The Denton, West Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE5 2JJ. Tel:0191 2750014.

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The Denton was called in by chance on the way home, after a busy days research (stop laughing) on Cask Task's behalf. We didn't think it a likely real ale pub. How wrong can you be!

A large and very comfortable watering hole it turned out to be. With a new inovation to us. The tasting rack!
For the princely sum of £2, if your not so sure which real ale will suit you best, you can have 3 glasses, 1/3 pint each, to sample before you decide which one to get persistently plastered on. What a grand idea, don't you think?

The selection was, Cloud Nine by Smiles Brewery, Murdues Workie Ticket, Courage Best Bitter, Springhead Sweet Lips and Harviestouns Bitter and Twisted.

For a place this size The Denton was a surprisingly welcoming pub.
Get yourself in for a jar and try it.

Apparently, a good eatery to boot.

Wetherspoons, The Forum, Market Place, Hexham, Northumberland. NE46 1XF.Tel:01434 609190

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The Globe Inn, 7 Battle Hill, Hexham, Northumberland. NE46 1BA. Tel:01434 603742.

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The Globe Inn, by all accounts, seems to be a good real ale pub, but it doesn't open during Cask Task's normal daytime shift working hours. Good luck.

The County Hotel, Priestpopple, Hexham, Northumberland. NE46 1PS. Tel:01434 603601.

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Cask Task called last week at the County Hotel, thinking it the most unlikely place to be selling real ale. It was closed. The lady did very kindly offer to open the bar for us but we decided to call next week during The Argyle bar's normal opening hours.

The Argyle Bar is The County's pub. Entrance via Argyle Street at the right hand side.
When we got in we found a large group of Hexham's blue rinse brigade enjoying a few bevies.
The real ale choice was not bad, so a pint or two went down ok. Davenports Busy Fool, Deuchars IPA and Green Kings IPA were the ales.

The Dyvels, Station Road, Corbridge, Tyne and Wear. NE45 5AY. Tel:01434 633633.

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The Dyvels had us flummoxed for a while in Corbridge, until someone told us to cross the bridge over the river to the railway station, and there it was. Another one of the Corbridge gems.

An inviting old pub serving decent food with a reasonable choice of good real ale.
Deuchars IPA, Black Sheep, Courage Directors, and Bass Premium Ale.
A warm and comfortable atmosphere helped the Directors to slip down smoothly. Lovely pub.

Oh, by the way, don't sit too close to the coffee machine on the bar. It throws cups at strangers!

The Lion and Lamb, Horsley, Northumberland. NE15 ONS.Tel:01661 852952.

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Cask Task nearly missed the Lion and Lamb and weren't we lucky we didn't. What a little beauty.

An old coaching inn since 1744, the interior is full of friendly atmosphere, low beams, nooks and crannies and a lovely beer garden at the back. On top of all that, there were 6 real ale pumps, 4 in action. Black Sheep, Flowers IPA, Wylam Gold Tankard and Wells Bombardier. A couple of the Gold Tankard went down very well.

If your after good beer and good food in a real traditional country pub, get in to the Lion and Lamb at Horsley.

Tap and Spile, Battle Hill, Hexham, Northumberland. NE46 1BA. Tel: 01434 602039.

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Good old fashioned pub in the centre of Hexham, the Tap And Spile just re-opened last year. Cask Task is really pleased it did.

Lovely old watering hole on Battle Hill with a smashing old fireplace and a central bar you can almost walk all the way round which houses no less than 7 real ales to choose from.
Deuchars IPA, Durhams Amarillo, Bombardier, Adnams Bitter, Northumberlands Legends of the Tyne, Mordues Five Bridge Bitter and Everards Tiger. Not a bad set up eh!

I must have thought so, as I forgot to photograph the place on the way out! Must have had something to do with the Durhams Amarillo.

Its no use. Just have to call again.

Called again and got the photo. Very nice!

Heart of England, 5 Market Street, Hexham, Nothumberland. NE46 3NS. Tel:01434 603375.

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The Heart of England it wasn't. The Courage Bitter was awful. Sent it back.

The Rat Inn, Anick, Hexham, Nothumberland. NE46 4LN. Tel:01434 602814.

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The photo gives the impression of what the Rat Inn is like inside. You can't wait to get in. And it doesn't disappoint.
Ancient roaring fireplaces, old farmhouse charm and furniture, plenty of real ale in a lovely old bar, good atmosphere and decent food to go with all of this!
Its some years since I was last in the Rat Inn, but its got better!

I only wish I had more time on this visit to sample more of the 6 wooden handles on offer.
Wards Best Bitter, High House Farms Auld Hem, Tyneside Blonde from Hadrian, Cumberland Brewers Corby Ale, Festival Gold and my sup from Allendale Brewery, Curlews Return.
Marvelous.

The Angel Inn, Main Street, Corbridge, Northumberland. NE45 5LA. Tel:01434 632119

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The Angel Inn has some special 40 year old memories for me and the place still gives that feeling of lived in comfort and relaxation. The lounge asks for laid back conversation and enjoyable ale drinking and the furniture enhances these.

The Hadrian and Border Brewerys Farne Island and Tyneside Blonde ales are an asset along with the others on tap in this beautiful old 18th century coaching inn.
I certainly hope its not long before I try the Angel again.
Smashing Corbridge ale house.

The Job Bullman, St Nicholas Avenue, Gosforth, Newcastle Upon Tyne. NE3 1AA. Tel:0191 2236320

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The Job Bulman, formerly the Post Office on St Nicholas Avenue, just off Gosforth High Street, is an enormous Wetherspoons pub. Quite plush inside and as usual, freindly and busy.
The first time Cask Task had seen the place, and we were impressed.

Although I have said this before about Wetherspoons, its not my idea of a pub.
You can't fail to be impressed with The Job Bulman though. Good food, reasonably priced and an enormous selection, 9 to be exact, of real ales at extremely good prices. But its still like going to a restaurant for a pint of beer!

From the Arundels Black Beastie, which was loverly incidentally, through Newmans Wolvers Ale, Moondance from Four Marks at Hampshire, Westgate Brewerys Flankers Tackle (I do like these names-- not like John Smiths!!)...... oh I could go on and on 'til I frothed at the mouth and fell over backwards!

Brandling Arms, High Steet, Gosforth. Newcastle Upon Tyne. NE3 1HD. Tel:0191 2854023.

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The Brandling Arms, apparently named after a famous wealthy family. The Brandlings must have been a right bunch of boozers as there appears to be a few Brandling pubs in the Gosforth area.
This large pub is attractive at the front, inside and even at the rear, where a pleasant open beer garden lies. Cask Task is starting to sound like a travelogue!
Some of the funiture inside was low slung and so comfortable I had to be lifted out of it so that we could have a steak sandwich. However, the food was very enjoyable.

The Brandling Arms majors on food but does have a reasonable choice in real ale. Although I enjoyed a half of the Adnams Wheat Beer, the Deuchars IPA was more to my liking. Others on hand were Youngs Bitter and Roosters Huntsman Ale.

A pleasant afternoon.

The Queen Victoria, 206 High Street, Gosforth, Newcastle Upon Tyne. NE3 1HD. Tel:0191 2856917.

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Cask Task almost lost patience trying to figure out what the Queen Victoria pub was called. You could come in one year for a pint at the Northern Lights and come in a year later to find you were ordering your jar at Ye Olde Jockey! Let's hope it's settled down now to what was, I think, this old pubs original name.

The Queen Victoria is a pleasant enough place, but the competition on Gosforth High Street is quite tough. Still, with six real ales to choose from, its worth a look in.

Mordues Workie Ticket, Everards Tiger, Directors, Pedigree and guess what, Black Sheep Bitter, but Jennings Cumberland was the choice of the day.
A good selection.

The Gosforth Hotel, Salters Road, Gosforth, Newcastle Upon Tyne. NE3 1DH. Tel: 0191 2856617.

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On the corner of Salters Road and Gosforth High Street stands the old Gosforth Hotel.

If your walking north up the High Street, make sure you take a sandwich with you if you fancy a pint of real ale in the Gosforth Hotel. Getting over the crossroads could take a while.

The interior has been cheered up quite a bit since my 1970's days there and the ale choice certainly has too. Although four of the handles were not in use, I'm pleased to say that my choice for the day, Mordues Workie Ticket, was on. So were Timothy Taylors Landlord, Titanic Iceberg and of course the ever present Black Sheep.

Not a bad pub, and grub on sale too.

The County, 70 High Street, Gosforth, Newcastle. NE3 1HB. Tel: 0191 2856919.

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The County is a super real ale and pub food place.
Cask Task loved every moment of its visit.
A good atmosphere, without the ears being bombarded by loud music. We actually had some good conversation. Friendly bar staff and good service.
13 real ale choices on tap.Daleside Old Leg Over was our choice but a difficult decision.
Daleside Blonde, Deuchars IPA, Fullers London Pride, Wells Bombardier, Adnams Bitter, Roosters Huntsman, Daleside Bitter, Black Sheep, Shepherd Neames Spitfire and Abbot Ale.
What about that lot!
Cask Task all enjoyed the food there as well by the way.

What more can we say? Get in there and have a pint or two.

The Chester Moor, Front Street, Chester Moor, Chester le Street, Co Durham. DH2 3RQ. Tel: 0191 3883390.

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On the A167 next to the old Chester le Street football ground, the Chester Moor has always seemed to be a lively pub, and we were not disappointed in that respect. Nor were we disappointed in the choice of real ales.
Wells Bombardier, Black Sheep Best Bitter and Ruddles County, which Cask Task enjoyed, were let down by the service offered at the bar. We realised that it was busy, but there was no need to look on us as a niusance and an inconvenience to require a couple of pints of real ale!
We were about to have something to eat but decided to look elsewhere.
Nice pub. Shame about the bar maid.

The Wheatsheaf, Pelaw Grange, Chester le Steet, Co Durham. DH3 2AB. Tel: 0191 3888800

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On the A167 between Birtley and Chester le Street, the Wheatsheaf is a very attractive pub, both inside and out. The disappointment to Cask Task was the bar only had one real ale tap.
A bit of a blow this was, but as we were there, we sampled the Neames Spitfire which turned out to be satisfactory.