The Havelock, Bonemill Lane, Washington, Tyne & Wear, NE38 8AJ. Tel:0191 4159739.

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The Havelock came to me by chance on a beautiful summer's day while motoring through Fatfield.
I parked up and ordered a pint of Workie Ticket and a sandwich and I'm pleased to say both were Ist class. There were only two real ales on but the Mordues was excellent. So good in fact I came back the next day to sample it again.

Good service, good food, good beer. A smashing pub.

Duke Of Wellington, Darlington Road, Durham, Co. Durham, DH1 3QN. Tel:0191 375 7651.

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The Duke of Wellington looked very welcoming from the outside, so in we went.

What a lovely pub it is. Attractively decorated throughout and an excellent array of real ales to choose from. What more can you ask for.

Six pumps including Black Sheep, Deuchars IPA, Timothy Taylors Landlord(2 pumps), Spitfire and Ruby Red. I thoroughly enjoyed my Black Sheep (in tremendous condition by the way) and sat back to sup it.

A popular eating place and I really look forward to trying it out in the near future.

1st class pub which I thoroughly recommend.

The Bay Horse, 28 West Green, Heighington Village, Newton Aycliffe, Co Durham, DL5 6PE. Tel: 01325 312312.

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The Bay Horse was not the pub I was looking for when I came to the picturesque village of Heightington, but what a pleasant surprise this one was. A comfortable and welcoming atmosphere and a grand selection of real ales to choose from.

Hobgoblin, Copper Dragon, Marstons Pedigree, Black Sheep, Camerons Strongarm and Timothy Taylors Landlord all on tap. Marvelous.

Ist class village pub with good beer.

The Turks Head, 27 Market Place, Barnard Castle, Co Durham, DL12 8NE. Tel:01833 690874.

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The Turks Head stands right in the centre of the Market Place and hasn't got much of a frontage to attract you. Once inside though the place is quite interesting. Stretching further back than you might expect with one or two little cosy corners. A not unpleasant feel and atmosphere to it.
Three real ales to choose from. Theakstons Bitter, Old Speckled Hen and Wells Bombardier. Worth a look in.

The Beaconsfield Hotel, 105 Galgate. Barnard Castle, Co Durham, DL12 8ES. Tel:01833 637194.

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The Beaconsfield Hotel is a huge building which hits you just as you turn down into the town on Galgate.
Recently acquired new management,of the Liverpudlying variety, served up a very pleasing pint of Adnams Bitter. The other real ale was Wells Bombarbier.

We wished the manager and his wife good luck with this grand old pub.

The Beacon, Earsdon Road, Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear, NE25 9PT. Tel:0191 2536931.

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The Beacon was introduced to me over 30 years ago by my accountant who lived in Whitley Bay, and I think still does.I was impressed then and even more so now.

Extremely comfortable and pleasantly decorated. The pub, from Cask Task's point of view, was enhanced by its array of real ales. Rudgate Brewerys Ruby Mild, Butcombes Traditional Bitter, Otter Brewerys Otter Ale, Ringwoods Forty Niner, Deuchars IPA and my choice for the day of Exmoors Fox. Very nice.

A fair number of diners in there suggests the food must be good too, but we'd certainly be back for the beer alone.
Smashing pub.

Monkseaton Arms, Front Street, Monkseaton, Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear, NE25 8DP. Tel:0191 2513928.

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Cask Task found the Monkseaton Arms a bit of a disappointment.
Lacking in any kind of atmosphere this large pub offered a couple of Wylams beers but no life.

Ye Olde Ship Inn, Front Street, Monkseaton, Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear, NE25 8DP. 0191 2513677

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As our intrepid gang's search continued through Tyne & Wear, up came Ye Olde Ship Inn at Monkseaton.

Expecting to be greeted by old sea dogs and the interior walls festooned with fishing memorabiliar, we entered. A comfortable and very pleasant old pub it turned out to be. The decor, however, bore no hint of its sea washed past, but the selection of real ales did make up for that.

Adnams Extra, Theakstons Bitter, Ruddles and Shepherd Neames Bishop Finger was the choice and a very good hour or so was spent there.

Not a bad real ale pub at all.

The Black Horse, 68 Front Street, Monkseaton, Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear, NE25 8DP. Tel:0191 253 6931

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The Black Horse at Monkseaton is reputed to be a great real ale pub and I must admit to being impressed on first arriving. It's a warm, welcoming and comfortable place.
With four ales on offer I settled down to a nice pint from the Jarrow Rivet Catcher, the Durham Brewery's White Amarillo, Hadrian's Tyneside Blonde or my old favourite Courage Directors. My preference for the darker stuff pushed me for the Directors.
A bit of a disappointment though, as I think the Directors may have been a bit on the old side and was unrecognisable from its normal tasty self.

Millstone, Haddricks Mill Road, South Gosforth, Newcastle, Tyne & Wear, NE3 1QL. Tel:0191 2853429.

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The Millstone was a pub not before visited by Cask Task and turned out to be a quite cosy and comfortable place.

Not a real ale pub as such but offering Spitfire and Bass.

White Swan, 18 Newgate street, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 1BA. Tel:01670 513532.

The White Swan is right on the main street in Morpeth and a pleasant enough pub it is, but not one of my favourites.

I get the impression that the Deuchars IPA and the Bombardier were a token gesture to real ale drinkers, although my Deuchars was fine, it must be said.

The Tuna sandwich was OK too.
Scaffold in front. No photo.

Joiners Arms, 6 Wansbeck street, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 1XZ. Tel:01670 513540.

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The Joiners Arms looks like the end of a row of houses, but I must recommend the place if your a pub fan.The bar offers a range of five real ales and has featured in a few CAMRA awards over the years. The setting is right on the river's edge. Beautiful.

My favourite place on an evening was always the lounge but the Fyne Ales Pipers Gold, Mordues Spring Tyne, Deuchars IPA, Black Sheep and my choice from the Stables brewery at Beamish, Old Miner Tommy, tastes good anywhere you have it.

A superb real ale drinkers pub.

The Ridley Arms, Stannington, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 6EL. Tel:01670 789216.

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The Ridley Arms stands in the beautiful village of Stannington, nicely tucked away just off the A1. Handy but quiet. Just the job.

This Fitzgerald pub was one of my favourites when I lived in Northumberland. A welcoming interior, quiet and comfortable, with a fine selection of 6 real ales.

On this occasion I plumped for the Orkney Brewerys Red MacGregor. Lovely.

Deuchars IPA, Harvests Pale Ale, Maxims Lambtons, Black Sheep, and Fyne Ales Crannoq made up the numbers.

Another fine Fitzgeralds pub.