Roundtrip in Western Midlands to see Hereford FC

Day 1 - Saturday November 26. 2016

Oslo - Hereford

I had an early flight with Lufthansa from Gardermoen to Birmingham via Frankfurt. Hopefully I could catch up with 2nd half of the Hereford FC football match, which started at. 15:00 local time, but I was not sure.

I got up early, had a quick breakfast while I was dresssing. The suitcase was packed the night before, so after the morning routine it was only to get to the bus stop to take the bus into the city center. From there there I took the next bus to Gardermoen. There, I checked in, got through the security check and was ready for departure. A little excited since there was no Lufthansa plane leaving the day before due to strikes. But the plane arrived and the departure was about on schedule.

Well in Frankfurt where I had to change plane, I just had to find the gate for the plane to Birmingham and then again wait for departure. Also this went pretty well. Arrival at Birmingham International, however, was a little behind schedule. Since I had no checked luggage, I could quickly depart the plane and cross over to the train station to catch the train to Hereford.

But it was not just that easy. From the terminal to the train station there was a small driverless train where I just had to wait for. Well in the train station I had to find the ticket machine, buy a ticket and get down on the platform. As I was buying the ticket on the vending machine, my time runs out and the train I needed to catch drove out of the platform right under me. And since it was an hour to the next train to Hereford, I got no football match this day. For sure, I would be in Hereford before the game was finished, but only to be able to see the last few minutes had little intention for me.

Anyway, I was going to Hereford, so I took the first train to Birmingham New Street train station and waited there for the next train to Hereford. I found a small cafe at the station and bought some food for lunch. After a while the local train to Hereford came and I could get on with my journey. On the train, I hooked up on Hereford's chat, so I could at least follow the match in that way as I sat on the train for an hour and a half which was the time to Hereford. On the train, I also worked a bit on my laptop with my website, while the goals ran in in Hereford. Hereford FC did not relax until it was 5-0 at halftime. In 2nd half, however, there should be no more goals, so the final result was a 5-0 win.

Somerville House in Hereford (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 27/11 2016).

The train was arriving Hereford 20 minutes over four local time. Thus there was no point moving down to the stadium, but rather going to the Somerville guest house where I would stay. Here I was greeted by an elderly couple who checked me in and showed me to my room where I would stay for the next two nights. I settled in the room and awaited the final result of the football match, before I went out to find a pub where I could get a beer and some food. The recommendation from the host was Rose and Crown which was only a few minutes walking distance from Somerville House.

I started walking to the pub and quite right it was not a long walk before the pub appeared at a junction. Here there were a lot of people since it was Saturday night and football match on a big screen. So I ordered a local cider and found a place where I could see the football match. After this football match I found a place in the restaurant section and ordered food. In a side room there was a closed party for a unknown reason. Both the food and the beer were good so this may be a place to visit again later.

After eating and another couple of beers, it was time to stroll back to Somerville House. I had been traveling for a large part of the day and was quite tired. Well back in the room, I just had to settle a couple of things and then straight in bed.

Day 2 - Sunday November 27. 2016

Hereford

This day I should only stay in Hereford and I was going to go for a longer walk in the southeastern and southern parts of the town. I had not visited these areas previously.

I woke up and freshened myself, before going down to the breakfast room and got a good english breakfast. Then I worked on my laptop and my website before I got ready for the longer walk with the camera.

The footbridge Greenway Bridge across the Wye River in Hereford (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 27/11 2016).

From Somerville House I went the same way as the evening before, but now I continued passing by Rose and Crown. I had no idea where I would end up, but it didn't matter, since the maps of the city were left at home in Oslo. After a while the road ended and I had to choose walking to right or left. Southwise - to my right - was the safe road, but I chose northwise - to my left - and I hoped it was a bridge for not to long were I could cross the Wye River who runs through the city to the other side. I had gone for a while in the suburban area on the outskirts of the center of the city and passed a combined nursing home and retirement home on the road. Near an area called Hampton Court, I could come down to the river. However, there was no possibility of crossing the river here, and at the same time I could see that it was a good way further before it was possible to cross the river. So I turned back and went back to Elgars house where I then continued southwards.

After a while I came to more urban areas with a shop and some minor industry. Here I found a sign marking a walkway. In addition, there was also a railway line here. Although the railway went almost east-west, it was actually the line southwards from Hereford. I went under the railway and followed the signs that marked the walkway and hoped that I would now find an opening to cross to the other side of the river. I followed a narrow road and suddenly it opened. At that point I was outside the city itself and had farmland on one side and the river on the other side. And a little further ahead there was a footbridge across the river.

I continued walking to the footbridge named Greenway Bridge and came across to the other side of the river that was southeast of the city center itself. In this area, finds of some of the oldest times of England had been found. The areas on this side of the river were called Dinedor for the eastern part and Rotherwas for the southern part. It was exciting to get into these older areas of English culture, however, my ankle started to worry, so unfortunately I was forced to take a shorter walk than intended. I continued southwards and passed a fisherman by the river. It did not seem like there was so much to catch, at least not while I was nearby. After a while, I got to a bigger road again and turned right (westward) and followed this until I arrived at The Wye Inn pub. I went into the Pub and had a break with an English ale. There were a lot of people dining at the pub, both children and adults.

Hereford Cathedral seen from south (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 27/11 2016).

After the beer, I continued my walk. Now I took the back roads between the main road and the river until I reached a large open green area. Here I had been earlier and knew that I now was right south of the city center. I cross the green area and came to a new footbridge named Victoria Bridge. Here I yet again crossed the river. Beneath the footbridge there was a swan couple who had their regular hangout. On the other side, I came to the old remnants of Hereford Castle that was almost completely gone. The area is today called Castle Green. And it is located right next to Hereford Cathedral. By going towards the new city center instead of the cathedral, I also stumbled across the last remains of the moat that had surrounded the castle.

I was yet again getting tired and hungry as well, so I found a place called Yates Hereford somewhere up towards the bus station where I could get my English Sunday steak. This pub was like many other pubs in England, a football pub. While having my steak I could also see Arsenal against Bournemouth on a big screen. In addition, I got a couple new English beer types as well. After dining and the game was ended, I walked back to Somerville House.

The rest of the day I did some work with my website on the laptop and just relaxed in the room. Some late supper was made up by shopping in the kiosk on may way back.

Day 3 - Monday November 28. 2016

Hereford - Bristol

This day I would leave Hereford for this time and move southwards to Bristol. I had plenty of time and was in no need of an early departure, since the journey would only take around an hour and a half. Besides, the day was the 28th of the month, which is the day I update my website.

I had a relaxed morning and went down to the breakfast room and had an English breakfast. After the breakfast I packed down my belongings and checked out. Before I left Somerset House, I made the last fixes on my webpages and thereafter I updated the website. Then I had a short walk back to the train station and bought a ticket to Bristol. The trains went all day, so I didn't wait long until I could board the train.

I was going to Temple Meads station in Bristol, but my train went to Newport in Wales, where I had to change train back to Bristol. The very first part of the journey went past the places I had walked the day before, but it didn't take long before it was just new areas. Earlier I had just taken train between Hereford and Birmingham. The train went over a typical English cultural landscape with fields and pastures, then entered Wales through Aberstyrtt and further down to Newport. Therefrom, this train continued to Cardiff while I was returning to England and Bristol with another train.

Ibis hotel next to Temple Meads in Bristol (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 29/11 2016).

After a short wait, the next train came onto the platform, and the journey to Bristol could continue. Again, it was the traditional cultural landscape continued outside until more urban areas arised closing up with the city. Well in Bristol at the Temple Meads station, I left the train. Ibis hotels should be located close to the station, so I just had to find the correct direction. And although there was a lot of work on the square at the front of the station, it was not that hard to find the hotel. This although the nearest walkway was closed that night.

I checked in at the hotel and went up to the room. Later in the evening I went out to find a place to have something to eat. It was not particularly difficult as there were many restaurants near the station. I chose an Italian restaurant with specialties from Sardinia. And it would turn out to be a good choice. Good and mellow I strolled back to the hotel, while the temperature outside had begun to creep down to the freezing point and below.

Day 4 - Tuesday November 29. 2016

Bristol - Mangotsfield

I had plenty of time this morning so I slept until I woke up, did my morning care and had breakfast. After breakfast I took a walk in the area around the hotel. In this area I would later take the bus to Mangotsfield, but that was after lunch. The area consisted of some older buildings and some modern as Marriot hotel. There was a large mall and some churches, pubs, etc. In addition, there was a big Christmas market in some of the streets. This, as it wasn't long before Christmas. I shopped some things I had forgot back home, and then I found a place to have lunch. The place I had picked as lunch place was closed, so I had to do with a simpler place instead.

After lunch I went back to the hotel and got ready for the departure to Mangotsfield. I dressed in my Hereford shirt, brought with me the camera, the laptop, etc. and then I walked to the bus stop which I had located earlier. Since I knew when the bus went, I didn't have to wait long, but the lunch had been late, so the rush hour was approaching. My bus came, I bought a ticket to Mangotsfield, and chose a seat upstairs in the double-decker. Thus I could look around as we drove.

Mangotsfield is located in Gloucester shire and not in Bristol, but is in many ways a suburb of Bristol. The bus only drove through residential areas all the way to Mangotsfield, which was one of the final stops. Along the route there were places that probably had been small villages earlier (and still was for everything I know). But as I said, they had all grown into each other and into Bristol. Most of these villages were traditional, but some had a little more modern feel. Another issue was that some of the villages had a distinctive character of ethnic groups eg. the population was mainly Chinese or Indian population.

The Pub Lamb Inn in Mangotsfield (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 29/11 2016).

I arrived Mangotsfield after a bus tour of about a hour and a half, I departed at the pub The Lamb Inn. From there I did a small walk / reconnaissance trip into Mangotsfield to find the stadium where the football match was to be played and to find a place to eat. I easily found the stadium on the outskirts of town while the dinner was worse, so I chose to go back to the The Lamb Inn and have my dinner there. After a good spareribs with a couple of pintes of local ales, it was time to go to the football match. I almost came to the entrance of the stadium when I was told by a meeting person that the match was cancelled due to frozen pitch. What should I do now?

Usually, I buy a scarf of the home team as a memory of where I have been to see a match, but this time there was no match. I still decided to buy a scarf since after all I had been to the stadium. Thus I continued the few meters to the entrance and into the stadium. There I found the souvenir shop of the home team and asked if I could buy a scarf. It was no problem to buy a scarf of course. I talked to the guys who sat there, and they got very surprised when they heard that I came all the way from Norway to a canceled match. After a while, I finished the conversation and started walking back to the Lamb Inn to take the bus back to Bristol. In the parking lot in the stadium area, I walked past the Hereford players who just had to turn around without any play this evening. Well on the road a car stopped next to me. The window went down and the driver who was one of the boys in the supporters shop asked if I wanted to lift. He lived in Bristol and would nevertheless pass my hotel. I said thank you and sat down in the car.

At first it went a bit slow, since there were many who had come to see the match. But after a while the queue cleared up and we could drive in normal speed to Bristol. The driver was actually one of two who made the support fanzine for Mangotsfield football club. During the drive to Bristol we talk about everything, but naturally some about football. Arriving to the hotel, I was dropped off and said thanks and goodbye to a friendly Mangotsfield supporter.

It was late in the evening, so I just walked into my room. There I changed from Hereford shirt to more neutral clothing. Then I went down to the hotel bar and ordered a cider I hadn't seen anywhere else. I sat there working on my laptop with my website and enjoyed a good English cider. Thereafter I went back to the room and went to bed.

Day 5 - Wednesday November 30. 2016

Bristol

Bristol Cathedral (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 30/11 2016).

This day I had set off to explore Bristol city. I got up in the morning, not too early, did my usual morning routine and dressed. Then it was down to have some breakfast. As the previous days, it was sunny, but cold. Therefore I changed my plans a little.

I eased down at the room for a while. Then I went to the wine bar Veeno Bristol close by where I had lunch with a glass of red wine. Both the food and the wine were good, but the selection of wines by the glass was limited and thus a little disappointing. After the food I took a small walk in the area before I went back to the hotel. Here I relaxed a little at the room. And then I was ready for a stroll in Bristol.

I began to go down to the old city center. First, I passed Temple Meads train station and further south from there to St. Mary Redcliffe Church. From there I turned almost west to the canal and the older parts of the city where I came to Queen square. From there I returned south and came to the waterfront at the canal before I reached the aquarium and could look up at the cathedral. I walked up to the cathedral and looked at the College Green area nearby. Here there were many youngsters who relaxed in the nice weather after school. After a short stay here I walked a little away from the main streets and down to the back streets of the canal area. Here I came across Bristol's allegedly oldest pub, The Hatchet Inn. However, I continued on my way back to the canal area. I passed past the Old Courthouse and found a tapas restaurant called Pata Negra. Here I went in and ordered some tapas dishes and a glass of red wine as today's dinner. There were a lot of people, so obviously a popular restaurant and the food was good. However, I think they had the opportunity to do things a bit more exciting.

The old fishmarket in Bristol (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 30/11 2016).

After the dinner I continued my walk past The Old Fishmarket, where I entered and had a beer. On the TV, a football match took place, so I stayed and had another beer. When the football match ended, it was getting late and I went back to my hotel. There I finished the day.

Day 6 - Thursday December 1. 2016

Bristol - Birmingham

Even this morning I had plenty of time. Today's task was to move from Bristol to Birmingham. I got up late, did my morning routine as usual and had breakfast at the hotel. I put my belongings together and checked out of the hotel. Then I took the short walk to the train station where I bought a ticket to Birmingham. The journey would even this time take about an hour and a half. And like the previous train journeys, this one also went through a typical English cultural landscape with small and big cities and green meadows. I didn't have any lunch this day but I had bought some light food at the train station that I had on the train.

Well in Birmingham I walked the short way to Ibis hotel and checked in. I did not plan to do much this day so I just went out and found a place where I could have a beer. The choice fell on Sobar at the Arcadian Center next to the hotel. Then I discovered that my chosen dinner place no longer existed. What a pity! But in the same center there was a Japanese restaurant I would like to try, so that became my option then. However, it was still early so I went back to the hotel and worked a bit with my website first.

When it was time for dinner, I just walk around the corner, and then I was at the Miyako Teppanyaki restaurant in Arcadian. I was placed directly at the grill, along with two other couples. Then the chef came in and held a small show while preparing the food for us. The food was good, but it was the show that was spectacular here. The guests was placed around one table at a time and then the chef could come and serve. This was a place difficult to describe but must be experienced. Plaesed I walked back to the hotel and went to bed.

Day 7 - Friday December 2. 2016

Birmingham

As usual, I had plenty of time in the morning. After the usual routine, I went to the Bullring shoppingcenter and the streets near by the New Street train station. In Birmingham I had a hotel room without breakfast, so this morning I chose to buy a simple breakfast at Pret a Manger in the shopping street. In Bullring, I ended up shopping both a pair of new shoes and a new backpack. Then I continued walking around the Bullring area and the shopping streets to see if there was anything more I could buy. Eventually it was time to find a place for lunch. I had lunch at the pub The Railway before I went back to the hotel and put down the newly purchased items. Then I relaxed at the room a while.

In the afternoon, I decided to take a walk at the canal area around The Mailbox. Besides there would also be a lot of restaurants where I could dine. I walked through a residential area and eventually reached the canal and continued in the direction of The Mailbox. Birmingham is a inland town, so here is no waterfront area, but the canal area around The Mailbox and further works in the same way. In advance I had looked out for a restaurant like the Côte Brasserie, where I hoped to get a table. And beeing only one person, I got my dinner table.

The restaurant was very popular and there were several larger groups that were dining out on a friday evening just before Christmas. I had a three course dinner with a bottle of red wine, which tasted superb. This was a place to come back to! But I would recommend to book a table if you are more than one person. Well satisfied I said thanks and strolled back to the hotel. This time I went the shorter way through The Mailbox. Well back in the hotel, I just went to bed.

Day 8 - Saturday December 3. 2016

Birmingham og Hereford

This day I would return to Hereford for a quick visit. I got up, did my usual morning routine and packed down in the bag what I needed for the day. Then I went up to the Bullring area, where I had a breakfast. Then init the train station to buy a ticket for Hereford, and then board the train.

I got to Hereford about an hour and a half later. I walked to the stadium and bought a ticket for today's big match against Salisbury. Before the start of the season, these two teams were the big favorites to win the league, although both were newly promoted teams. I still had plenty of time and strolled a bit around in the town and then sat down at The Kings Fee. Here I bought a sandwich as lunch and an English beer.

Manager Peter Beadle (with the cap) and his assistent Steve Jenkins planning the match prior to the match against Salisbury (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 3/12 2016).

After a couple of beers, the time was up to return to Edgar Street stadium and the football match. At the stadium I found my place in the back of the family part of the main stand. From here I had a good view of the pitch. During the match, there was a lot to cheer for as Hereford won 3-0. The first goal came after just a couple of minutes of play. The result was deserved, since Hereford dominated the match from start to finish. After the game I took a glass of cider at Radford's pub, which is in the stadium. Here I had a small chat with other happy Hereford supporters.

Thereafter I went back to the train station for the train back to Birmingham. I bought a ticket. And then had to wait a little before the train arrived. The train eventually came and the journey back to Birmingham could take place.

Back in Birmingham, I went to the hotel and changed clothes and let down my belongings. Now it was getting late, so I went out to get something to eat. The choice fell on a Chinese restaurant called "Red N Hot". And it could live up to its name. Now I like some strong food, so for me this was just positive. After the dinner it had become very late, so I just walked the few meters back to the hotel and went to bed.

Day 9 - Sunday December 4. 2016

Birmingham - Oslo

Now the end of this trip was approaching. I got up and did my morning routine. Then it was time to pack all my belongings yet again and prepare for the return journey. I finished packing and checked out of the hotel. I still had plenty of time, so I sat down in the reception area with a cup of tea. Then I strolled around the city nearby the train station. Since I was going to travel in most of the afternoon, I decided to eat a combination of lunch and dinner before leaving Birmingham. I chose the place The Sun On the Hill where I ordered a Sunday roast with Hereford beef. But this was unfortunately no highlight.

After eating it was time to start the journey home. The first leg was taken to Birmingham airport. There the usual check-in and security check at the airport. Either way, I arrived at the gate where the plane to Frankfurt would leave and sat down to wait for boarding. The plane eventually left and then I was at Frankfurt airport. Here I had some more time to wait before the next flight to Oslo. Then the plane came and I could get home to Oslo.

When I landed at Oslo airport it had become quite late at night. After some shopping in the tax-free shop, I went on the airport train to Oslo city center and then the final bus home. Well at home I was very satisfied with the trip. The only disappointment was that I had only seen one football match with Hereford. But all in all, I was very pleased.