The Dymchurch Diary: A Kentish Collection

The WME family holiday for 2025 will be an early autumn getaway to Kent whereby the coastal village of Dymchurch happily awaits us. Apart from a Faversham foray in 2016, I've barely set foot in the Garden of England so my photographic eye will be on the lookout for pubs, Cinque Ports and seaside scenery...

- Martello Tower, Dymchurch Seafront -

Monday 8th September commences with the long drive down south, meaning we endure five and three quarter hours of almost constant motorways (M5, M40, the dreaded M25 and then the M20) until the turning for Hythe brings some welcome respite. I say that but the approach into Dymchurch actually passes an army firing range with red flags waving due to the use of live ammunition, hence a chunk of the coastal path being cordoned off on safety grounds. We nevertheless check into the holiday camp undeterred, settle into our lodge caravan and then see about getting the usual initial bearings. The village basically boils down to one long street with a stretch of seafront featuring the expected assortment of cafes, amusement arcades and fish and chip shops. A trio of Martello towers add the kind of character you don't see at home in the West Midlands - they're defensive fortifications that were built during the Napoleonic Wars when Kent and nearby counties were wary from the threat of French invasion.

- A Rocking Good Pub? -

Had the military presence of varying persuasions created an ominous feeling, this might be offset by the local hostelries although a couple of them don't seem to be open on this specific Monday evening. The City of London (Sea Wall Tavern) gains our custom almost by default for a quick drink amidst a succession of musician portraits - I'm pretty sure I spotted David Bowie and Amy Winehouse - then it's over to the Ship Inn as a refined refreshment setting which has five rooms for bed and breakfast accommodation. Keen to partake of local Kentish ales where possible, I'm pleased to see that Romney Marsh Brewery's Best Bitter is on tap at £4.80 a pint (relatively cheap for the area), enjoyably hoppy with the resident rocking horse watching on!

- Well Cottage -

Tuesday 9th September is promising the best weather of the entire week with wall-to-wall sunshine that should provide ideal conditions for my intended coastal walk. A smattering of additional Dymchurch pictures are what I'm after first of all, including the quaint church of St Peter & St Paul which is notable for its use of slate and shingle. A couple of local properties have connections to the children's author Edith Nesbit and one has links to Noel Coward so you’re never far from a blue plaque it seems, Well Cottage looking especially beguiling as another fine example of Kent's distinctive county architecture.  

- Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway at St Mary's Bay -

Having run its first services on 16 July 1927, the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway is an eccentric operation which is nearing its centenary. Over a narrow (15 inch) gauge, it offers a light railway connection between Hythe and Dungeness, a line that covers some 13 and a half miles. Using dinky steam locomotives and compact carriages, it makes for quite a sight and is rightfully proud of its passenger and freight provision, having historically been involved in the distribution of fish; during the Second World War it even became armoured! My walk enables me to visit three of the line's stations, namely Dymchurch, New Romney and the quiet little halt at St Mary's Bay. It's an absolute joy sitting on a bench waving as the train trundles by. 

- St Nicholas Church, New Romney -

After a St Mary's Bay dalliance with a mobile library and a Bailiff's Sergeant (the latter being a Shepherd Neame pub where I happily remind myself how nice Master Brew can be as an ale), I sweep into New Romney. Along with Dover, Hythe, Hastings and Sandwich, this was one of five original Cinque Port towns which together founded a medieval confederation to supply the Crown with ships. Although now an entirely ceremonial grouping, their military and trading role is something they are collectively keen to both remember and celebrate. My thirst for history means I insist on getting photographs of St Nicholas's Church, looking resplendent in its own landscaped square, before my thirst for cask beer leads me to the Warren Inn for another cracking glass of the aforementioned Master Brew.

- Folkestone Memorial Arch -

If Tuesday had been blessed by the elements, the forecast for Wednesday 10th September is altogether mixed. One heavy shower has already been and gone by the time we catch the No. 103 bus to Folkestone, the route working alongside the 102 to give a half-hourly frequency via Hythe, Seabrook and Sandgate. It's grey and breezy when we touch down at Folkestone Bus Station and my first sweep of this well-regarded seaside town is a windswept one. Breakfast in the Samuel Peto Wetherspoons - named after a civil engineer, railway contractor and church benefactor - gives blue sky chance to arrive, after which I can ponder the impressive Memorial Arch and the wider Road of Remembrance: "May Their Deeds Be Held In Reverence". 

- Folkestone Harbour -

A dashing duo of Good Beer Guide 2025 micropubs are next on the agenda so here's a shout out to the Firkin Alehouse (pouring an excellent glass of Bristol Beer Factory's Satisfaction, an ale that could hardly be more aptly titled) and the Bouverie Tap. The latter of those adopts a wartime theme with conscription memorabilia and flags of the Allies, not to mention a cracking example of Kent Brewery's Black Gold. After those indulgences I descend Parade Steps to the regenerated harbour area, spotting the Grand Burstin Hotel as a hulking presence. A railway used to run onto the jetty arm when connecting up with ferry services to Boulogne and Calais, but was effectively made redundant by the Channel Tunnel with the station ceasing passenger operations in 2009. Since 2014 the site has become a vibrant creative and cultural hub with restaurants, microbreweries and comedy seagull models to investigate. Wonderful!

- Royal Military Canal -

Thursday 11th September is our last full day in Kent so we've picked Hythe as our destination of choice, being my second original Cinque Port of the week. The 103 is again on hand and the morning rain is heavy until patches of brightness gradually take hold. Alighting at Red Lion Square, we call into Costa Coffee to let the worst of the showers subside, then I brace myself for solo exploring along Hythe's enchanting long High Street, home to a range of independent shops such as Home & Hobby and Eakin's Chemist. Linking Seabrook (near Hythe) with Cliff End (near Hastings), the Royal Military Canal is a historic South Coast waterway which was constructed between 1804 and 1809 as part of the nation’s defences against any invading Napoleonic forces. Of its 28 mile course I walk but a short stretch around Town Bridge. 

- Spotting Seagulls at Hythe -

Kent could be seen as the cradle of the modern micropub movement with the Butcher's Arms in Herne recognised as having set that ball rolling back in 2005. Hythe's offering is the Potting Shed, an unassuming place in many ways that simply serves quality local beer, wines and cider; I partake of Long Man's Old Man dark ale with a soft delicious malt profile whilst Dad waxes lyrical about the Tonbridge Amber - it's as clear as a bell. A seafront walk is essential, reaching the far end of the beach where the working boats are chained up but making sure to avoid the firing range. Alas another nasty squall howls in, drenching me in thirty seconds flat and making my drying-out stop in the Red Lion (for Harvey's Sussex Best) most necessary!

- A farewell pint, by Neptune! -

I'm still somewhat soggy by the time I return to Dymchurch for the final word on the week's holiday. Those three and a bit days have flown by - things always do when you're enjoying yourself - but there's scope enough to nip into the Neptune for a pint of Beardsmore Bleach in supposedly 14th century surroundings (most of it looks far more contemporary to me but they do carveries alongside a standard pub menu). Friday morning then brings the long slog home although the motorways are kind and we make good time, even with Beaconsfield Services breaking the journey momentarily. Goodbye to the Garden of England!

The Greensforge Gallop with Mr D9

Longer Hub Marketing days have been in short supply this year but the Board are back in business with a canal-based caper to welcome in the autumn season. Secretary WME has evening dancing commitments in Wombourne which give us the perfect excuse to stage the Staffs & Worcs towpath trip Mr D9 has had his heart set on...

- A Breakfast Cuppa -

Trip Log: Friday 5th September 2025 and the leaves are turning gold and starting to tumble to the ground. Autumn's incoming tones prompt Hub Marketing members to assemble at Spring Hill shops for a greasy spoon rendezvous at Penny's Cafe, something of a Penn institution by all accounts. The Black Country Special breakfast is exceedingly good value at £8 if you have a big appetite; it comprises three sausages, three bacon rashers, two fried eggs, mushrooms, beans, tinned tomatoes and a round of toast each, not forgetting Secretary WME's favourite - the hallowed black pudding! This certainly lines the stomach for the exertions ahead, even if the recently reopened Fox & Goose doesn't get going pubwise until 3pm.

- Timetable Switchover at Swindon -

The A449 Penn Road has quite a silly song pedigree this year having already hosted a chart rundown on one of our evening endeavours. This time around it has to suffer the indignity of being subjected to Yin and Yan's 'Butch Soap' although 'A Transport of Delight' by legendary double act Flanders and Swann does redress the balance somewhat. The mere mention of 97 horsepower London omnibuses prompts us to board the Stourbridge-bound 16 so that Mr D9 can recreate halcyon driving days of powering through Wombourne. Hopping off at Swindon, there are timetable cases to attend to now that the summer schedules have finished.

- The Green Man -

It isn't all work and no play thankfully, which is Hub Marketing shorthand for saying it's time to go to the pub. The Greyhound was converted for residential use a few years ago but Swindon (the Staffordshire version) retains two other boozers which both demand our consideration. The Old Bush gets first dibs for Hobgoblin Gold and daytime crime dramas - it only looks a small place from the outside but has quite a few cosy rooms to pick from - then we gladly follow that with the Green Man on the corner of Church Road. Wye Valley's Pyoneer is in excellent form here, being the Herefordshire brewery's standard bitter under a rebadged moniker. The old-fashioned public bar has retired chaps chatting away as dogs snooze, evoking a sleepy sense of pub life as a Ken Dodd diddyman illustration watches on. 

- Towpath Vistas near Swindon -

Onto the canal we go accompanied by a Nutty Squirrels 'Uh Oh' silly song which threatens the otherwise quiet serenity of Hinksford Lock. The Secretary knows this particular section of the Staffs & Worcs towpath quite well but it's new ground for the Chairman who's more used to the grim industrial sights of Bradley and Priestfield. After eyeing up puntastic narrowboat names at Hinksford Wharf, we exit onto the lane beside Hinksford's terracotta pumping station, installed circa 1900 by the South Staffordshire Waterworks Company. A mobile home park is also close at hand but we're again mainly interested in any pub potential, once Mr D9 has removed the summer timing sheets from another couple of bus stops that is...

- Your Darts Winner (but we don't know how) -

Our next port of call is the Hinksford Arms, a pub which used to be known as the Old Bush and could therefore be easily confused with its former Swindon namesake. Armed with halves of Wye Valley Butty Bach, we take to the oche for our first game of darts for many months. To say WME Whirlwind is rusty is an understatement, the Secretary being almost incapable of hitting the board but managing to leave holes in the wallpaper with alarming regularity. Surely the D9 Destroyer can take advantage of such appalling capabilities? You'd think so but no, the bald one just can't find a finish hence a combination of frustration and sheer bad luck keeps the Whirlwind in contention. In fairness, Mr WME was bound to find his range sooner or later so - despite perforating the floorboards - it is he who triumphs by two legs to one.

- Navigation, Greensforge -

Still smarting from that scarcely believable turn of darting events, the Chairman seeks solace from a canalside hostelry one bridge further along the towpath. Greensforge does feel like it's slap bang in the middle of nowhere so the Navigation is a real bolthole for the folks of Wall Heath and Kingswinford who fancy escaping on an afternoon. This is a musty affair perched right beside Greensforge Lock and has all the faded charm you could wish for, not to mention quality cask ale in the form of Three Tuns XXX. Chats about Loch Ness holidays and bus garage shenanigans keep us entertained while we consult hand-drawn diagrams about the Stourport Ring, part of a canal cruising circuit which is popular with boaters.

- D9 Doolittle talks to the animals (well, sheep mostly...) -

From Greensforge we call upon the Secretary's patented local knowledge to plot our way via Ashwood Marina and over the fields to Lodge Lane. A gravel track of a bridleway keeps us safely away from speedy traffic and even allows Mr D9 to attempt a bit of sheep-whispering; either he hasn't got the knack or these particular ewes had more sense than to engage with such silliness. Historically home to the Briscoe family, the Summerhill House Hotel is a fine C18th property which stands on the Cot Lane crossroads; currently operated by Travelodge, there is a Harvester restaurant-cum-bar next door wherein we can pause briefly over a cold glass of Carling so that the Chairman can recover from hitting the daily 20,000 steps mark.

- Driftaway Tropical IPA at Hickory's -

Hauling some weary limbs along Swindon Road into Wall Heath, we will round off the day at a couple of places that hadn't yet received the Hub Marketing treatment. Hickory's Smokehouse might be more familiar to some readers from its days as the Kingfisher Country Club, which in its time hosted live entertainment for something like 50 years. Anyway, it's now a branch of the Southern-styled American chain of bars, majoring on bourbon and barbecue flavourings. Their Driftaway Tropical IPA is refreshing enough at £4 Friday prices before the Wall Heath Tavern rustles up Holden's Golden Glow on a high table. There's late drama over a missing D9 bus pass but all's well that ends well, and the Secretary does get to go to the ball - sorry, barn dance - after all. Cheers to a terrific towpath trail!

Chip Foundation Chronicles: KENILWORTH

The wheel of birthday fortune has clicked Nick's way again so the Chip Foundation are summoned to Warwickshire in order to celebrate this important royal happening. After visiting the likes of Stratford, Worcester, Warwick and even Dudley Zoo for similar August assignations in previous years, His Majesty's latest increase in age will be marked by a Kenilworth consultation...

- Train at Kenilworth Station -

After a 53 year gap in railway provision, Kenilworth Station reopened in April 2018 and has settled back into being an operational force. There's just one solitary platform as befits single tracked workings but it's a nicely presented facility comprising a metallic green footbridge and a sympathetically-styled booking hall that’s partially used for offices. Beware however the devious speed-humps on the car park outside, especially if you're a certain Mr Beardsmore. 

- Swan spotting at Oxpen Meadow Lake -

Nick is in charge of today's agenda and is promising us history galore. We therefore explore Abbey Fields in search of fascinating old ruins, heading downhill towards the Oxpen Meadow Lake before inspecting the abbey’s former gatehouse as partially dismantled under the orders of King Henry VIII. Kenilworth's leisure centre is in the process of being substantially rebuilt or turned into something else; either way the hoardings blocking off the site have been adapted into a street art gallery showing various animals in fancy finery - imagine dapper pheasants, ducks in tall hats and sternly superior swans. Kenilworth Abbey was originally founded as an Augustinian Priory convent that amassed much wealth and importance between 1119 and the 1530s, after which the dissolution took effect. 

- Inside St Nicholas's Church -

St Nicholas's Church meanwhile is where the young HRH once read lessons from the lectern and rang the bells (albeit possibly not with total enthusiasm). We have a mooch inside for old times sake, quietly contemplating the green-clothed altar or a family corner displaying biblical stories involving Moses and Jonah. Stunning stained glass abounds and much of what we can see today is in the Victorian Gothic style, although the building would have had earlier origins offering a place for lay worship distinguishable from the abbey. It is speculated that the church gained additional religious significance once the abbey was disbanded, evidenced by the use of reclaimed stone in creating a very fine carved Norman doorway. We have the whole place to ourselves - not a vicar in sight - so Nick tentatively poses tugging on the bell ropes where he is nearly tempted to relive his youth.

- The Belated Birthday Boy at the Abbey Field -  

Abbey Field: that near brush with campanology precedes the opening drink of the day. Our old favourite the Virgins & Castle sadly doesn't trade on Mondays but we're more interested in the Greene King place opposite anyway, the Abbey Field having been a Loch Fyne restaurant in an earlier guise. The ale choice is limited, ultimately amounting to GK IPA halves or bust, after Nick haggles about the excessive prices of lemonade and blackcurrant; having extracted our glasses from the patient barmaid, we find a large undercroft table beneath sketchings of a feather-capped medieval jouster. Perhaps Ken would look rather fetching in such a costume? While Nick attempts his usual trick of engineering a blog beer photo, the rest of us focus on the football transfer window - will Wolves sign anybody? Will they sell Jorgen Strand Larsen?

- Kenilworth Pound -

The Abbey Field made for a very refined start there and the air of exclusivity continues along Kenilworth's historic High Street. There are several lovely thatched cottages with vistas across the fields and down to the castle, recalling happy foraging moments of yore. Kenilworth Pound is an agricultural curiosity, a walled enclosure where escapee cattle would be penned awaiting collection in olden times; nowadays it makes for a pretty little garden with ivy leaf benches although it did host a warden's shelter during the war. Indeed, one of the local cricket teams was founded through close associations with the men who used to keep watch here.

- Lurking at Castle Green -

Queen & Castle: next up is what amounts to a very posh gastro-focused establishment on the fringes of Castle Green. It is almost entirely laid out for food with gleaming cutlery and bulbous wine glasses - plus a shiny fully-stocked bottle store - so it's a challenge to find a table that isn't majoring on menus. St Austell’s Proper Job beats Tribute to earn our custom for the requisite halves, then we home in on a low sofa zone below a set of pine bannisters. Curly haired dogs sniff at Nick while Stephen and Ken sink themselves into the settee, putting the green leafy look to the test. The gents toilets confirm the sense of luxury - we don't often get nice sea kelp handwash back home in Wolverhampton - while Ken notes the flirting potential to be had among the retired lunching ladies of Warwickshire. We must behave with decorum!

- Kenilworth Castle -

Sticking resolutely to his ruinous brief, Nick next leads us on a Kenilworth Castle perimeter wander, passing beside Leicester’s Gatehouse and pointing out the outer towers as the sun threatens to come out - how very obliging of it. Even though we're merely skirting around the edges, there are spectacular sights to be savoured with hints of arrowslit thin windows and a drained moat. Retracing our earlier steps near the leisure centre building site and up towards the war memorial obelisk, unanimous consensus is that it's time for a bite to eat which can only mean one thing...

- The Dictum of Kenilworth -

Dictum of Kenilworth: yes, it has to be the brand new Wetherspoons - barely a month old having launched on July 29th - where we eventually position ourselves on Table 69. Lunch of course means getting here after 2pm when the savvy discount aficionados among us can save money on afternoon deals; Ultimate Burger and Burton Bridge's Bridge Bitter are my personal picks. The dictum after which the place is named was a 1266 pact to resolve the Barons War apparently, and they certainly run with the theme for all it's worth by featuring numerous informative display panels. Kenilworth played a Royalist role in the English Civil War so some of the more secluded booths have hooped coverings and kingly portraits. Our meals arrive quickly with Nick's deformed fish being a particularly amusing talking point - does it have two tails or is something more phallic going on? 

- Kenilworth Clock Tower -

Ale Rooms: just around the corner, within the shadows of the 1906 Gothic pointed clock tower, is a Good Beer Guide 2025 entrant which is highly thought of in local CAMRA circles. This Ale Rooms is the sister outlet to the Knowle original, thus sharing the same concept down to the trademark plywood effect frontage design. Nick can track their cask options on his Real Ale Finder app so we know that Silhill Brewery's Wow is on. I'd definitely have gone with that but for the presence of Napton Lock Brewhouse and a beer called 'Goozle', served as fresh as you could wish for from a brewery I'd not ever heard of before; ales are only £3.40 a pint on Mondays so that's a bit of a bonus for the WME wallet!

- Fossato Lounge -

Fossato Lounge: where shall we try for our finale? Unintentional as it may be, I've frequented quite a few of these ‘lounges’ recently and here comes another in the chain, Fossato nimbly stepping in when the Station House is shut (despite advertising to the contrary). There are deep orange lightshades, a vast array of portraits and multitudes of mirrors to contend with. In need of a speedy half, I plump for Weston’s Cider (5.2%) while Nick braves the Birra Moretti continental-styled lager We sit on the far wall where all of those mirrors are beckoning, one end of a gallery that extends right the way upstairs and covers a wide range of artistic styles (some of them not especially flattering to the sitter). After a further transfer update, Messrs May, Beardsmore and I decamp to the station for our homeward connection, receiving a royal wave by way of farewell when HRH briefly rejoins us for the last few moments. Cheers!

Bulls In The City - continued...

A running thread over the last few weeks has been the Bulls In The City art trail which has kept me coming back to Birmingham for additional bovine bounty-hunting. Having tracked down many of the specimens in the city centre, attention now turns to some outlying sculptures as stationed in Edgbaston and Harborne...

- Floradorabull -

It's Saturday 30th August 2025 and the trail is nearing its climax, having commenced on 16th July and being scheduled to conclude on 14th September - there's not long left to participate if you haven't already. Once again I'm joining forces with Bullseye Bygrave who is very adept as regards her bull detection skills; as such, Emily reports on a sighting at Birmingham Botanical Gardens where 'Floradorabull' welcomes visitors near the main reception. The strikingly red design here conjures up a sense of a secret garden hideaway populated by magical flowers. 

- A Question from Broderick -

Two more big bulls have made Edgbaston their home so a little stroll along Westbourne Road soon has us admiring 'Broderick' who is sponsored by Birmingham Hospice. Local artist Jess Perrin painted this as a celebration of all things Brum, hence the Alright Bab? greeting and a greedy hand grabbing a bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate - Emily assures me this is in no way whatsoever modelled on her! Broderick occupies a prominent spot immediately outside St George's Church, a landmark perched where Westbourne Crescent meets Highfield Road.

- St George's Psalms Board -

Enticed by a sign mentioning that the church is open, we can't resist having a look inside one of Birmingham's lesser-heralded religious gems. It's a beautiful building, having been enlarged and adapted significantly over the Victorian period, evoking a powerful sense of welcome and peace. Being so close to Birmingham City University's City South campus, St George's seeks to offer spiritual support to local students resulting in a multiculturally diverse intergenerational congregation. We chat to the vicar - Father Sam - and one of the church readers, getting a feel for the history of the place with insight into its stained glass and Grade II listed status.  

- Unbe-Leaf-A-Bull -

Emily has a soft spot for Greenfield Crescent, an attractive pedestrianised townhouse arc that forms the beating heart of Edgbaston Village's social scene. Several tempting eateries can be found in the vicinity plus there are regular markets and other such events throughout the year. For our purposes we're pleased to discover 'Unbe-Leaf-A-Bull' in varying shades of dappled green with depictions of many different butterfly species. Trying hard not to get the 90s hit by EMF stuck in my head for the rest of the day, we also seek out 'Barry' the King Edward Five Ways mini school bull as based inside Chapter, one of the aforementioned restaurant-bars.  

- Flora & Forna -

From Edgbaston we relocate to nearby Harborne, parking up on Ethel Road in readiness for a full sweep of the High Street. Setting forth from Metchley Lane corner by the Green Man, we immediately hit the sculptural jackpot courtesy of 'Flora & Forna' - or should that be Fauna? - which takes a folk art approach to representing the natural world. Tulips and sunflowers mean Emily is particularly captivated by this charming design, and we need to keep our eyes peeled for several examples of smaller bulls presented in shop windows as we progress along. One definite stronghold is the Reloved Brum charity shop and community space; 'Billy the Doodle Bull' resides here complete with cartoon nods to goldfish and Thomas the Tank Engine. 

- Mr Crowley -

Given all the recent fanfare about Black Sabbath's farewell concert, it stands to reason that there has to be a Ozzy Osbourne-themed bull somewhere on the trail and 'Mr Crowley' is the said creation. Named after the 1980 song - which in turn referenced the English occultist and ceremonial magician Aleister Crowley - this is an affectionate nod to Birmingham's role as the cradle of heavy metal. Ozzy's portrait takes pride of place alongside brooding eyes, musical imagery with flashes of purple and shocking pink to round off the effect. 

- Let's Get Ready To Brumbull -

The weather forecast is for persistent afternoon rain and there's just a wisp of drizzle in the air when we reach Harborne's Waitrose store, host location for 'Let's Get Ready to Brumbull'. His lightning bolts hopefully aren't a portent of things to come but the emphasis is very much on superhero boldness, Flash being feted as the defender of Brum with sparkling cape to match - he even adopts that customary comic-book trait of wearing his pants over the top of his main costume! For those of us more demurely dressed, it's probably a good idea to get out of the rain, in which case Harborne has a noted selection of charity bookshops (for Miss Bygrave) and rather fine watering holes (for me)...

- Feeling Fierce in the Hop Garden -

Having plundered Oxfam's shelves for literary bargains - where I must confess Emily wasn't the only one making purchases, I'm always on the lookout for any Alton Douglas local history titles - we seek shelter in the Hop Garden, previously known as the Sportsman. The promise of 22 craft beer lines is more than sufficient to pique my curiosity, and the resultant cask pint of Fierce Dark Mild proves bang on the money for mellow notes of chocolatey roastiness. The rain if anything is getting heavier but we dodge the worst of the droplets when pitching into Arco Lounge for super-tasty burger indulgences; an Artsy Party event is being set up called Cocktails & Canvas with miniature easels and the chance to paint while sipping Prosecco, all most intriguing. Our final port of call however is the award winning Pup & Duckling micropub over in Olton, testing our supposed genius knowledge with fiendish Trivial Pursuit. Cheers!