Three Lions Tour: June Chilterns beerpacking

[TheBrownDog]

This jape was dreamt up at the bottom of the sixth pint on a local trip with MuddyPete and Rich3rd earlier this year. Can we find three pubs named the Red Lion, the Black Lion and the White Lion and link them up for a wobbly overnighter?

I couldn't, but Reg did, and has suggested a tootle round his borough visiting establishments in Marsworth, Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard, with a kip in a nearby woods (name withheld to protect the guilty ...)

We're aiming for Friday 14th or Saturday 15th of June. If it's the Friday, likely kick off would be around 4pm in LB or Marsworth and we'd keep the distance lower so we can visit each pub and still make the bivvy spot at a reasonable hour.

This could be fun. I may even get some t-shirts printed*. Anyone interested?

Red Lion in Marsworth: 7 beers and food
https://whatpub.com/pubs/MCH/2072/red-lion-marsworth

Black Lion in Leighton Buzzard: millions of beers and snacks
https://whatpub.com/pubs/BES/251/black- ... on-buzzard

White Lion in Dunstable: 2 beers and food
https://whatpub.com/pubs/BES/176/white-lion-dunstable


* I probably won't get t-shirts printed

[RIP]

Nice one Tim, it's a clever idea to attach a jape to. Yep from me . En route you'd also get to see the chalk white lion on Whipsnade hill . Loads off road, some bits quite frisky in fact. 25-30 miles, 1300' you reckon Tim? Start/finish very close to Euston line stations.

Not seen the old "Chilterns Xmas bivvy" crowd for a while - re-union? & "newbies" v welcome too presumably.

[benp1]

Sadly I can't make this, my 3rd child is due right around then. I've spent 5 nights in my bivi bag in the last 6 weeks to pre-empt the dry patch that will be coming up... Hoping I'll be out again soon, this ride would be very convenient as it's so local! Good idea too!

[Rich3rd]

Its a defo maybe for the 14th, confirm nearer the time.

[TheBrownDog]

Sadly I can't make this, my 3rd child is due right around then.

Blimey that time has flown by hasn't it? Best of luck with it all.

[jameso]

Sounds good, ideal beer / miles ratio for a summer trip.. unf it's TINAT that weekend where my beer / miles ratio will be at other end of scale.

[Old Aliens]

I'm in. Official forms have been sent and returned stamped Proved by Jane Mary, will be good to be out with you fellas again. Sam.

[TheBrownDog]

Sam, you old lurker. Jane Mary is a saint ... actually, that's two saints.

Reg, I think this needs to be Saturday 15th to do it justice. (Sorry Rich) It has the makings of another annual Chilterns pilgrimage so we need to get it right.

[RIP]

OK. She's already moaning about it, so in for penny... What start time do you reckon then? Be nice to have a couple more contestants - coo-ee!!! You out there Nige? Pickers? Nick? BDS? Uncle Tom Cobbley?

[Dr Nick]

I'd love to Reg, but I'm (finally) moving house that weekend. Have a pint or two for me!

[Pickers]

Ah now, Saturday it is then! Much better idea.
I’m in for this now that things are moving in the right direction at home.
Are we still starting at 4 or earlier now?

[TheBrownDog]

Brilliant Pickers. We're getting the band back together. Now we just need BigDummySteve to read his emails/private messages/WhatApp texts and we might have a quorum.

I think a lunchtime start would be better, but will deign to Reg's knowledge of the topography and route. I know the bits between Dunstable and Marsworth but north of that to Leighton B and I'm lost. Anything more than 20 miles at an average 5mph in the afternoon, especially if beer is involved along the way, and I'll be calling Huey halfway up every hill.

Reg, old cockerel, what's the best starting point? Presume near-ish to the first pub, and ending at the pub that's the easiest ride to the intended dossing site. Oh, and can that pub serve food, so NOT be the one that doesn't? C'mon man ... dream the impossible.

I'll be motoring up so, Sam, if you need a lift, gimme a yell.

[RIP]

Yeah that's ace Rich . Apparently BDS is in Spain at moment.

Erm, blimey, details eh. Well I've envelope-backed a route which is about 30 miles, 1200'. Nothing too strenuous to be honest. It includes literally going round in circles at the half way point which will be even funnier if we've had a beer. I reckon I could ride it in 3 hours without pub stops. Maybe leave it vague and it's more entertaining on the day then. It's very easy to add in or chop bits off depending upon our state as we progress. How about kicking off "early afternoon" so people will have had lunch, say 1.30? Or? I'd suggest starting at Tring railway station, then 5 or so miles to Marsworth (RL open all day), maybe another 12 to Dunstable (WL open all day), then 8 or so to Leighton Buzzard (BL open all day). We couldn't easily finish at the WL, and the RL food isn't brilliant but the beer is. Now the BL only does "snacks" (how much cheese and biscuits can you eat?) but it's on the High St and loads of joints do food including a Turkish place next door. From the BL it's only about a mile to the bivi lair . Next morning it's 10 minutes to Leighton Buzzard station for those who've arrived by rail, or if you rode back to Tring by road I reckon that's a hour. Vaguely shaping up there?

[Old Aliens]

Tah muchly for the offer of a lift to the start Tim, however I like the idea of getting there on the bike. (This in no way means I won't accept the lift) I just like the idea of getting there on the bike. I will confirm one way or t'other as and when I've made my mind up.
I think my current bicycle might be too shameful to get in your motor.

[RIP]

I keep reading your forum name as "Old Aliens" Sam.. (BTW u could go obv direct to Marsworth rather than Tring, if that ended up being the plan..)

[TheBrownDog]

Reg, that sounds like a plan. And only a month away .......

[RIP]

Newsflash: BDS is now "in". I'd better go and check the bivvy spot! I'll check hammock potential too Tim....

Oh, and it's already May, so I'm already thinking about December's Chilterns Winter Bivvy . I wonder if I can convince you, after a couple of jars during 3L, to have the CWB in the Peak District this year? MuddyPete (I think) wanted it in Scotland, so the Peaks after Salop last year would at least be moving in the right direction.

Tim, we're relying on you to crank up the "3 Lions" motif to outrageous levels. We could borrow three Panthera Leos from Whipsnade on the way past? At the very least my calories of choice will be three of these;

[RIP]

Loads of hammock choice here Tim . Sadly and predictably it reminds me of those un-PC jokes about choice: "How do you confuse a <insert unfortunate supposedly-mentally-below-average person-type here>? Put him in a barrel and tell him to piss in the corner", or possibly "give him a shovel, a rake, and a sledgehammer and tell him to take his pick". Yes, I know.

[gairym]

Evening all,

Just seen this and.....what a lovely idea!

Don't forget to post some words/photos on the 'official' (in no way actually official) Beerpacking facebook group.

Beerpacking is the future!

[MuddyPete]

Wow! That WAS an inspiring evening of creative discourse, wasn't it...
I can't believe I'm going to miss the inaugural event, but I'll be on a "three loins" tour that weekend

The Black Lion in LBZ will be a good one to finish at, as Reg suggests. Gin bar, loads of food nearby, discopub, nearby Hawaiian cocktail bar (is that another themed trip? "Tiki-packing", anyone?).

South East Winter Bivi - I recall Scotland was one suggestion....and so was Calais...

[JohnClimber]

Only just spotted this post
What a great idea

Up here in the North West with this in mind I've just spotted a Golden Lion just one mile away from a Red Lion, then it's 10 miles from a White Lion.
There's a Black Lion but that's right in the centre of Manchester.
And there's The British Lion nearby as well, (but I wouldn't trust our bikes outside of this one)

Time to think of a north west version I think

[RIP]

That's a whole pride of lions there J(U)C! What's wrong with the middle of Manc? Couldn't you bivvy out on Piccadilly square or something? The 'hidden in plain sight' ploy cranked up to 11 that would be.

[TheBrownDog]

That looks a right dandy bivvy spot there Reg. I think I might give the whole TLS idea a go for this one, depending on the weather, and leave my chair, reading material, extra water bottle, pile of snacks and full change of clothes at home. Maybe..

And I'm actually working on a souvenir of the ride. Anyone who comes along gets one.

[RIP]

"souvenir" - ooh, goodie . I like a nice souvenir, me.

Nah, bring the chair mate, I need to see it in action.

[middleagedmadness]

Oh reg ,it really is quite a luxury , looked out of my Bivi on the Sunday morning and there was Tim all relaxed sat in his chair having a brew and eating breakfast , I was then offered the chance to have a seat and to be honest could have sat there a good while