Yet More Leamington Larks...

Nick has a long and storied habit of unearthing startling surprises when he introduces me to new haunts on his home patch, so what random finds would be revealed during our latest Leamington get-together?

- Railway History Mural -

Trip Log: Friday 16th October 2026 and I'm all set for Warwickshire as the 09:39 Bournemouth train takes me directly from Wolverhampton to Leamington Spa. His Majesty is waiting to greet me on the platform and we descend the stairwell to find a pair of interesting railway history murals depicting the likes of George Stephenson, Richard Trevithick and a very stern Queen Victoria (looking unimpressed about her titchy crown). The now-customary York Walk wander allows nice views of the old library, River Leam and bandstand before we get down to beery business by sampling the current Wetherspoons real ale festival at the Benjamin Satchwell. The pub is undergoing an external facelift although a big blue banner declares it is very much still open, hence we can avail ourselves of Oolong ESB as infused with Chinese tealeaves.

- Model moments at the Great Western -

Nick's most important target for the day is an outlying pub at a place called Deppers Bridge, so the number 665 Flexibus is our main means of getting there. The route runs roughly every two hours, careful planning therefore being needed to ensure we catch the 12:14 working outside Leamington's Parish Church. The bus arrives on time, wiggles up the Tachbrook Road then through Harbury and Bishops Itchington before dropping us off right by the Great Western - that linked well! Apparently this place was closed for several years but has been triumphantly brought back to life, even retaining the model railway it was long famous for. Watching the miniature fleet whizzing around at ceiling level makes for excellent entertainment whilst we sup a decent drop of Draught Bass, noting also a little collection of rail-related literature. 

- A Beermat Chandelier -

Having successfully flagged down our return 665 - Nick providing the necessary outstretched arm to get the driver's attention - we will spend the rest of the day subjecting Leamington to our usual brand of scrutiny. The Boiler Room is an obvious choice given that the bus sets down immediately outside; we'd been to this craft microbar previously (during Festive Forage activities) and it's certainly much quieter in the middle of the afternoon. It takes us some time to make sense of the long chalkboard of craft options but we wisely swerve the 8.4% Tartarus in favour of London Black and a Strawberry Sundae ice cream sour. Heading up the Parade again, we include a call at The House which is a trendy venue that can be booked for private parties. I love their chandelier as fashioned out of vintage beermats, I think one of those would be ideal for the WME bedroom! Halves of Safari Pale Ale and Guinness keep us lubricated here, noting the presence of a shuffleboard table for anybody feeling competitive.

- OMG at the Bedford Street Bar -

Onwards, and after a Bejamin Satchwell repeat this time for food (a royal Fishy Friday deal is too much to resist and there might have been a coriander-laced Ukrainian ale in the mix), we proceed along Bedford Street. The eponymous bar is another haunt we'd sampled on a prior occasion but retains its jazzy vibe, mingling with Sky Sports screens and hints of neon strobe lighting. Arguably the standout features here are the scatter cushions, featuring lip motifs or takeaway coffee cups, although comedy cobwebs are a reminder that Halloween is near. The bar claims to have Leamington's biggest beer garden and no doubt gets lively on an evening.

- A Spicy Librarian? Whatever Next! -

I'm getting used to Leamington surprising me with the most bizarre discoveries imaginable so I should have known there'd be something tucked up those knowing royal sleeves - but a spicy librarian? Really? This is a remarkable bookstore, specialising in romance fiction, romantasy and many other subgenres. We peek inside to see a cocktail counter along with several bays laden with love-themed literature. The store is prominent on Instagram and has its own line of merchandise too; given the potentially risque nature of some of the material, access is adults only (18+) but the setting feels very welcoming and you could easily curl up with a book. We follow that niche find by heading a couple of doors further along to the Beer Lodge, based in what used to be Jephson's Bar (and before that, the Tavistock). Phipps's Bison drinks nicely amidst an urban retreat setting and is billed as a beast of a brown ale - we concur.

- Magnificent Mead -

Where next? In true Flanagan and Allen style, Nick recommends we sample the LeamFest event underneath the arches so we shuffle back along the Parade and aim south of the river. We've done a few of these railway units before (notably Windmill Hill, Southbound and Brubl) but Hive is new to us, majoring on mead. Their £6 premium flight enables us to have three thirds: Hive Mind Pure Honey (3.4%), Hive Mind Honey + Ginger (also 3.4%) and Hive Mind Tavern Mead, utterly gorgeous at 8%, while managing to handle our paddles without spilling a drop of precious cargo. I'm hugely impressed by the whole setup, nicely lit with trains rumbling above, and they do stock cider and craft beer if fermented honey isn't really your thing.

- Sampling the Lucky Shiba Sake Bar -

The aforementioned Windmill Hill and Brubl are participating in the festivities, each having live music on the go and some enticing brews to tickle those tastebuds - I particularly enjoy a dark half of Byatt's All Day Foreign Extra Stout. Our mead diversions have however put us in the mood to try something that little bit different, hence the prospect of the Lucky Shiba Sake Bar simply cannot be ignored. Every drink here is expertly sourced from Japan, including the One Cup sake jars which seem to be a big seller. We opt for the slightly safer ground of the Kirin Ichiban premium lager, perched by the bar munching on very tasty edamame beans. With that our revels must end and the 21:16 train is on hand to take me home, stunned by another madcap voyage of unexpected Leamington revelations. Cheers!

Charlecote Park

Bookworm Bygrave has quietly turned another year older, and our way of marking the occasion is to take a little ride out to Charlecote Park near Stratford-upon-Avon. Now overseen by the National Trust, the house has Tudor elements and has been home to the Lucy family for several centuries, while the surrounding parkland promises riverside walks with the chance of spotting deer (and other animals)...

- Shepherdess Sculpture? -

One of Warwickshire's grandest stately homes awaits our consideration as we take the M42 and A429, pulling onto Charlecote's overflow car park because the main area is already full. Beyond the reception hut, we cross a lane lined with spindle plank fences to reach the long elegant approach avenue. This in turn leads to the separate gatehouse with twin turrets either side of a central carriage arch. One of the lodge rooms hosts a ‘Setting the Scene' display detailing the history of the Lucy genealogical line - the family have lived here for over 800 years and still retain their own private rooms. There's a front lawn area with trailing creepers and decorative gatepost urns, happily the sun is coming out to show off the stonework.

- Jacob Sheep -

We'll save the stately pile for later and try to make the most of the improving brightness in that case. A parkland stroll passes a duckpond with a solitary swan before Place Meadow presents a flock of grazing Jacob sheep - they mostly have white fleeces but with distinctive splodgey brown patterning, not to mention short horns. The pasture also offers lovely views of Hampton Lucy church, more on which shortly. Apparently the legendary Lancelot 'Capability' Brown was involved in the landscaping of Charlecote Park during the 1760s and all these years later the gardens and house still form a magnificent combination beside the River Avon. The ha-ha wall and River Dene cascade are examples of Brown's design contributions.

- Caramel Apple Crumble Cake -

The Orangery tearoom beckons for apple crumble cake and caramel shortbread, providing the tiny swarming midges leave us be. Emily must have cake on her birthday, it’s imperative! After that tasty treat, we explore the main house. Sections of it genuinely date to Tudor times but the majority of what we can see today is a Victorian endeavour, fashionably designed in the Elizabethan Revival style. The entrance hall boasts family portraits then the dining room has an elaborate table setting of cut crystal glass and candlesticks. Emily absolutely adores the library, a cupboard here is still used for storing vintage games and toys. The billiards table is covered top to bottom with a cute collection of knitted pumpkins before there's a tight spiral staircase to the upstairs rooms... 

- Charlecote House -

Two principal bed chambers convey a sense of wealth while other spaces along the first floor hallway take on a ‘Library of Memories’ purpose, capturing stories from living and working on the Charlecote estate over the centuries. A sewing bud voting system is in place for deciding the focus of their next exhibition - should this be special artefacts, global influences or daily experiences? Among the well-preserved outbuildings, a laundry and brewhouse present a giant barrel cooperage and strung out smalls; the brewhouse is said to be an especially rare survival given that most of its 18th century fittings are in situ.

- Pumpkin Parade -

Elsewhere, the Servants’ Kitchen has another tabletop yarn pumpkin mound - there must be sixty or more crafted items heaped up here for that comforting sense of autumn. Across the cobbled stable courtyard, the Lucy family’s Carriage Collection comprises successive bays for carts, coaches and carriages with their associated tack store - the conveyance designs get increasingly more elaborate as we go from room to room while the equipment stash covers saddles, reins and stirrups. Another outhouse has been repurposed as a second hand bookshop where Emily has a good rummage around, hoping for a birthday bargain.

- Bookworm on the Bridge -

West Park awaits on the other side of the stone bridge that straddles the River Dene (an Avon tributary which wiggles off through Wellesbourne). A Deer Park was established at Charlecote in 1477 although the current incumbents are wisely keeping their distance, meaning we need good eyesight to spot any fallow specimens roaming around on the horizon. We perambulate along the avenue of trees towards West Lodge, an outer gate that resonates from bus rides with Nick. More sheep and goats prove easier to spot than the deer, and though we loop back towards the car park, there are around 200 acres to explore in total. Dogs are welcome in the Front Park and there are designated walking routes where you can take your four-legged friends without disturbing the other animals.

- St Peter ad Vincula -

The next village along from Charlecote also has important Lucy family connections, hence the name Hampton Lucy; historically many of the local residents would have found employment on the estate. We wander around the church as dedicated to St Peter ad Vincula, the current building being an 1820s reconstruction in the Gothic Revival style. The stained glass windows are utterly glorious and partially incurred wartime damage when an American airplane crashed nearby. The grandeur of the architecture would be more befitting of a much larger settlement but this in itself is evidence of Charlecote’s wealth in funding the rebuild. Either way, this is a real charmer of a musty church with a padlocked offerings slot and portraits of the former rectors, some of whom have dramatic sounding names. 

- Timothy Taylor's in the Boars Head -

Passing a red telephone box repurposed as a pop-up library, we note the presence of beautiful cottages with immaculate thatched roofs. The village pub isn’t quite as chocolate box-worthy as those but the Boars Head still looks the part and is operated by the Jackimo Group, The entrance door has an orange harvest wreath while the front bar feels relatively contemporary for a boozer that's been here a long time. Timothy Taylor's Landlord in its own branded glass makes for nice quaffing as we perch on high stools by a stencilled boar oval, the pre-match preparations underway for Croatia v England on the big screens. Suitably refreshed, we can return to the Bookworm residence to continue the birthday celebrations with friends. Cheers!

Stirchley Saturday, Showground Sunday

A weekend double-header with Bookworm Bygrave sees us spending Saturday evening on the Stirchley Beer Mile in the company of Zoe and Mike, before Sunday takes us to the Three Counties Showground for the Malvern Autumn Show...

- The Stirchley Gorilla -

The Stirchley district of Birmingham has become a real hotspot for up-and-coming venues specialising in craft beer, street food and good times. There must be a dozen or more places we could sample strung out either side of the Pershore Road but we have a hitlist in mind, starting with The Den which I think used to be a card shop. Several Deya beers are being showcased here, including my pick of a New England pale ale called 'Magazine Cover'. We settle in under a 'Make Time For Pints' smoking frog poster and try to outdo each other over a game of Anomia, requiring quick recall of jazz musician names or palindromes - would the Stirchley gorilla approve?

- Glasshouse Beer Co. -

The Waterside Business Park alone is home to at least three drinking establishments, of which the Glasshouse Beer Co. taproom is definitely our top target. Looking out over the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, it has a few beer benches inside and the familiar sight of Crispmalt sacks piled up by the brewing equipment. From the extensive range, my liking for real ale results in a cracking pint of Aoraki as their main cask offering, tasting as fresh and clean as I could wish for; Zoe really likes the Anemones provided we pronounce it correctly (this is a crushable orange peach beer apparently) then Mike entertains us with Donald Trump impressions. We're also briefly joined by Hannah and Alex for a quick pint prior to a gig they're attending, hence chatting about university welcome weeks, Black Country Type photobooks and the philosophical stroking of beards.

- Trying Trillium -

 A few units further along is the Brew Export Beer Cave specialising in American craft lines, the physical space being similar to Glasshouse. Trillium Brewing's 'Boat Under Train Under Car Under Plane' is a total mouthful in more ways than one but I rather like it for a fruity brew. We then amble over to Mary Vale Road and make Attic our second brewery tap of the evening but it is absolutely heaving with folks watching the England vs Spain football match; we just about squeeze in for a standing perch while accounting for beers such as Quarter and Clasp, hearing rather than seeing the goals flying in. Deadbeat looks very interesting as a dive bar concept but our collective craving for curry means we will finish off at the Kolkata restaurant where the usually spice-averse Bookworm Bygrave braves the Butter Chicken - I think Emily's tastebuds lived to tell the tale. We might only have scratched the surface of Stirchley this time around but that's all the more reason to go back - watch this space...

- The Wheatsheaf Vintage Pub -

Sunday's action takes us to the Three Counties Showground on the outskirts of Malvern where the Autumn Show has been in full swing all weekend. The remit is to celebrate the produce of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire as well as being a primary showcase for the best in local agriculture and horticulture. The Bygravemobile is ushered into car park N8, positioning us handily by the North Gate entrance close to a vintage fairground. We've not long arrived when we spot the Wheatsheaf as a 1940's themed pub based in a repurposed portakabin. It aims to raise money for veterans charities - a most worthy cause - and serves up a cracking drop of Teme Valley's T'other amber ale. The period vibe is evoked through pre-decimal coins, a rotary dial telephone and an Edith Piaf soundtrack emanating from an old wireless set.

- Googly-eyed Vegetables -

The Harvest Pavilion awaits next for googly eyed pumpkins and long stringy carrots - these aren't even the giant specimens, just standard produce but are clearly grown with much love. The Floral Art section has lots of imaginative installations depicting Christmas dining tables, choral music stands, graffiti and other themes where you have to admire the creative thinking involved. Cards beside each exhibit indicate which ones are the main prizewinners, from Show Champions to Gold, Silver Gilt and Bronze medallists through to the lower placings.

- Snuffling among the Cider Apples -

Continuing by way of the Orchard & Hop Tent, this celebrates everything related to local apples, pears, quinces and beer ingredients. Several regional producers have their own stalls so I'm spoiled for choice in terms of whose wares I'm most keen to sample. Ultimately I opt for the Ross on Wye Autumn Cider, a 7.2% heavyweight half which gets supped whilst watching a scratting machine demo using the ‘Norman’ variety; the ripened cider apples are converted to a mash or pulp similar to porridge in order to better extract their juice for fermenting. This is a time honoured process which requires much skill for recognising when the apples are at their harvesting peak. A cheeky straw pig seems to be enjoying any leftover windfall specimens!

- A Pastry Pause -

Unsurprisingly busy irrespective of a sudden shower, the Food Hall presents a full range of gourmet goodies so there are pies, cakes and pastry products at every turn. I spot a craft beer flag and duly investigate for half of Copper Beech's Dog Days, the name of the beer sealing the deal in reference to Mabel and Hank - Emily seemed to appreciate the gesture. We keep out of the worsening rain by checking out the Giant Vegetable Championship Hall, some of the exhibits are ridiculous!! Massive marrows and ginormous pumpkins need to be seen to be believed, they must weigh a tonne (well several tonnes actually). The Craft Hall however is where Emily's heart really lies, finding greetings cards and coasters galore. One artist has a machine for dispensing prints at £1 a go - we initially get double badgers but exchange one for a frog design. A quick stroll back past the classic tractors seals the deal, and something tells me we might be back in spring for further Three Counties fun. Cheers!

WME Flickr Focus - September 2026

The summer heatwave now seems like a distant memory as I gaze out of my window upon autumn mists and darker evenings, plus the cricket season has concluded - happily for us, it finishes with Warwickshire crowned as County Champions for the ninth time in their history, excellent! As for any photostream progress, September has been all about Exploration Extra...

We've hit one of those periodic passages when my archiving system takes us away from the West Midlands and focuses on places further afield. And what a scattering we have, covering southern cities, North West coastal places, sleepy Herefordshire villages and the urban life of Leicester to name but a few. Let's see what's been occurring shall we?

Picking up where August left off, I'll commence in Chichester where the Truevision Electricals store satisfied my liking for vintage shopfronts. Old stonework and a supply of street signs stick to my standard dietary requirements through reference to Westgate and St Peters but arguably my favourite item is a Shippams meat and fish pastes clock which looks very retro. Sussex is also the location for a couple of Hove railway-related pictures as snaffled back in 2012, while we can stay south-ish for a Somerset sighting of Taunton's Firepool Lock.

The wider Midlands counties are well represented amongst this month's batch of arrivals. Herefordshire claims Colwall for traffic-calming warnings of a bygone age, not to mention a Golden Fleece grab from Hereford itself; Gloucester's rugby-themed street art resurfaces in the vicinity of Kingsholm Stadium again; Derbyshire delivers us Cromford's canal wharf with glimpses of Scarthin Books - Miss Bygrave would like that - then there's a larger slice from Leicester comprising the Newark Houses Museum's teddy bear trail plus a Sunny Jim doll.

Our northern contigent takes us west to Cleveleys and Fleetwood (think brutalist seafront shelters and timewarp greasy spoon cafes, sprinkled in with souvenir shops and penny arcades) then east into Yorkshire. Old stadium seating at Headingley - the rugby ground side - piles on the nostalgia, and if you like dusky trains there's one at Leeds station for you to enjoy. The Bar T'at pub in Ilkley offers a nod to a famous moor-inspired phrase, and we'll finish in Filey with a ghostly knitted postbox topper to prepare us for October - it'll soon be Halloween!