The other day we went to a pub called the Dundas Arms (I know - strange name)And having looked at the web site thought that it looked a very promising lunch. It was an invitation from Justin's father and he doesn't often get it wrong.
However - as soon as we got through the door we suspected it may be a disappointment. It's one of those places where you can't reserve a table (I can never understand why landlords do that) - so you just have to turn-up early and hope for the best. As it was, when we got there not long after midday - we had the place to ourselves! We sat in the corner by an noisy and drafty expelair thingy and I looked at the menu (blackboard only) and thought - this isn't inspiring or cheap!(it has to be one or the other really)..but the staff were very smiley!
Anyway, we ordered at the bar and gradually the place seemed to fill up - mainly locals as this is quite an isolated spot.
I had the sole, Justin had the steak (of course) and C&C both had lancashire hot pot - which was probably the best choice. Home-cooked (or out of the freezer) food. Not bad - but nothing special. Everything was covered unnecessarily in melted butter (felt like we were in France)!
After the apple crumbles etc (which came in their own little ceramic pots), we went for a stroll along the banks of the Kennet - which is where the canal and the river meet. It was the last day of the nice weather but (as always) we didn't venture far - just to the bridge and back.
We stopped in Hungerford on the way back. Lovely town (if you can try to disassociate it with it's tragic past) kind of reminiscent of Tenderden in Kent - with its wide high street, Victorian architecture and little antique and book shops.There is also an unusual African furniture shop - made out of old railway sleepers (not the shop - the furniture). Very nice - but very, very expensive. Undoubtedly unethical (she says with standing on her soap-box). But Hungerford's claim to fame is that it's using the best in technology to obtain its parking fees. Haven't got the cash to go into the ticket machine in the car park? Well, just text the word "parking" to a number printed on the ticket machine and the number of hours you want, and Hey Presto! as if by magic - a ticket is printed out for you and your phone charged the appropriate fee. Amazing! (I know, you're probably gonna tell me that this happens all over the country now - but this was the first time I'd seen it anywhere)...