3 October 2009 (Saturday) - To Warehorne

Once I’d cleared a load of demons out of NeverWinter we got on our bikes and set off to Warehorne. (Despite Matt’s sexy cycling trousers). Singleton hill was a tad steep, and the wind made today’s trip one of the hardest we’ve done in a while. But after an hour we arrived at the World’s Wonder to find they weren’t able to do dinner because of a Golden Wedding party. Bearing in mind the same thing had happened a few weeks ago, Matt had suggested in the week that I might phone in advance. Perhaps next time I plan a cycle ride, I might just do that. Still, we quaffed a pint of “WonderBrew” and decided to try our luck up the road at the Woolpack. We were lucky – they could feed us. So whilst perusing the menu we had a pint of “Woolpack Ale” and we settled an old argument.

I was proved wrong. “WonderBrew” is brewed specially for the World’s Wonder by Goachers. Several pubs have their own ale brewed for them by Goachers, and for years I have maintained that it’s all the same stuff with a different label. “Woolpack Ale” and “WonderBrew” are both pub-specific Goacher’s brews, and having just had a pint of “WonderBrew” down the road I was able to make a comparison with the “Woolpack Ale”. They were both very good, but very different. And I’d thought it was all the same stuff. One lives and learns.

A particularly good steak sarnie was scoffed, and we waved off those who’d driven with a sense of envy. The wind which had been in our faces all the way to Warehorne had changed direction entirely, and was in our faces all the way back home. So much so that we felt it necessary to stop off in Shadoxhurst for a crafty pint. And it was there that I realised that autumn has finally arrived. Some people judge where they are in the year by which flowers are in bloom. Others use the stars in the sky as their calendar. A lot of good friends of mine tell by which of the annual kite festivals are taking place. Me – the Kings Head was serving “Late Red” on the hand pump, which means that it is autumn. There are those that look to “Light Up The Sky” in the kite calendar, or to the arrival of the constellation of Orion. Me – I’ve realised it’s only a couple of months until I can get a pint of the Porter.

And then home where I sat in front of the telly and slept through three hours of SpongeBob SquarePants before having another look in NeverWinter. Those demons have come back, you know…