A January Jaunt Around The Jewellery Quarter

It had been some years since Messrs D9 and HRH last joined forces for an outing, a quick calculation suggesting that they hadn't seen each other since the Dudley Winter Ales Fayre of November 2021. All that is about to change courtesy of a January Jaunt pubcrawl putting a spotlight on the Jewellery Quarter...

- Reunited -

It's Friday 24th January 2025 and my two erstwhile accomplices are instructed to converge upon the Jewellery Quarter railway station by midday. Knowing he would be receiving royal company, Chairman D9 is unusually punctual although the risk of a double cob penalty might also have deterred him from any lateness. We therefore rendezvous at twelve o'clock on the dot, getting reacquainted over talk of Lincolnshire hospitals and broken elbows. As is Vyse Street custom, we stage an essential photoshoot outside the Temple of Relief cast iron urinal with a certain balding gentleman lamenting the fact it isn't still operational for bladder respite.

- Chunky Cheddar -

We have a packed itinerary ahead whereby all manner of Jewellery Quarter watering holes could be on the agenda but we'll start with a firm favourite on the corner of Hockley Street and Spencer Street. Owned by Black Country Ales, the Jewellers Arms is a traditional tavern that specialises in real ales hence we all collectively partake of Felinfoel's Winter Warmer, copper in colour and Welsh in origin. I can never resist a cob at the best of times so there is no way I'm not having a slab of cheese and onion goodness today; sepia snapshots of Hockley's heritage adorn the walls, one photograph featuring a distinctive advert for Bovril.

- Indian Brewery Taproom -

Our second stop is a place I've really been looking forward to seeing, hence we make a beeline straight along Livery Street noting the terracotta frontage of the former Vaughton Works (nowadays used for hostel accommodation). The Indian Brewery Taproom can't quite match that for gothic script but is a handsome edifice in its own right, towering over the corner with Mary Ann Street. It only opened last December and proves a spectacular setting for the imbibing of Indian Summer, a 4% abv sessionable golden ale. We sit on a metallic gantry close to the dartboard, keeping an eye out for mounted elephants and a large yellow crane that has been retained from the building's previous guise as a welding and fabrication unit. One cheeky leg of darts sees D9 Destroyer prevail with a sneaky 18 checkout - I'll get my revenge later - until staff inform us that the dartboard needs to be booked in advance.

- 'Spotted' at St Paul's Square -

Venturing further along Mary Ann Street, we arrive at St Paul's Square where the local church has been a beacon of worship since Georgian times. The elegant architecture is rather spoiled by bald spot intrusion but otherwise there are townhouses to admire while Birmingham City University have their School of Jewellery based here, keeping alive the historic trade whilst educating the jewellers and silversmiths of the future. Ludgate Hill offers the opportunity of a swift half in the Actress & Bishop where our resident royal instantly avails himself of a hooded throne armchair. Draught Bass drinks nicely here and they have a performance stage used for hosting regular live music sessions every Friday and Saturday evening.

- Two Hobgoblins in Tandem -

Nibbling around the edges of the churchyard, we relocate across the square to Saint Paul's House (previously known as The Ropewalk). This is a rather fancy establishment with fake flowers massed around the front door. The Chairman is fearing the worst being as it is his round although three halves of Hobgoblin IPA won't cause the D9 wallet too much damage. Soft sofas and the scent of salmon fishcakes add an air of refinement far removed from the spit and sawdust haunts we tend to prefer, albeit orders for coffee easily outnumber those for beer. Another noticeable quirk is the amount of people using their laptops - this must be the place where Hockley folk assemble if working from home!

- Connect 4 Concentration -

Saint Paul's House had been included as a filler prior to 4pm opening at the Barrel Store, Attic Brewery's second Birmingham outlet. Intriguingly located in a Water Street railway arch, they have an excellent range of craft brews from which we're drawn to the Ten Acres Stout. A fun selection of board games is likewise on hand, hence the Secretary seizing the chance to get his own back for that earlier darting defeat. Connect 4 takes Mr WME back to his childhood and he duly reels off an impressive seven wins via a mixture of cunning strategy and good fortune - no wonder Nick and Andy look so concerned on the photo above!

- Rocking and Rolling with a Jambeerlaya -

We really liked the Barrel Store, although whether we'd feel comfortable hanging around late at night is another matter. Chairman D9 is still trying his best Flanagan & Allen 'Underneath the Arches' impression (he needs to learn more of the lyrics methinks) when we make tracks for the Rock & Roll Brewhouse on Hall Street. An almost unheralded doorway has treasure within, not least an Elvis cardboard cut-out waiting to greet you at the bottom of the stairs. Ignoring the No Riff Raff missive, we proceed into the upper bar room and pick from a trio of vegan-friendly ales - Jambeerlaya, Brew Springsteen and Voodoo Mild. Everything is brewed on site and the decor has a distinct 1960s flower power inspiration, highly memorable stuff.

- A Royal and A Beast? -

Time is ticking on and we want to squeeze every last drop out of the HRH/D9 reunion. The Rolling Mill is a wildcard entry, built in 2021/22 on the site of a tatty maintenance compound; Purity's Session IPA is on the expensive side but not as extortionate as having to pay £30 minimum for a dartboard reservation. Silly songs involving Cilla Black and Billy Connolly ('In The Brownies') are duly declared, then we round off proceedings at the Indian Brewery's other outlet down by Snow Hill Station. A beer called Royal Beast is the obvious nightcap tipple as if it was named partially in honour of the Chairman and partly as a nod to His Majesty Nick. With that our homeward steeds beckon - hopefully it won't be three more years til we next all meet.

Banking on Birmingham

There's something of a financial focus to the Chip Foundation's first meeting of 2025 when a selection of former Birmingham banking establishments provide the thrust of our January rendezvous...

- A Theatrical Starting Point -

Episode 84 of the Chip Foundation Chronicles takes place on the evening of Monday 13th January whereby we congregate at Grand Central under Ozzy's watching gaze. Our first port of call is Theatrix on the corner of Colmore Row and Waterloo Street, allowing fine views over Victoria Square. Normally a venue such as this wouldn't be on our radar but its architectural appeal wins us over, the building having been originally built as the headquarters for Alliance Assurance. High ceilings and fancy downlighters add to the sense of glamour.

- Too Much Monkey Business? -

Settling in with respective glasses of Guinness, blackcurrant and lemonade or Attic Pale Ale, we commandeer a semi-circular booth composed of floral green fabric. Discussions about the Women's Ashes series, FA Cup performances and Nick's liking for table football abound but it's the wider interior which truly captures my imagination. A sumptuous snug has a stunning marble fireplace and apparently there is a rooftop terrace, although January might not be the best month for testing that out! A trek downstairs to the gents reveals a spiral staircase, tiled vault passages and two stuffed monkeys guarding what presumably used to be the safe - we respectfully heed the warning not the feed the animals but they already have champagne.

- Fudge Brownie Stout -

Continuing to explore the corridors of monetary power, our next stop will be the Colmore Tap as located in Victoria House. Operated by Thornbridge Brewery in conjunction with Pivovar, this used to be a branch of Lloyds Bank and has some spectacular features such as Pondera lettering and much mirrored panelling. The full range of Thornbridge ales is being showcased (including Lord Marples, Brother Rabbit and Nick's beloved Jaipur) but once we'd spotted North Riding's Fudge Brownie Stout there is no going back - a mere trifle at 7.4% abv!

- HRH with ESB in the OJS -

Not wishing to depart from our banking remit just yet, we relocate to the Old Joint Stock on Temple Row which is presented as a Fuller's Ale & Pie House. There are Lloyds connections here too although the building was initially designed by Julius Alfred Chatwin to be a library before the Birmingham Joint Stock Bank took ownership. A magnificent wooden bar surround is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of standout features, and we enjoy sitting upstairs among classical busts and bodices. ESB (Extra Special Bitter) is the tipple of choice as we discuss Ken's forthcoming coach holidays and Stephen's plans for the 2025 cricket season; the on-site theatre hosts regular performances and open mic sessions while the Chatwin Room is an elegantly decorated private function space. 

- Doggy Dart Fashions in Flight Club -

Having cashed in our ex-bank trinity, we seek a final watering hole with which to round off the evening in appropriate style. Our intended nightcap option of the Botanist doesn't appear to be open but stepping into the breach is the Flight Club halfway down Temple Street. Bold claims about bringing darts into the 21st century need to be investigated, and this is certainly a world away from smoky working men's clubs or backstreet boozers. Several bookable oche playing areas are available, each furnished with dart-tracking technology while cameras replay any clinical checkouts. Given it's a cold Monday evening in January, there are plenty of takers.

- Mr B meets Elena -

True, Flight Club can't match the out-and-out opulence of the three preceding bars but there's more than enough quirkiness to make it memorable in its own right. Red velvet curtains hint at luxury while Elena the carousel horse seems to enjoy jumping over Nick's half of Guinness. Not having booked in advance, we resist the urge to take to the oche ourselves although I'd not rule out a return visit purely out of curiosity; instead we chat some more about politics (previewing the forthcoming presidential inauguration) and sport before variously heading to Snow Hill or New Street for our respective trains home. You can always bank on Brum!

Waterways Walks: A Frozen Friday in Hanley

Arctic chills aren't to be unexpected in January and the temperatures are certainly on the cool side as I stage my first Friday Foray of 2025. I've picked out the Potteries again with the intention of discovering a pub or two whilst adding to my Waterways Walks repertoire - what can the Caldon Canal tempt me with?

- Stoke Locks Sign -

It's Friday 10th January 2025 and a sharp frost in Wolverhampton is nothing compared to the compacted snow that awaits me when I arrive in an otherwise sunny Stoke-on-Trent. I'm well wrapped up for temperatures predicted to get no higher than minus five, and the towpath of the Trent & Mersey Canal has a hushed vibe as I commence my walk from Osborn Bridge (No. 113B). Stoke Locks will be my first point of interest as I reacquaint myself with numbers 36 up to 40, each one carrying a crisp covering of icy white stuff. Toadstool mooring pegs and a Unity mural bemoaning the perils of plastic pollution are other points of note. 

- Etruria Canal Warehouse -

Etruria Junction is where I can join the Caldon Canal, a navigation that runs for roughly 18 miles via Stockton Brook and Cheddleton to reach Froghall Basin; a branch to Leek has been partially retained while historically there was a connection on to Uttoxeter too. There is initial drama when I almost come a cropper with an alarming skid by the Etruria Wharf Warehouse. Luckily I manage to catch hold of the railings and prevent a disaster, latterly recovering some poise with pictures of Etruria Forge lettering and a glimpse of the 'Lady Fiona' narrowboat; the adjacent Industrial Museum meanwhile is watched over by a statue of canal engineer James Brindley. The split between the two waterways is marked by arrow indicators and the wharf compound is part of the wider attraction along with the Etruscan Bone Mill.

- Bedford Street Staircase Locks -

Onwards up the Caldon I go with a revisit to Bedford Street Staircase Locks, one side of which is an absolute ice rink. Two conjoined chambers make for a neat feat of engineering although I advance with tentative trepidation given my near-tumble earlier. Keeping my wits about me, I encounter Bedford Street Bridge (No. 2) where Harry Ramjams is detected as an abandoned boozer which has had its water supply switched off. Planet Lock then awaits in the vicinity of Norfolk Street, offering faint flashbacks to another backstreet pub I recall getting photos of years ago but the Norfolk Inn now appears to be a pharmacy.

- Hanley Park Scenery -

Next up, I gingerly reach Hanley Park where the historic bandstand and pavilion look most delightful as framed by the terracotta brickwork of the terraced gardens. The canal slices a swathe right through the heart of the park, passing below Bridges 5 (College Road), 5A, 5B and 6 (Ridgway Road) in quick succession. Covering around sixty acres, the park is a late Victorian masterpiece having first opened to the public back in June 1897 - more recently it attracted community funding to support heritage restoration work in 2015.

- Bridgewater Pottery possibilities -

The section beyond Ridgway Road is completely new to me so I ready myself for discoveries aplenty. Flanked by the assorted remnants of old industry, I'm utterly fascinated by Hanley's hinterlands. Lichfield Street soon presents the Emma Bridgewater Pottery factory complete with flaking painted signage, not far at all from Oggy's Sports Bar where a yellow mounted Reliant Robin hints at Only Fools and Horses fandom. I'm similarly delighted to discover the Johnson Brothers (Hanley) Sanitary Works as erected in 1896; it keeps a primary academy school company these days but the edifice is still a very imposing Eastwood Road landmark.

- Ivy House Lift Bridge -

That item of earthenware extraction can be found just down the street from Bridge No. 9, after which I ponder the Norville Drive modern development of box houses and retained bottle kiln features. Bridge 10 has grand blue railings at Botteslow Street then No. 11 is the electrically-operated Ivy House Lift Bridge on the side of the Goodwin International castings factory. Stern STOP instructions appear on the bridge barriers in a setup reminiscent of Shirley Drawbridge. Atmospherically derelict hovels might have had a ceramic production pedigree but are mainly the preserve of pigeons and magpies nowadays; zooms of ramshackle window frames prove very satisfying in the sunshine.

- Botany Bay Bridge -

Bridge 12 passes beneath the Bucknall Road dual carriageway (with references to the J and G Meakin Cricket Club), preceding No. 13 for Cromer Road as paired with a council licensing depot. I continue as far as Botany Bay Bridge (No. 14), a lovely traditional stone humpback, but I daren't make use of the top path because it is so slippery. Instead I backtrack to Cromer Road for safety and tiptoe my way into Northwood, a distinct district of Hanley with much to note of photographic interest. The parish hall for example hosts weekly 'Lighthouse' Christian worship sessions while a traditional corner fryer emanates tempting chip shop smells, not forgetting Rose Street with the promise of an 1872 Wesleyan Chapel.

- The Cat Inn, Northwood -

Northwood boasts its fair share of boozers and I'm going to try two of them, the Wheatsheaf Stores and Cat Inn being within spitting distance of each other on Keelings Road. The first of these is a lovely little local that provides welcome respite from the cold; several cask ales are what I like to see but it has to be Draught Bass, an impeccable pint when supped in dartboard corner admiring Players Please tobacco boxes and 1930s period glass lamps. The Sheaf is followed ably by the Cat for Italian football highlights and a bout of Beardsmore Bleach over by the pool table. It seems quieter in here but it's a good solid boozer nevertheless. 

- Bring on the Bass! -

In less challenging underfoot conditions, I'd likely have sought out the Northwood Inn and/or the Cross Guns to complete my Northwood set but I'll be sensible and keep to the properly gritted main pavements. I won't be missing out on good beer that's for sure, not with two Hanley classics on the agenda. The Golden Cup on Old Town Road has been lavishly and lovingly resurrected with heavily patterned wallpaper and Bass Only tiling to the fore; I could literally spend all day in here, it's such a spectacular setting, but the lure of the Coachmakers down by the bus station is too much to resist. More perfect Bass beckons, this time sitting in the timeless front snug chatting to the landlord about the demise of Banks's Brewery. Cheers!

Reindeer Reconnaissance, then Harborne

For my first significant slice of 2025 exploration, let's track down more of Birmingham's festive reindeer trail and throw in a trio of Harborne watering holes just to be sociable...

- Blitzen -

It's Saturday 4th January 2025 and the West Midlands is preparing itself for heavy snowfall, albeit the forecast suggests the white stuff won't arrive until evening so Stephen and I should be all clear for a bracing bout of Birmingham beforehand. Our immediate mission is to locate more of the 'Reindeer Rescue' sculptures which collectively are aiming to raise money for the Birmingham Children's Hospital Charity. Upon arrival at New Street railway station, we head straight up the Grand Central escalators to meet Blitzen in tones of sky blue and yellow.

- Mr B meets Paddington -

Venturing into the Bull Ring shopping malls (which are surprisingly quiet given the promise of January sales), we scour around Selfridges hoping to garner further reindeer reinforcements. Rudolph is lurking by a returns desk and boasts a particularly glittery red nose, although he is perhaps upstaged by the presence of a certain Paddington Bear sitting on a bench munching marmalade sandwiches. Birmingham's bear arrival is one of 23 that have cropped up across the length and breadth of the country, part of a promotional campaign marking the release of the Paddington in Peru movie last November.

- Vixen -

Back to the reindeer and next up is Vixen, keeping out of the cold by lurking inside the Cass Fine Art shop on Corporation Street. Multicoloured floral patternings make for a very vibrant design and it seems sensible to position the sculptures indoors if possible so as to offset any damage from the vagaries of wintry weather. The Frankfurt Christmas Market has packed away for another year so New Street is much calmer than it was in December. 

- Comet -

Piccadilly Arcade is often chosen as a suitable sculptural setting and for this iteration it plays host to Comet, an all-over blue reindeer with two cheeky cartoon elves plus a rocket-powered Santa Claus. Prancer was positioned on Victoria Square but we think has relocated into the Town Hall Foyer, meaning Dasher at Centenary Square is our final find keeping watch over the temporary skating rink and big wheel attractions. 

- Gloucester Gold in the Bell -

Happy with that reindeer haul, we hustle into Harborne care of the number 23 bus via Broad Street, Five Ways and Westbourne Road. Alighting by the still-charred remains of the Royalty Bingo - a building I'd love to see being restored but I fear the damage is too great - we make a beeline along St Peter's Road and reacquaint ourselves with the Bell. It must have been ten years or more since I last set foot inside this one but it has lost none of its timeless charm, memorably standing cheek-by-jowel next to the parish church. With three cask ales and a bowling green out the back, there's a lot to like; I sample some Gloucester Gold from the confines of the snug whilst comparing Christmas television notes with Stephen.

- The White Horse -

Following the churchyard path which bisects two cricket pitches, we join Vivian Road in order to check out the New Inn. Previously owned by M&B and then Banks's, this longserving pub was purchased by Joules last year and might be in line for one of their makeovers at some point. As it is, it's a nice enough place to natter away over a pint of Old Acquaintance Winter Warmer, although we are the only customers when we first arrive. The same can not be said as regards the White Horse on York Road, an Ostler's Urban Ale Venue which is packed out with Saturday topers watching Spurs losing to Newcastle. Church End's Stout Coffin is an excellent note on which to round off a successful January excursion. Cheers!

December's Final Treats

Before I commence waffling about any early explorations 2025 might care to bring my way, I need to achieve blog closure as regards 2024. Like a tangerine stuck in the toe end of a Christmas stocking, there are a couple of happenings to place on record from that curious time we call 'Twixmas'...

- Baby Jesus (allegedly) -

Persistent fog rather ruined the chances of any prime photography during Christmas Week itself, although there is a certain atmospheric quality to having everything shrouded in layers of mist. I didn't venture too far but a gentle local walk out to Perton included a sighting of the Windmill Church's nativity scene on Henwood Road (outside what used to be the Compton Youth Club building). Judge for yourself their depiction of an angelic Baby Jesus...

- Joseph -

... and here's Joseph for good measure. I should for the sake of balance mention that Mary was also part of the installation, and there were hobby horse camels lined up by the railings. Perton meanwhile offered cul-de-sacs (it's easy to get confused about which turning you need when approaching Richmond Drive across fields in poor visibility) and lakeside strolls, plus a chance to watch Encanto for uplifting animated Disney fun. Just don't talk about Bruno!

- King Henry VIII at Rowley Regis Station -

We then move onto a solo Saturday session spent around Rowley Regis on 28th December. The station has a couple of platform murals courtesy of Halesowen BID as painted below the ticket office overbridge; one side seems to reference King Henry VIII with the Black Country chain flag, the other has horses and a selection of flowers. I didn't know this at the time but it was Henry who granted the Rowley Regis area its Royal Charter in 1528, hence the link.

- Jubilee Ale at The Swan -

After a rather drab circuit involving Belle Vue Road, Bell End (no sniggering) and Beeches Road, I made it to the Swan on Long Lane in time for midday opening. An expectant throng had gathered outside waiting for the door to be unbolted - always a sign of a good pub - and the Black Country Ales beers were on point here as standard. I sampled the Jubilee Ale as brewed to mark the company's 25th anniversary (and very drinkable it was too), although everyone was mightily relieved when the cobs were delivered come half past twelve.

- Bostin Decorations at the Britannia -

One cheese and onion roll later, I continued on my merry way into Blackheath town centre in order to check out a new micropub arrival. The Last Jar on Beet Street is based in a former barbers shop and had only been trading since the middle of December, despite which it has quickly established a local following. Of the four cask ales I plumped for a pint of Green Duck Sentinel over two Wye Valley offerings and an Abbeydale Moonshine. First impressions are certainly favourable so I plan on a return visit, and managed to squeeze in a quick look at the Britannia up at Rowley Village for an Tiny Rebel encounter involving Elves with Attitude! 

- A Snoopy Swansong -

E.W.A. incidentally was Tiny Rebel's festive take on a Milk & Cookies porter, packing the usual flavour hit I have come to expect from the makers of Stay Puft and other beery delights. An X8 bus got me homeward to Wolverhampton that afternoon before I landed up on Trysull Road in Bradmore to admire a festive window display care of the Geo. Davies Electricals shop. Every year this independent family business does something for Christmas and their 2024 approach involved pictures of Santa Claus, snowmen, gingerbread men and Snoopy, all very festive!

WME Review of the Year - 2024

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!