A pub with potential!

Our first viewing is of a pub which, according to the agent's details, is 'just of an A road in a popular tourist area'. Half an hour after arriving at X marks the spot on our map we are still travelling backwards and forwards on said A road and Himself is not looking happy. My suggestion that this pub may be one of Hereford's best kept secrets does not go down well, but he agrees that the narrow lane we have just passed for the 3rd time might be worth investigating.

100 yards down the lane we pass a hand written sign rammed in to a hedge. 'What did it say?' he asks as we sail past . 'Flooding' I reply. And flooding there was. Just where the lane dipped down and became too narrow to turn sat a large pond of water. On the opposite side of this pond the lane rose and though the hill was small it was just steep enough to block our view over the top.

Why is it when faced with adversity it's always the woman's fault? Having vigorously defended my map-reading skills I volunteered to walk through the water to test its depth. My offer was turned down, somewhat ungraciously in my opinion, as Himself decided driving slowly through the water was all that was required. In silence we rolled forward and keeping a steady but firm speed (his words not mine) we parted the waters to the other side. I remember when I first learnt to drive, my father telling me that if you drive through a river you must stop and test your brakes. I never understood why he told me this living as we did miles from the countryside, but nonetheless, I've been waiting 30 years for just such an event. Unfortunately, not only am I not driving but this is definitely not the moment to be offering advise.

I don't consider myself particularly superstitious but I will admit I had my fingers crossed and as we drove over the brow of the hill there it is. Our pub with potential, sitting in its secluded setting off the beaten track - and opposite a large untidy builders yard.