A first visit to the Lake District for a while and in amongst returning to some old favourite pubs and re-visiting a couple of places I'd not been in for years, I managed to check out a couple of Good Beer Guide-listed entries that were new to me. Here's my thoughts on those.... I try to visit the Lakes every year as it is a place that is close to my heart, having had many happy times there over the years walking on the fells with friends and, particularly more recently, on numerous less active visits. But when I checked back to see when I had last been there it was over two years ago, so I was well overdue a visit, particularly as on that trip in September 2023 it had rained more or less non-stop. I drove up on a showery Saturday morning ( which I thought after last time didn't bode well! ) having decided to call at the two new places on the way to Coniston, where I normally stay, and get them out of the way. I'd left mid-morning and made good progress as I headed up t...
Here I delve into the world of pub names which throws up a fascinating insight into our history, culture, folklore, local features, industrial heritage, agriculture, and many other weird and wonderful things. Here's a few of the things I've discovered along the way.... I have often wondered how pubs got their names, particularly the unusual ones that I've come across up and down the country. Some of these date back for centuries from a time when most of the customers were illiterate so a sign depicting a familiar object, a coat of arms, the monarch, or something relating to a trade or activity would be used rather than a written sign. Add into this local names and legends and the pub names of the country started to build up. And whilst no doubt some of the names that have appeared over the years have simply being a case of opting for something familiar rather than for any other particular reason, the names of pubs can provide a fascinating insight into the history of the co...