A friend was staying, so today we took RTL on a long walk in Windsor Great Park, ending up in the Fox and Hounds for a couple of pints of refreshing ale. It was an almost impossibly beautiful spring day – not too hot, but perfectly sunny. The Valley Gardens are starting to come into flower (some magnificent magnolias, but the peak of the rhododendrons and azaleas is a little way off), and Smith’s lawn was looking beautiful, buzzing with horse boxes and expensive cars.

The beer? Sharp’s Doombar was very refreshing and nicely balanced, with no rough edges and a wonderful drinkability. Hogs Back TEA (traditional English ale) followed: a bit more bite, more hops, and also a bit more malty, but still very drinkable. These are both classically styled British bitters, weighing in at around 4% alcohol.