Hitting the magic ton!

It’s taken nine and a half months of wandering, planning, and occasionally sheer opportunism, but I’ve finally struck gold. Yes, the magic ton has been hit. For those who don’t follow my particular brand of eccentric ticking, that means I’ve now visited one hundred unique pubs so far in 2026.  By unique, I mean pubs I’ve set foot in once and once only this calendar year. Plenty of hostelries have seen me more than once - some far more than once, but for the purposes of this annual tally, each pub only counts the first time I cross the threshold. 

Then, come 1^st January, the clock resets and the whole glorious chase begins again. It’s a slightly crazy challenge, but it keeps me exploring, keeps me curious, and occasionally gets me into places I’d never otherwise have discovered. Hitting the magic ton is definitely a proper milestone, and after nine and a half months of steady ticking, strategic detours, and the occasional “well, since I’m here anyway…” pint, I’ve finally done it. One hundred unique pubs in 2026. That’s not just dedication; that’s craft, discipline, and a touch of glorious obsession.

Now, while a hundred pubs might seem impressive to me- and it certainly is, I’m well aware that in the wider world of pub enthusiasts, it barely raises an eyebrow. Some of the seasoned wanderers whose online ramblings I follow, regularly clock up that total every two or three months. That’s dedication of a different order entirely, but it’s also the product of a particular stage of life. Most of them have long since left the world of work behind, enjoying the freedom that retirement brings. A few are simply very wealthy — though I can’t really claim to know anyone in that category.

For me, though, this year’s tally has been fun precisely because it’s taken me to pubs, that I’d never normally have thought of visiting. The challenge has pushed me out of familiar territory and into new villages, new towns, and new corners of Kent and Sussex, as well as the odd town, further afield. It’s broadened my horizons pint by pint. So, where next? With two and a half months still to go until the end of the year, there’s plenty of time to keep exploring. I could take things easy now I’ve reached the ton… but where’s the fun in that? There are still dozens of pubs within striking distance that I’ve never set foot in, and the map is full of tempting gaps. The chase continues - just at a slightly more relaxed pace.

There’s one detail I’ve conveniently omitted so far: not all of those hundred pubs were in the UK. The vast majority were, of course, but seven of them were in Norway - visited during our cruise, back in March, as we sailed up the Norwegian coast, beyond the Arctic Circle and back again. Add to that a single hostelry in the Irish Republic, in the very pleasant town of Cobh (the port for Cork), and the tally becomes a little more cosmopolitan.

I’m not entirely sure whether these foreign pubs count under whatever “official rules” might exist for pub‑ticking, but frankly, I’m saying they do. A pub is a pub, whether it’s perched overlooking a fjord or tucked into a colourful Irish harbour town. And besides, it would feel wrong to leave them out when they were such memorable stops.

As for the hundredth pub - the one that finally tipped me over into triple figures, it turned out to be the Imperial at Southborough. You’ll find it just down the hill as you drive along the A26 towards Tunbridge Wells. It’s a pleasant, well‑kept pub, divided internally into several distinct areas that aren’t quite separate rooms but give the place a comfortable, compartmentalised feel. I’ve known it on and off over the years, but it now stands as one of only two pubs remaining in that long, linear settlement that can’t quite decide whether it belongs to Tonbridge or Tunbridge Wells.

Not a bad place at all then, to mark the magic ton, especially as it was a totally unexpected place to end my quest. And now, with the ton finally chalked up, I can enjoy the rest of the year at a slightly more relaxed pace… or I can see how far beyond a hundred I can push things before New Year’s Eve.