Most walks have some kind of "lunch" stop planned along the way. After all they're not meant to be races. So what's the difference between stopping at a pub or a shadey nook(apart from the obvious). Not all Irregular walks stop at pubs, admittedly the majority do. Not all Irregulars go into the pub, admittedly most of us do. However some stop outside to have lunch then come in for a soft drink. But thats a personal choice. Just because the stop is at an inn doesnt mean you have to drink beer. I dont and although i get ribbed for requesting my pot of tea. Theres nothing like a good brew, wether it be hops or tea leaf.

The Royal Oak, Hooksway. It is an old haunt of Matthew's from far too many years ago. When he drank there it was spit and sawdust, hand pulled pints into a jug and wait for a glass, sheep and ducks in the bar, and no nonsense! I think it has changed a bit! Would have loved to have seen it 30/40 years ago. Any other good walkers' pubs out there?

I can't ignore the nagging curiosity, which pub was it please Jane?

Just had a grand walk out with the Wessex group and we had lunch at a pub that I had wanted to visit for years, but had never got around to. Southern prices came as a bit of a shock though, just remembered why we moved to Wales! Glorious countryside and proper slippery, slidy, chalky, downland mud and flints more than compensated. Plus wild raspberries, orchids, fruit cake, good company.......... Thanks Wessex. Jane

Hi. Personally the idea of the 'pub stop' is what has put me off joining many a walking group! A quick stop on the hill for lunch is IMO a highlight of a walk but i'd rather save any drinking for the end of the walk or preferably any ordinary friday night!

I know a lot of people likely disagree but for me walking and drinking booze don't mix! (and even without booze a pub stop eats into valuable walking time).

Cheers!

I like both, depending on the circumstances and the length of the walk. I've only just joined so haven't worked up to the really long distances yet, but on a shorter walk, it's nice to have a decent break at lunchtime if it doesn't make a really late finish. On longer walks, we tend to set out early, then finish for a late lunch, with only a couple of brief stops for water/snack bars carried with us.
For walks longer than that, I don't think I would get going again if I stopped for an hour in the middle!

Now that I am getting a bit longer in the tooth I enjoy a pub stop and a sandwwich with the Irregulars.However in my younger days I would have looked down my nose at people who took an hour for a break and said they should be in the Ramblers.It is all a matter of your point of view which doesn't neccessarily stay the same throughout your life.There is clearlyroom for both points of view and both are catered for within the.

I walk with 2 groups, the Irregulars and the West Yorks group
The first has a pub stop of 1 hour on most walks. The second group does not have one at all. I much prefer not having the break and the pub stop is a deterrent to going out with the Irregulars sometimes. However it is a democratic decision and I have no issue with it and when I do go out with them I often enjoy the sit down and a couple of pints although it is a bit of struggle to get going again afterwards.

Carol - if you're anywhere in the North of England or North Midlands, why not come out with South Manchester group? We have a full and varied walks programme, and (except on rare occasions) NO PUB STOPS. Like you, we don't like to sit around long enough to stiffen up, and we don't like full bladders slowing us up in the afternoon, so we usually have a 20-30 minute butty break, and tea breaks morning and afternoon.

I agree with Carol Ann. Yes I like a social drink but I do not like going in to a pub in the middle of a walk, either for a soft or hard drink. There is a local walking group (not L D W A) that have developed a habit since opening hours have been relaxed of dashing round the last few miles, so one or two can get a few jars down there throats. This I find rather off putting and not a pleasant way of drinking or finishing a walk. Having said that I have been known to have stashed a well wrapped up flash of strong coffie laced with a good dash of even stronger Black Rum. That was drank on the coach home.
David H

Quite seriously, how about leading a walk without a pub stop for your local group ? It's worth a go, as there must be some members who don't want stops, or this thread wouldn't have started. However, I think most people would want at least a 20 minute stop to eat something (carried with them) or some water. We do have such walks in Norfolk and Suffolk Group, I would say that maybe a third don't have pubs. My last post was intended to support the pub stop, and is true, but wasn't intended to state that pub stops were the rule. If anything it's a summer thing; I led a walk this summer which visited a pub where most had soft drinks and all filled water bottles. Without the pub we couldn't have completed the walk, too hot !

The reason I don't go on group walks is because of pub stops. I socialise as I walk, don't drink at lunchtime and stiffen up if I sit for an hour. I'm indoors all week - I wnat to spend the whole of my walks in the open air!

I agree John. If we are out for the day then a couple of hours in stops doesn't matter. We try for 1/2 hour at lunch, maybe more, and 20 minutes morning and afternoon stops. Last Sunday on the Flower of Suffolk marshals' walk we had Adnams at lunchtime, and a tea stop at Sizewell-T in the afternoon. If it's hot maybe a bitter shandy even though it spoils the taste ! The only time I can remember the navigation being a bit fuzzy was after a lunch stop at the St Peter's Brewery tap where we weren't allowed to eat our own food, and the pub food was a 1/2 hour wait to be served so we didn't bother. We are lucky here; Woodfordes, Adnams, Brandon, Humpty Dumpty, Bartrams etc (and Greene King if there's nothing else !)

It seems we are on our own in the SURREY GROUP ! Without exception we ALWAYS stop for at least an hour at a pub for lunch. It is ,after all , part of the enjoyment of a social walk that we find a proper inn , not one of these pretentious gin palaces , where we can enjoy bar food and decent CAMRA ale or the ladies go for their gin/tonics and then in the afternoon we invariably find a teashop before the end and still manage to do a 20 miler , sometimes more. We are walkers who like to drink and ENJOY ourselves even if we do occasionally get lost on the way back to the carpark.

With the greatest difficulty, stagger may be a more accurate.

how do you manage to walk after a hard drink?lol

I drink after a hard walk or walk after a hard drink but like the grape and the barley I do not mix them

Which brings me to a good question. How would members classify themselves? As drinkers who walk or walkers who drink?

If I stop at a pub I realy need those trees afterwards, it is best to leave pubs to those that preffer drinking to walking

SHOULD GROUPS STOP AT A PUB ON A SOCAL WALK ? IS IT WORTH TAKING YOUR BOOTS OFF JUST TO HAVE ONE OR TWO PINTS ?? WOULD IT NOT BE BETTER TO ENJOY THE COUNTRY SIDE AND STOP IN A NICE WOODED AREA OR ON TOP OF A HILL ??? (EVEN WHEN WET ) SSURELY IT WOULD BE BEST TO HAVE THE PUB STOP AT THE END OF A WALK ,THEN IF PEOPLE DONT WANT TO STOP THEY DONT HAVE TO .