Happy New Year and all the best to everyone now that 2025 is well and truly with us. I'm nothing if not a creature of habit so everybody should be able to predict what my first blog posting of January will be - yes, let's dust off the template marked 'Annual Review' and see how the last twelve months managed to keep me (mostly) out of mischief...
January: the depths of winter are not a time I usually associate with family holidays but we made an exception for few days down in Weymouth, during which I reacquainted myself with both Dorchester and Bridport before the Dorset sunshine smiled on me for a day of Portland perfection. Closer to home, Nick and I shuffled around Shenstone - checking out churches and the village railway station - then the Hub Marketing Board trundled over to Telford to pin down some elusive Wrockwardine Wood boozers. A Saturday spent around Netherton and Dudley Wood was likewise part of my January haul, getting 2024 off to a busy start.
February: and it was all systems go in February too thanks to a Waterways Walk out to Wombourne that culminated with a pint or two at the Old Bush and the Red Lion. Mr D9 was in attendance for a spot of Hub Marketing mopping up around Cradley Heath, our aim being to tick off a few more pubs and belatedly declare the Hub Hits chart topper ('We All Love Tiny Tim' being the dubious ditty in question). His Royal Majesty King Nick took to the towpaths around Kinver and Caunsall, whereby the cobs and side salad served up in the Anchor were an early contender for our meal of the year - unbeatable value!
March: the pace of exploration shows no signs of abating, not with trips to Eccleshall, Stone and Widney Manor in the offing. The Widney Wander gave me a welcome slice of Solihull by way of Monkspath and Shelly Farm whereas the Eccleshall trip was blessed with Draught Bass. D9 was my Stone-d accomplice and was similarly on hand for one of 2024's most bizarre activities, namely fishing cuddly unicorns out of the Bradley Canal. As if that wasn't enough, the Chip Foundation covered a quartet of Black Country classics when celebrating the tenth anniversary of Nick's retirement - make mine a Dark Ruby Mild please...
April: enter spring and I drift around Dudley Borough with an interesting tour of Pensnett and the Russells Hall estate, the latter having been a notable gap in my photographic coverage (it helps that there was Bathams in prospect at the Fox & Grapes afterwards). Deansfield took on the Hub Marketing baton for an evening of Merry Boys and Beehive merriment, then there was a memory lane tour of Acocks Green and Sparkhill in honour of Ken's birthday, revisiting some of Mr May's former Birmingham residences.
May: talking of May, let's plunge into the small matter of a Lincolnshire holiday. Skegness was my main base but it's fair to say that Cleethorpes stole the show, no doubt helped by Steel's Corner House restaurant and their impeccable fish and chips! The Hub Marketing bandwagon rolled into Kingstanding and Streetly, claiming cold Carlings with a side order of Hallelujah choruses, whereas Nick joined me for curious pink-hued murk and board games at Digbeth's Chance 'n' Counters. In much sadder news, May was the month when John (Mr Beardsmore Senior) passed away at the age of 80 - life has never quite seemed the same since without him. His absence was acutely felt during the Chip Foundation's Cleobury Mortimer Chronicles, although we raised a toast to him in lovely Ludlow during our Shropshire sojourn.
June: summertime starts with a Shugborough stroll savouring the stately home scenery to be had around Milford and Cannock Chase. This was backed up by a Halesowen Saturday that reintroduced me to the Hawne Tavern and the Whitley, plus a Coventry Woolf day sampling Old Windmill cider and perusing fascinating exhibitions at the Herbert Art Gallery (complete with square cows). Rail Rover Week is a highlight of any year but the 2024 edition was more than up to the task, yielding cracking days out in Cromford, Evesham and Macclesfield. The Hub focus however switched to Worcestershire for a roam through Redditch's southeastern extremities, braving Batchley and conquering Crabbs Cross.
July: I haven't mentioned any cricket yet and it's true that Warwickshire probably didn't have the best of seasons. Stephen and I were there in Taunton to watch the Bears vs Somerset, the home side improbably chasing over 400 runs on the final day for victory. Bears of an artistic variety were on show across Birmingham City Centre for the six week holidays, but it was the beers that I was most interested in at Hereford for my first festival of the year - think big white tents beside the River Wye, glorious. Back-to-back doses of Willenhall were my Black Country prescription at the end of July, with the D9 bald spot yearning for Yale along the way.
August: I was spoiled for choice in terms of Wild in Art trails to attempt in August, for besides the Birmingham Bear Hunt we had the March of the Elephants herd taking over Tamworth, Lichfield and Sutton Coldfield. I managed to find most of the family, including those stationed in Boldmere and Sutton Park, while a separate bout of Brummie action had me investigating Hockley and environs for Saturday supping. The Waddle of Worcester was yet another fun sculptural challenge which the Hub Marketing Board admirably attempted after polishing off a Priestfield breakfast. Just when you thought it was safe, Alveston and Wellesbourne became targeted by The Bus Pass Bandit and accomplice for a wedge of Warwickshire wayfaring - it's not very often I get to drink in a youth hostel or on a golf course!
September: onwards into autumn we go as the cricket concludes with the Bears avoiding the dreaded drop; away matches at New Road and Trent Bridge enable more penguin-spotting and East Midlands exploring respectively, while the final home match vs Essex preceded an evening mooch around Moseley. Elsewhere, Stephen and I staged some sleuthing in the leafy vicinity of Handsworth Park, albeit Mr B Junior was less enamoured about having to pose by the Astle Gates outside The Hawthorns - I don't blame him one bit!! Beer festivals in Tamworth and Shrewsbury gave Jane chance to widen her cider repertoire, acknowledge a few ABBA-related puns and generally enjoy the ecclesiastical ambiance of St Mary's Church.
October: a big(gish) Beardsmore Birthday prompts a coach holiday getaway to rugged Scarborough, staying in the Esplanade Hotel at South Cliff. Bridlington, Whitby and Pickering all add to our North Yorkshire knowledge over the course of five days, and Stephen was even given biscuit gifts by our fellow travellers. Still with Stephen, we found time for a Telford Town Park Trek snooping around Stirchley Chimney and such like, whereas I was flying solo for a day in The Potteries selecting a few ales in Stoke Town and seeing the Bet 365 Stadium.
November: two ever-essential components of my calendar fell neatly into place, namely my annual Coventry trip (which this year covered Bannerbrook Park and Eastern Green) plus the Dudley Winter Ales Fayre with its excellent array of cask choices. A further beer festival fling took me once again to Kidderminster Harriers Social & Supporters Club where my tastebuds were tickled by a 'Major Jane' cider; the Chip Foundation met up after a gap of a few months, blazing a Brummie trail around Eastside and Gosta Green whilst getting nostalgic for Nick's student days in the process.
December: the story is brought bang up to date with reference to my recent adventures, hence it was antlers at the ready for a Festive Forage which sought out a lively variety of Leamington's south-of-the-river establishments - the Fusilier, Green Man and Windmill Hill will each live long in the memory. The Hub Marketing Board's 2024 curtain call involved reindeer and Pigeon in the Park pickings from the heart of the Second City, and there were calendar presentations at Wolverhampton's Great Western to boot.
In the time honoured fashion, all that remains is for me to give thanks to those who helped make the last twelve months such a special explorational year. In particular, shout-outs go to Stephen, Nick (a.k.a. His Royal Highness and/or Towpath Turpin), Mr D9, Ken and Jane for their company and patience, especially when I'm in my usual photo-taking mode stalking yet more street signs. Here's to much more of the same in 2025!
