To Weymouth: I meet up with the guys at Birmingham New Street for a spot of breakfast and then we catch the 10:03 CrossCountry service down to Southampton Central, a steady journey that included a few bonus photos during a pause at Reading. At Southampton we change onto South West trains, enjoying the scenery through the New Forest and Poole Harbour before Weymouth finally appears on the horizon.
Checking in: Alighting at the seaside we make our way to our hotel, the same one as last year, with Roger on the lookout for potential dance partners of the more senior variety. Having safely settled in we're now ready for the first pint of the weekend, a Flying Dutchman courtesy of the William Henry Wetherspoons.
X53 Jurassic Coastliner: With the necessary lubrication having been taken it's time for some bus action and a taster of an epic route that links Poole and Exeter over some four and a half hours. We sample the section through from Weymouth to Lyme Regis which includes glimpses of West Bay, Bridport and Charmouth.
- The Pilot Boat -Lyme Regis: Steep narrow streets lead us towards the seafront and we alight into a touch of drizzle but nothing too serious. A quick shot of the bus and then we seek out the Pilot Boat for a refreshing pint - I enjoyed my Palmer's Copper Ale but the pub didn't quite have the character I was hoping for. Quaffing over we climb up the High Street to catch our next bus by the post office, the hike allowing for extra photos including the Volunteer Inn.
31: After a bit of waiting the 31 arrives on the scene with our initial intention being to catch the bus to Bridport. However, we're not long into the journey when the heavens open and despite a brave attempt at some outstation photos our Bridport stay is quickly aborted. We rejoin the bus and continue back through to Weymouth via Dorchester.
Duke of Albany: Thankfully the weather is kinder once we're back at base so a quick freshen-up and we can try out some of the local pubs. First up is the Duke of Albany down a sidestreet not far from the station where we meet a very vocal parrot who has a penchant for wolf-whistling. Our efforts to get the bird to insult Roger prove in vain although I did detect a squawk of 'Mary' at one point.
- Tasting Tetley's at the Duke of Albany -Brownlow: A decent curry at Chillis sets us up nicely for another pub close to the station, this one you can actually see from the platforms. The building looks tired from the outside but wasn't too bad and we enjoyed a game of pool although my potting skills had completely deserted me.
The Cutter: As was customary last year, the evening finishes in the Cutter (a.k.a. the Gutter) where I am stunned to find that the Foster's is available. No sign of any playful dogs sadly, just some people getting quite deep into their karaoke. We retire back to the Fairhaven where Rog and I brave the bottom bar and Rog makes the acquaintance of Hilda and her sister for a dance marathon. Needless to say I make a sharp exit in case I became overcome with the excitement...
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