Saturday 19th September - To and From Hayes - Low flying planes, and unlubricated sofas

Well, we've gone upmarket with this post. Gone are the boring but functional solely text postings, now we've got pictures!

Hayes and Yeading football club, which I suppose sounds a bit like a musical double act, was the destination for today's jaunt and brief look at the excellent map on their web site revealed they are very close to Heathrow and even better the same map revealed a pub, the White Horse in the village of Longford which if the airport ever expands even a few feet that way will probably need to be expunged from the records.

There was clear evidence of the pub selling real ale from their web site and knowing that t'other half likes a bit of plane spotting it seemed like a good stopping off point.

Off down the M40 we set, past 10, no 20, no 40 Smart cars of various models and after a brief stop at High Wycombe services with a wonderful example of a Sydney Armstrong parked up there, we arrived shortly after noon.

Its a Saturday so the on street parking was free and we settled down in the road side seats with Marston's Pedigree in Hand to watch the flying machines come in accompanied by the pub's dog.


Unfortunately whilst the pub is indeed close to the airport, surrounding buildings make it not well placed for photographic purposes and having spotted The Kings Arms a few hundred yards away we decided to head there and see what that could offer. From the outside it looked worst but on closer inspection we were rewarded in our efforts with an excellent view across the Terminal 5 and a close up view of the aircraft coming in to land. (The photo below was taken with a compact camera and not a super long telephoto lens). Alas the beer choice was not great - there was evidence of real ale being sold but not today so it was coke for me.

So that's the low flying bit of the title dealt with, but what I hear you cry, of the "unlubricated sofa" - don't fear - read on.

Thence off to the match, thence the homeward leg and the plan this time was to stop in a village in Oxfordshire hopefully to include food. My aging copy of the GBG revealed a likely candidate in the shape of the King's Head at Fritwell with its choice of ales and "traditional food served daily." Sure enough we soon found our way there and opted for a beer from Hook Norton (alas not noted) and asked about food. "We're not doing any today" came the reply, "but we do have a bbq on" so out we tramped and indeed there was a bbq that although had been going for some time they were still offering excellent burgers and indeed free sausages once we revealed we had come from Tamworth.

T'other half tends to pick up vibes about people and was soon quietly pointing out that the cook was a bit camp.

Whilst sitting there a trailor was dragged to the front of the pub containing a 3 piece suite which some friends of the familtyowners then needed to get up a steep narrow staircase at the side of the pub. After much grunting and groaning from those involved they managed to get the two chairs up and in. Then came the sofa. I didn't think you could carry a sofa that many ways. Eventually amidst the chorus of friendly if unhelpful but well intentioned comments, the cook piped up with "If you put some lubrication on it it will slip in easier" - success and thence we left as t'other half burst into fits of laughter.