or on bicycle,
And if you know of any other ghost pubs or inns,
Please send them in …

Do the list in any order.
On your own and/or in a group.
And raise funds in any way you wish for the Trussell Trust.

Perhaps you have personal or family memories
Of old times spent in some of these inns:
Got stories to tell? Please send them in.
Perhaps draw pub sign for these lost gathering places,
Or perhaps write a poem about the pub name,
Or have a group rendition of The Listeners by Walter de la Mere.

With thanks to Geoff Sandles
and his invaluable and necessary
Stroud Valley Pubs Through Time
And his wonderful website
https://www.gloucestershirepubs.co.uk/
And Pubs of the Old Stroud Brewery,
By Wilfred Merrett

Painswick
Adam & Eve, Paradise, (formerly The Plough Inn), A46
The Bell, (bombed 1941) Bell Street
Bunch of Grapes, Cheltenham Road
Cross Hands, Stammages Lane
Fleece Inn, Bisley Street
Golden Heart, Tibbiwell Street
New Inn, St Mary’s Street
Red Lion
Star Inn, Gloucester Street
White Horse, Vicarage Street

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