The Snowman Trail at Baddesley Clinton

Baddesley Clinton is a preserved medieval moated manor house that was the historic home of the Ferrers family for over 500 years, acting as a sanctuary for persecuted Catholics in the process. Now operating under the careful stewardship of the National Trust, it is currently playing host to a dozen sculptures based upon the much-loved Snowman character from the Raymond Briggs storybooks, each representing one of the Twelve Days of Christmas...

- Comet -

Trip Log: Tuesday 30th December 2025 whereby the 09:48 stopper train gets me over to New Street so that I can briefly brave the mayhem of Birmingham's Bull Ring. The Second City of course is still amidst its own festive public art trail with reindeer at various central locations. I’ve chipped away at them almost incidentally this year but I’m pleased to claim Comet to flesh out my collection - candy cane antlers and an “I wish it could be Christmas everyday” collar inscription are the standout aspects of this design along with holly leaves, blushing pink cheeks and a big bold red nose. At least I'm spared the perils of any shopping sales!

- A Memorable Moated Entrance -

Proceeding to Olton, I meet Bookworm Bygrave for the onward journey beyond Knowle into Warwickshire. Emily used to work at both Baddesley Clinton and Packwood House so knows these properties very well, with the Baddesley volunteers advising of just how busy it's been for them with the Snowman Trail proving a real hit with visitors. Tickets for the guided house tours have already sold out so we'll be concentrating on Snowman-spotting, but there's much to admire aesthetically walking around the perimeter of the moat. It is thought that the manor here may have originated in the 13th century, and one notorious owner was Nicholas Brome who murdered the parish priest (possibly on this very site) and thus had to rebuild the nearby church as penance for his sins. The Ferrers family were resident here for centuries, actively sheltering Catholic priests, and the property continued to be altered through into the 1940s.

- Two Turtle Doves -

To the trail then and we'll follow the sequence of the famous Christmas carol, taking each representation of a bestowed gift in turn. This therefore means starting with 'A Partridge in a Pear Tree' on the cobbled courtyard with its presentation of a dusky blue shell populated by pear branches and a ribbon of verse. 'Two Turtle Doves' is off to the right across a field track and displays a cute courtship theme, prominently showing the titular birds but also making room for swimming turtles and lots of leafage. Backtracking slightly towards the moat, I must declare a particular soft spot for 'Three French Hens' with its Pop Art take on beret-wearing chickens with added reference to the colours of France’s tricolore flag, mais oui!

- Five Gold Rings -

The next batch of sculptures form a well-spaced sequence around the edges of the moat, allowing for excellent views of the house’s architectural mix of medieval and Tudor elements. 'Four Calling Birds' has an autumnal palette of oranges and browns, inspired by floral folk art patterns all topped off with a red scarf and a sense of crunchy leaf fall. At the far right corner of the grounds we discover 'Five Gold Rings', complete with gleaming bands cascading down the design like interlocking hula hoops. In between the rings themselves are colourful patches of wrapping paper-styled stripes and swirls, as if the whole sculpture is a mysterious present part-way through being revealed.

- Ten Lords A Leaping -

Flanking the rear of the property is 'Six Geese A Laying', with nests for its feet and a clutch of newly-deposited eggs on show; 'Seven Swans A Swimming' meanwhile occupies a shadowy corner beneath overhanging trees from whence it portrays an icy pool - Emily loves the way the paint has been allowed to dribble down randomly towards the bottom of the sculpture. 'Eight Maids A Milking' is a blue and white homage to Dutch milkmaids whereas 'Nine Ladies Dancing' has us venturing into the walled garden amongst netting-covered cabbages; this creation boasts a a winter wonderland mountainscape populated by fir trees and musical notation. All of which brings us to another of my personal favourites, 'Ten Lords A Leaping' containing fictional peers from the House of Lords jumping around in their ermine robes.

- Twelve Drummers Drumming -

Two more to go and 'Eleven Pipers Piping' has been positioned inside a corner gazebo, thus making it slightly more secluded in terms of getting selfies. A green hat on top then blends into magical skies as Santa’s sleigh glides past in silhouette, and a scattered ensemble of bagpipe players feature front and rear. Last but not least is 'Twelve Drummers Drumming' as perched atop a slightly raised garden wall next to where the Purple Haze former Dahlia border used to grow. A golden brown gingerbread hue is detectable to the front with a marching band ring of tiny mice drummers on the back - we like it!

- Cake!!! -

We may have completed the trail but there's yet more to see as part of Baddesley Clinton's general attractions. A rummage around the bookshop is definitely on the cards even though nothing much takes Emily’s fancy - we may have to withdraw her Bookworm moniker if this shocking trend continues - whereas there’s temptation to be had in the Barn Restaurant care of restorative mugs of hot chocolate and an indulgent slice of cake apiece. Miss Bygrave opts for a sticky flapjack square and I can’t resist the Black Forest traybake, dotted with squishy glace cherries and a nice thwack of cocoa, all topped with chocolate shavings

- Four Calling Birds -

After a final few Snowman snapshots as we make our exit, we head off for an evening of Barrel Store quizzing in Birmingham (via a relaxing drink at Knowle's Ale Rooms en route). Attic Brewery's outlet in the railway arches under Snow Hill station has become an adopted haunt in recent months, and we're delighted that Zoe and Mike are joining us to bolster our trivia prowess as well as indulging in the on-site Deathrow Pizza possibilities - you effectively build your own from a checklist of available toppings and sauces. As for the quiz, it's a close run thing but Team Hoppy To Beer Here edge to victory by one point, aided by knowledge about John Cena, Oscar winning movies and Prunella Scales. What a way to finish 2025!

WME Review of the Year - 2025

Happy New Year everyone, and as the celebratory bongs of Big Ben and the strains of Auld Lang Syne start to dissipate, I'll swoop in with my statutory retrospective piece reflecting on the twelve months just gone. On a personal and explorational level there was much to enjoy over the course of 2025...

January: Hanley was the headliner as the year commenced with a chilly checking of the Caldon Canal, tiptoeing along the frozen towpath via Bedford Street Locks and the Ivy House Lift Bridge. The pubs were worth enduring the cold, especially the chance to revisit both the Golden Cup and the Coachmakers Arms, although the remnants of industrial history live long in my mind too. In other wintry news, Stephen and I were on the lookout for reindeer in Harborne (with a guest appearance from Paddington Bear), then the Chip Foundation were likewise on the Birmingham beat taking a fancy to Flight Club's carousel horses. Still with the Second City, HRH and Mr D9 joined forces in the Jewellery Quarter, investigating the Indian Brewery before playing Connect 4 in the Barrel Store, and there was time enough for Jane and I to indulge in 'Black Country tapas' over in Brierley Hill - the Delph and the Waterfront were the stand-out locations that day.

February: two Shropshire snoopings register strongly for February, with Miss Woolf again featuring for the National Trust nugget that is Attingham Park; it was fascinating to peruse the stately rooms, gaining a sense of life above and below stairs while the beer in the Mytton & Mermaid was worthy of note too. That was followed by a special afternoon in Shrewsbury, ticking off a few of Abbey Foregate's old alehouses as well as the White Horse for a jovial slice of Joules hospitality. Attingham was not the only heritage location to be covered during the shortest month for Stephen and I had the pleasure of bounding around Boscobel and White Ladies Priory, Mr Beardsmore recreating his Friar Tuck role from his brief acting career...

March: into March and the memorable combination of Jane, Nick, the Bartons Arms and Digbeth takes some beating. Spectacular terracotta and tiling is one thing but the sight of a Woolf wielding a bowling ball with menaces is difficult to forget! My yearly Saturday in Stafford yielded a Tixall Road tickle, culminating in the Knot & Plough and a couple of Black Country Ales outlets - I was attempting their trail at the time, a challenge that also took me and Dad over to Shifnal and Albrighton for the likes of the Anvil or the Harp Hotel. The Hub Marketing Board visited the old Paul patch of North Wolverhampton where the Chairman threatened to drive a JCB digger instead of his normal bus, whereas the Chip Foundation encountered extortionate prices along Birmingham's Broad Street. Away from the pubs, Pelsall gained a Stephen stroll mingling North Common footpaths and canal content, then Jane traded ten pin tendencies for putting prowess (or lack thereof) at Perton's Dinosaur Golf where yours truly nailed a stunning hole-in-one.

April: a trip full of the joys of spring saw me Shropshire-bound for Market Drayton, admiring St Mary's Church and the Berrisford Aqueduct among other things, the Salopian Star being one of my favourite finds of the year (helped by the presence of New Brew's Plum Porter). Jane and I were in tandem when the Black Country Ales tour took us to Halesowen while the Chip Foundation staged our now-seminal Black Country Classics afternoon, returning to both the Beacon Hotel and the Trumpet in marking the anniversary of Nick's retirement. April heralded the start of another County Cricket season with one of Warwickshire's early fixtures being a Durham clash away at Chester-le-Street; Stephen and I were there to witness an excellent if nailbiting victory on a week when the weather and ice cream gods smiled very kindly on us.

May: the Bears on Tour bandwagon extended to three days in Worcester, catching up with Dave and Denise only for pesky rain to deprive us of a likely win. Bookworm Bygrave was on hand to introduce me to Birmingham Botanical Gardens which looked utterly gorgeous when in full bloom, and the Hub Marketing Board availed themselves of Aston during a North Brum extravaganza that tasted Tyburn and bothered Boldmere. Two Warwickshire wanderings merit a mention, Nick's local expertise coming to the fore with a Slaughterhouse tap surprise in the county town before my Birthday Bash in Chip Foundation company covered the realms of Rugby, educating ourselves on the origins of the oval-balled sport. 

June: summer comes a-calling courtesy of a Rail Rover centrepiece, most notably including Ledbury (where HRH dutifully adores the Prince of Wales, he likes to be on brand), Knighton (a magical morsel from the Heart of Wales Line), and Chester. Emily brings the excitement of Moseley Old Hall - I need to improve my quoits technique - and Knowle Locks whereas Jane had to cope with gushings of Gornal but got to sample some rather nice ciders. Cricketing matters mean Stephen and I base ourselves in genteel Worthing whilst Warwickshire take on Sussex at Hove; the match largely peters out to end as a tame draw but the presence of Mr Whippy's 99 flakes was much appreciated in the scorching sunshine. 

July: Chairman D9 and Secretary WME work through a variety of evening engagements - the Penn Road Push, Conquering Castlecroft, the Wednesfield Workout - with the latter adding a soupcon of Ashmore Park into the mix. Birmingham becomes beset by bull sculptures so Emily and I make the acquaintance of 'Cadbully', resembling a partially unwrapped bar of Dairy Milk chocolate although I might gloss over my darting performance at Flight Club. A Saturday Solo around Stourbridge scores well, gaining the Glassboys Bar as a new haunt, but it's the wonders of Wales that shine through the most. The Low Hill Community Coach jolly to Rhyl was great, bringing the sights and sounds of the seaside, and how can I overlook that wonderful weekend in Aberystwyth with Miss Woolf. Green cocktails, playing pool (badly) on the pier, tentative paddling and castle ruins - those few days had it all!

August: pride of place goes to Packwood here, with the exquisite house interior largely being down to the efforts of the industrialist Graham Baron Ash. Emily and I enjoy exploring the wider grounds too, especially the Hungry Caterpillar-themed characters in the Kitchen Garden; the Bookworm had also demonstrated her bibliophile habits during an earlier bimble around Bridgnorth, pausing for pizza in the Bassa Villa. It was the Chip Foundations's turn to get a bit bullish (bidding fond greetings to JC Beef, Deliverabull and Moo-seley), and a Bank Holiday walk along the South Staffs Railway Line to Pensnett paid dividends in the form of Bathams Bitter at the Fox & Grapes. Alewise such nectar is hard to top although the tipples on offer at the Great British Beer Festival gave us plenty to ponder over at the NEC. Harvey's Prince of Denmark was simply stunning, albeit the day will be mostly remembered for silly pig hats, game crisps, table football and boxes-upon-boxes of historic beermats - I was in heaven!

September: not quite so divine but nonetheless superb was our Kenilworth crawl for Nick's birthday, cramming in the Ale Rooms and the recently-opened Dictum Wetherspoons as well as perambulating across the Abbey Fields. Further exercise was encountered during Mr D9's Greensforge Gallop, tracking the Staffs & Worcs Canal through Swindon and Hinksford, then we had the small matter of the Tamworth Beer Festival that united Jane and Nick in a shared appreciation of frickles. The cricket season concluded with the Bears firmly in mid-table, albeit my efforts to see any additional action were thwarted by iffy weather affecting both Edgbaston and Nottingham (not that a Beardsmore Billesley day wasn't adequate consolation). Oh, and I mustn't overlook my family holiday in Kent, dabbling with Dymchurch and honouring Hythe - the sunkissed seafront walk I undertook to New Romney was utterly glorious!

October: talking of holidays, October was notable for a Daish's getaway down to Devon for Mr B's 61st. We stayed in the Devonshire Hotel atop a somewhat notorious hill but managed to conquer the steepness with trips out to Teignmouth, Brixham and Newton Abbot (where I was mesmerised by Ye Olde Cider Bar, a totally timeless discovery). A Hub Marketing hat trick gave us Wet Wombourne, a Darlaston doorstep and the estate boozers of Telford - the Mallard at Brookside being the kind of place that makes D9 drool - whilst Miss Woolf was tempted by Tipton, or more accurately the promise of pudding in the Pie Factory. Yum yum!

November: autumnal assignations in the eleventh month of the year always insist on Dudley Winter Ales attendance, 2025 being no exception. Cult of Oak's 1138 Matildine Mild wins the overblown tasting notes award for invoking the spirit of medieval sieges, although the Charlton House potentially had us wishing for reinforcements afterwards. Burslem beckoned for the Chip cohort on a drab Potteries Saturday, dodging Port Vale fans in search of Draught Bass, and there was plenty of porcelain when Emily and I called in on the Coalport China Museum (the subsequent roast dinner at the Woodbridge Inn was the definition of delicious). November was momentous for me moving house, a relocation that would lend itself to a Pattingham and Perton evening returning to the scene of Andy's bus shelter butchery.

December: all of which brings us to the festive season whereby my recent roamings have encompassed the likes of Sedgley and Upper Gornal (for a rare sighting of a Stripey Oss), Newport (a family day with Miss Bygrave) and Kenilworth (the 2025 Festive Forage when Nick and I tackled the Tiltyard and graced the Gauntlet). Fans of Rock & Roll hairpieces would be delighted with the Coventry Quiffmas, the Chairman on top form as regards Whitmore Park and Longford longings supplemented by a cracking breakfast at the New Stadium Cafe. The icing on top of the Christmas cake came care of Baddesley Clinton and its Snowman Trail, where the Bookworm and I met leaping lords and drumming mice. Excellent!

It wouldn't be a WME Review of the Year if I didn't say a huge thank you to all those crazy suckers - sorry, marvellous companions - who have helped make this year extra special. My eternal gratitude therefore goes to Andy (Mr D9), Nick (HRH), Stephen (Mr B), Ken, Jane (The Woolf), Emily (Bookworm Bygrave), plus my family, for putting up with all the Cheers photos, street sign obsessions and general explorational randomness I inflict upon you. It means a huge amount to me, so here's to more of the same in 2026. Cheers!

Christmas Calling: The Kenilworth Festive Forage 2025

The Chip Foundation calendars have been presented, the Coventry Quiff has been unveiled and now it's time for the third of this December's Holy Trinity of special seasonal adventures. Festive Forages are an annual accomplishment with several years of contributions, dating back to the 2015 original involving Wellesbourne and Leek Wootton. This year we're aiming for lovely Kenilworth, following up on the Chip inspection we staged in September for Nick's birthday…

- HRH's School Stomping Ground -

Trip Log; Saturday 20th December 2025 and it's all about boosting our Kenilworth knowledge once I've travelled across via Coventry to meet His Royal Highness at 11:06 sharp. Nick has a long association with the town having spent most of his formative teenage years here, hence the first part of today’s trip will invoke much personal nostalgia for our regal correspondent. To start off with, we wander along Leyes Lane to see what has become of the Abbey High School site where he studied as a fresh-faced pupil. The buildings - along with those of the adjacent former Grammar School - are still standing, and were more recently partially used as a base for the Air Training Corps. The whole complex is however fenced off pending redevelopment after the replacement Kenilworth School was constructed off Glasshouse Drive.

- Antlers Away in the Tiltyard -

The expansion of housing here in the 1970s and 1980s resulted in the creation of a shopping precinct and flat-roofed pub, neither of which existed when Nick was at school. The parade has units for Tesco Express, Domino’s Pizza, the Bakers Dozen bread shop and a pharmacy, but it’s the Tiltyard we’re most interested in. Nick has done his research and knows this to be an 11 o’clock opener so we can maintain true Forage practice by undertaking some morning imbibings. Once inside, I’m immediately drawn to the Banks’s Traditional Ales glass panels neatly inserted above the bar counter whereas HRH instantly spots swords, shields and other dramatic items of weaponry so we’d best not get on the wrong side of the regulars! Draught Bass on good form is a commendable first drink of the day while we admire Nick's special swan jumper and peruse some vintage class photos from when he studied over the road.

- Kenilworth Common awaits -

The next part of Nick’s masterplan takes us onto the expanses of Kenilworth Common, albeit we stick to the tracks flanking the Finham Brook rather than venturing cross country into the wider spaces. Nature reserve orientation boards instruct us to look out for rare female lizards and Ugly Milkcap fungi, although we have more success spotting an 1884 potential pumping station. The railway line passes overhead and there are leisure walks marked out for getting to the University of Warwick and/or Burton Green; these could be worthy of further investigation. I’m also very taken with a watery ford crossing where the brook meanders past the bottom of Forge Road - pub number two is very close now…

- The Wyandotte Inn -

Said hostelry is the Engine on Mill End, a place packed to the rafters with Coventry City fans all avidly watching the lunchtime kickoff away at Southampton. We manage to elbow our way through to getting served, rewarded with excellent samplings of Wychwood B'ah Humbug and Ossett's Butterley respectively, but a Sky Blues sending off at St Mary's is our cue to depart. Things are slightly less feverish at the Wynadotte up on the corner of Park Road; there’s no escaping the festivities here, not with inflatable Santas huddled around the main corner door, one of which is seemingly trapped inside a Christmas tree. Inside the layout is much as we remember it except for the addition of a popular grotto guarded by gingerbread men and candy canes. Barmaid elves busily usher wide-eyed youngsters through to meet the big man himself, but instead we concentrate on a half apiece of Wainwright Gold whilst researching the meaning of Wyandotte - the name appears to relate to a Native American tribe albeit we also get educated about a sociable species of chicken which gets on very well with humans but bullies its own kind. Festive forages can be full of unexpected revelations!

- A Royal (Oak) Butty Bach -

We hadn’t anticipated pontificating about poultry today but there you go! Anyway, we press on via Manor Road, spotting allotments from on high where puffed-out scarecrows threaten to burst apart with escaping straw. Stop number four is the Royal Oak, situated midway along a cottagey terrace where it has been given a rather startling purple paint job. Wye Valley's Butty Bach is our go-to tipple amidst even more Sky Blues fans, these ones generally seem happy with a point away from home (the game ended in a 1-1 draw). Further up New Street is the Cross, a Michelin-starred gastropub where we're welcome to pause for a slurp of Genesis Bedford Stout accompanied by a fine selection of seasonal scatter cushions. Perhaps the penguins and snowflakes approve of the hammered copper tabletops and red berry vases? We resist the urge to dine at this point although the Cross showcases much refinement with which to entice the gracious gourmands of Warwickshire. 

- A Clarendon Christmas Cracker -

Where next? Nick has his eye on the Clarendon Arms until we get waylaid by the Old Bakery, last mentioned in blog dispatches way back in 2012. We thought it had been turned into a hotel and whilst it does offer accommodation, the pub aspect is very much still functioning having earned Good Beer Guide recognition. Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby gets a kingly seal of approval whereas I opt for Donnington's Best Bitter from an old-fashioned brewery based in Stow-on-the-Wold. Space is at a premium so we briefly brave chilly December temperatures by sitting outside, then it's sensible to decamp belatedly to the Clarendon for the intended combination of narrow bar, Santa hats and Wye Valley's Christmas Cracker spiced ale.

- The Gauntlet -

Feeling appropriately reheated, we sup up and calculate how best to reach an outlying flight of fancy that’s been whispering to us from afar. True, we’re pushing the Festive Forage concept to its absolute limits by attempting something that would be much more suitable for a D9 Hub Marketing escapade, but Nick seems game having been emboldened by that Ruby Mild. We therefore chart a course along Brookside Avenue and Fishponds Road, marvelling at the lengths some front gardens go to with their Christmas lights. Caesar Road has the Clinton Primary School beckoning us up a slight hill towards a distinctly 1960s shopping complex, and what do the best precincts have next to them? A flat-roofed pub of course, hence the Gauntlet trying its best to look classy despite the disadvantages wrought by its limited architectural appeal. Abbot Ale whets the whistle in an establishment that proves very approachable, evidence that appearances can be deceptive. Much better than just a dive in the dark!

- Salem Dark Fruits Porter -

I must confess I loved the Gauntlet, both in terms of the fascinating exploring that led us there and the thrill of ticking off a pub that’s out of the way enough to require hunting down. We're only ten minutes stroll away from the main town centre, with dusky glimpses of Kenilworth Cemetery guiding us to Queens Road and thence Warwick Road once more. The Dictum of Kenilworth Wetherspoons reprises its food role from previous reportage - Korean chicken rice bowls meeting Cheese Meltdown burgers in this instance - before our curtain call comes at the Station House which has more signs of life than it did when we wanted to do it in September. When I say signs of life, what I really mean is a full-on open air extravaganza with street food stalls, a performance stage and lots of good natured revelry. Obtaining our closing halves of Proper Job in plastic glasses, we listen intently as one band reels off some blues-tinged tunes and I honestly couldn't think of a more perfect finale to a fantastic forage. Cheers!

WME Flickr Focus - December 2025

Merry Christmas one and all, let's hope the season of peace and goodwill brings all that you desire - and if what you desire are pictures of the West Midlands and surrounding areas you've come to the right place. The plates have been heated, the oven gloves are on standby, the carving knife has been sharpened so let's tuck into the pictorial feast that was December's photostream updates...

For those who enjoy piling the food high, WME Staffordshire has been our lead gallery these last few weeks (this after having a relatively quiet year up until this point). Sure it isn't quite turkey with all the trimmings but I can report tasty additions from Cheslyn Hay where the New Inns has been accompanied by the White Horse's dartboard. Burton bursts through laden with Coopers Arms treats - assuming you're not averse to Joules Brewery promotional woodwork - whereas Cannock snoozes contentedly having digested a NatWest bank branch along with the town's soldier and sailor war memorial. 

Maybe you're more of a roast beef persuasion (give or take a Yorkshire pudding, something I'm always in favour of), in which case WME Birmingham could be for you. Brum has been pleasingly active recently, amassing content including Charlotte Street, Ethel Street and the poignant remains of St Thomas's Church (where the main tower survived Blitz devastation). The Fox & Grapes pub formerly of Freeman Street is remembered, likewise the short-lived Sommar Bar in the City Centre, and there are reminders of Christmas past thanks to a woolly-wearing polar bear and a pet-themed penguin.

It isn't all about the meat of course. Many people love their vegetables, hence the selection supplied by WME Wolverhampton should be ample. Perhaps you'd care to crunch on Chapel Ash via the Attwood Building or a blue blob street art character? I wouldn't class Castlecroft's weak bridge as boiled cabbage but several of you might be partial to it, similarly some towpath tough love down at Cable Street. The much-anticipated roast potatoes meanwhile are being separately served by WME Telford which has concentrated on Coalport for sale item saggars and a China Museum workshop although you do get a dripping of Bucks Head turnstiles too.

For the vegan and vegetarian contingent, a most moreish nut roast is wafting past in the form of WME Walsall; the Chuckery takes centre stage here, flecked with Tantarra Street and the Spring Cottage pub. Those with a sweet tooth have been waiting all along for WME Dudley to drizzle Coalbourn Lane and the Buckpool Nature Reserve with brandy sauce, and if you're not totally full up by now, WME Coventry comes carrying mince pies or rather a Byatt's Brewery tea cosy challenge. Whatever you're up to this festive season, I genuinely hope you have a wonderful time. See you in 2026 with more photographic presents...