Quote Originally Posted by Pubsignman View Post
Thanks - I loved the pub and was really surprised to find that it hadn't been more widely reviewed. I think I had it on my 'to do' list after reading your comments about the pub somewhere else on the forum, so cheers for the indirect recommendation! I tend to reserve a score of ten for pubs that have stood up to repeat visits or at the very least, an extended session, but I only stopped here for the one pint and a quick bite to eat, so it'll have to make do with a 9 until I next find myself out that way.

Funnily enough, I'd planned to visit the Blue Ship just a couple of weeks ago, but got a bit sidetracked on the way and ended up doing a couple of pubs in Rusper instead - it sounds like another rural classic, so hopefully I'll make it out there sometime soon.
It's such a shame that Brakspear, Ridley and K&B are no longer independent breweries as the three of them had so many great unspoilt pubs in the middle of nowhere. I remember once encountering another cycling party at Warren Row near Henley that included Graham Lees and Frank Baillie. If younger viewers are shouting "Who They?" then I'm sure someone can tell them.
As an aside, I've just come back from a visit to South Wales and I haven't been able to get out of my head that my "getting your 10 paddle out" is a classic Finbarr Saunders line. It wasn't intended!! Scores on pubs are totally subjective and depend on so many external factors that they can become meaningless. Xmas shoppers and drinkers are going to make most pubs "score of shame" contenders until next year.