The New Bridge, 2 Argyle Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE1 6PF. Tel:0191 232 1020

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The New Bridge pub, which is situated on the corner of Argyle Street and New Bridge Street in Newcastle is one of the Sir John Fitzgerald group, and like the others, always offers a decent selection of real ales.

 Unlike its neighbour ( The Kings Manor) the New Bridge does afford a carpet for us to spill our beer onto.
With 4 pumps in working order, I ordered the Tyne Bank Monument Bitter and left the Hardknot Infra Red at 6.2 strength for another day.
A good atmosphere.

The Angel View Inn, Low Eighton, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE9 7UB. Tel:0191 4103219.

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The Angel View is just off the A1M, as you approach Gateshead and The Angel from the south.

What a beautiful pub/hotel/restaurant it is. Cask Task happened to call on a lovely summer's afternoon and

had a snack and a couple pints of real ale, naturally, and enjoyed the sunshine in the central area pictured above.

Without a doubt worth a visit, Even more so if you can catch it in the sunshine, as we did.

The Forth Hotel, Pink Lane, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 5DW. Tel:0191 2326478.

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The Forth Hotel is a tidy pub and eating place, tucked away up Pink Lane in the city centre, near Central Station. Very handy really. (There is another good real ale drinking and eating place just opposite. Also in Pink Lane).
With a generous offering of 5 real ales, including Adnams Green Bullet, Lancasters Blonde and others from Somerset and Cornwall, make this a real good jumping off point for shopping in the 'toon'.

Head of Steam, 3 Reform Place, North Road, Durham, DH1 4RZ. Tel:0191 3832173.

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The Head of Steam was not an easy place to find, but worth a look just the same, as the atmosphere was ok  and the choice of real ale was good.

 Tucked away, just off North Road, the Wylam's ( I do like their beer) Gold Tankard and Heddon Bitter and Harviestoun Hoptober Fest  were for sale so I partook. Smashing.

Worth a look and of course a pint or two.   

The Bishop's Mill, Walkergate Leisure, Town Centre, Durham, DH1 1WA. Tel:0191 3708510.

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The Bishop's Mill pub is in the Walkergate Leisure, which houses a number of eating and drinking establishments.

This one is a Wetherspoons, and at my late afternoon visit was by far the busiest of the bunch for both eating and drinking.

The usual mamoth choice of 8 real ales was on offer and I couldn't resist the Moorhouse Pendle Porter amongst the multitude. Somerset Broadoak, Abbot, Ruddles, Wadworths etc. etc..

As usual with Wetherspoons the food choice was reasonably priced. If you're out with the kids at lunchtime, this is the place to be.  

The Broad Chare, 25 Broad Chare, Quayside, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 3DQ. Tel:0191 2112144.

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The Broad Chare is in Broad Chare! just off the Quayside, near the law courts.(That's not my Merc outside incidentally. My much more desirable Nissan Note is just around the corner)

 I must admit I loved the place as soon as I limped in.

 The Broad Chare, I think, is owned and was opened by a bloke called Terry Laybourne, who, years ago, had a smashing restaurant called 21 Queen Street. I loved that place as well!

4 real ales in spot on condition. Brew Dog's Trashy Blonde, Bass Premium Ale, Wylam's Gold Tankard and my favourite, Writer's Block, specially brewed for the Broad Chare by Wylams. I found the beer excellent and the young barman very knowledgeable and helpful.

 The bar food was excellent but I must admit I've yet to visit the restaurant upstairs. Can't wait.

 I'll report on this at a later date. 

                                                                                                           

The Kings Manor, 132 New Bridge Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8AG. Tel:0191 2301190.

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The Kings Manor on New Bridge Sreet, appealed to me as an alternative to the horrible 5 o'clock city traffic jam I happened to be stuck in the other evening.

 I don't think the Kings Manor, once the Moot, had been opened until very recently but it is certainly a proper real ale pub. With no less than 10 hand pulls to pick from, I parked up just around the corner in Argyle Street and 'booled' in.

Polished wood floors were the order of the day so I 'plonked' in and ordered  a pint of Hadrian's Tyneside Blonde. Very nice it was too.

 I must come back without the car to sample more of the ale.

Town Wall, Pink Lane, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE1 5HX. Tel:0191 2323000.

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I hadn't realised theTown Wall existed as its that long since I walked up Pink Lane. Another pub sits almost opposite, but  thats for another day.

The Town Wall is quite a sizeable pub which has a decent reputation for food and a substantial  menu. But I digress.

The selection of real ales is marvelous, with some 8 to choose from. A couple of Wylam beers, one permanent called Toon Waal Ale, and the other, Gold Tankard, were acconpanied by Tyne Banks Monument Bitter, Brew Dogs Trashy Blonde and Punk IPA, Harviestouns Bitter and Twisted, Dalesides Blonde and good old Bass Premium Ale.

 Maybe it was the time of day I chose, but the place was sparcely populated and therefore lacked atmosphere. I'll maybe have to call again. Seems like a good idea.                                     

The Travellers Rest, Front Street, Witton Gilbert, Durham, DH7 6TQ. Tel: 0191 3710458.

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The Travellers Rest at Witton Gilbert, a village a few miles outside Durham, is not the prettiest pub to look at, but the interior does make up for it. Enter from the car park at the rear and your into an extremely comfortable and inviting bar and restaurant area.
The 4 steps at the back were a bit difficult for me by the way.

The real ale selection of permanent Black Sheep Bitter with 2 changing guest ales, which were St Austell Tribute and Caledonian Auld Acquaintance on this occasion, was superb. Particularly the dark and delicious Auld Acquaintance.

A good real ale pub and well worth a visit.

New Board Inn, Hill Top Esh, Co. Durham, DH7 9RL. Tel.0191 3736914.

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The New Board Inn was introduced to me about 3 years ago when I had an al fresco meal and a pint there on a beautiful summers day. The view from up there is terrific. Across Bobby Robson's village Langley Park and beyond.

Cask Task decided to sample the hospitality under its new management and was not disappointed. Except for the dull weather and only one real ale hand pull on. Still, the welcome was good and so was the Courage Best Bitter. A well kept real ale which I hope is to be added to in the near future.

The comfortable interior of the New Board Inn has not changed and the place has still got its good name for food.
Without a doubt worth a visit.

Chester-Le-Street Cricket Club, Ropery Lane, Chester-Le-Street, Co.Durham. DH3 3PF.Tel: 0191 3883684.

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On entering a car park, off the main street in Chester Le Street, was The Chester Le Street Cricket Club.
I didn't realise it was there, with the emergence of the international(?) ground at the other side of the town. What a pleasant bar it turned out to be. Quite large and totally glass fronted. A great spot to relax, sup your real ale and watch the cricket. Marvelous!

4 handles on but only 2 in service. Consett Ale Works Red Dust and my choice, Captain Cook Brewery's Slipway.
Very pleasant. Pleased we called in.
Very nice.

Lloyds No.1--The Wicket Gate, Front Street, Chester-Le-Street. Co.Durham, DH3 3AX. Tel:0191 3872960.

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Cask Task spotted this building, Lloyds No. 1--The Wicket Gate, on the way through Chester Le Street and decided to investigate.
Lo and behold, the interior was like a thoroughly modern and posh night club!
But no, here we have yet another Wetherspoons where you have to carefully wipe your feet before going in. It must have cost a few bob to do out, but I must admit, it was impressive.
As usual with Wetherspoons, the real ale choice in The Wicket Gate was terrific and the prices very reasonable.
Ruddles Best, Abbot Reserve, Elgoods Snickalmas, Hook Norton Brewery Twelve Days and on and on. 9 handles in total.
The place is set up for food and though a bit soulless, as Wetherspoons is, how can you complain? Enjoy your ale, sit back, and stop whingeing.
Certainly worth a look and a pint or two.

The Victoria Inn, 86 Hallgarth, Durham, DH1 3AS. Tel: 0191 3865269

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In The Victoria Inn, an old pub in Durham itself, gave Cask Task its next major adventure.

The bar itself is fairly small, but as the snow was tossing it down outside, a roaring fire was ablaze inside. We took our pints and settled down beside the fire.

A knock came on the main door (see the corner door on the photo).
A customer left his seat opened the door, looked out, closed the door, took up the door mat, lifted a hatch, thereby revealing the sheer drop into the cellar below, and returned to his seat and pint.

If this had been a comedy, an incoming customer, in a rush to get out of the snow storm outside, would have opened the door and immediately strode into the cellar below.
Now, I kid you not, but I'm only lying to you about the last bit. Another older, and somewhat wiser, customer yelled a warning, leapt up, and managed to re-open and prop open the door, thus averting tomorrow's headlines in the Sunderland Echo. I had to laugh!

The little place was full and obviously popular with good real ale on hand. Our Durham Brewery Magus was drunk but a fine choice of Wylam Gold Tankard, Big Lamp Bitter and Nick Stafford Hambleton Ale Festive Folly was also there.
A lovely old pub.

Ye Old Elm Tree, 12 Crossgate, Durham, DH1 4PS. Tel: 0191 3864621.

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What a smashing pub Ye Old Elm Tree is.Although the weather nearly prevented me from gettng in.
A good old fashioned snow storm, on top of the existing ice on the sloping pavement and the two entrance steps, became like tackling the north face of the Eiger to a gronk like me! It's grand to find there are still some kind souls about and an Elm Tree customer, following me in, guided me into the welcoming and warm bar. Everyone in there, including the owner, was easy to talk to and helpful for Cask Task's onward journey.
Ye Old Elm Tree's forthcoming real ale beer fest, 28th Jan 2010--1st Feb is to be given a Cathedral theme based on Durham, York, and Glastonbury,etc with plenty of beer to choose from. Sounds good to me.

A pint of Nick Stafford Hambleton Ale's Reindeer was immediately supped and enjoyed. A difficult choice from the Elm's fine selection, including Consett Ale Works White Hot, Fowlers Yard Durhams Festive Ale and Double Maxim.

The friendly lot from Ye Old Elm Tree gave us instructions for our next port of call as sadly we had to continue the good work elsewhere. What a chore this is.

Bridge Hotel, 40 North Road, Durham. DH1 4SE. Tel: 0191 3868090.

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After a little parking problem The Bridge Hotel turned out to be a quite pleasant find.
First of all the Braine Brewery's Reverend James pint was tasty and The Bridge itself was a comfortable place to drink it in. Quite busy with diners, the atmosphere was good and the other two choices on the real ale front were Speckled Hen and Wells Bombardier. Safe but popular.
Worth a visit.

Low Lights Tavern, Brewhouse Bank, North Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE30 1JN. Tel: 0191 2595593.

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The Low Lights Tavern has the potential to be another North Shields real ale gem.
Reputed to be the oldest pub in North Shields and it certain looks it.

A real old fashioned boozer, split into two separate areas, as they used to be, the Low Lights was the original fisherman's drinking place. Loaded with character and of course its share of ghosts roaming upstairs and in the cellars below, as related to us by Sophie behind the bar.
Having just come under new ownership its ancient origins are trying to be revived. And so they should be. Rather than than trying to turn it into a wine bar (holy mackerel!!) as the last owner apparently tried to do!

Your two intrepid Cask Task hunters almost gave it a miss, because of its recent past, but of course we couldn't resist its ancient facade. We're delighted we couldn't.

Among the 4 real ales on offer were Mordues Workie Ticket, Bass and my choice Wylam Bitter.
An enjoyable and entertaining visit.
Good luck to Sophie and the new owners.

Porthole, 11 New Quay, North Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE29 6LQ. Tel: 0191 2576645.

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The Porthole is next to the ferry terminal in North Shields and hasn't got the most inviting of exteriors. Once inside though, the picture does change for the better as the soft jazz music greets you.

A bit dated the interior might be, but don't let this put you off, as the place has a good atmosphere and some good real ales to choose from. The live jazz, afternoon and evening, certainly adds to the enjoyment.

Real ales of the calibre of Courage Directors, Durham Brewery White Velvet, Bass Premium Ale and Wentworth Brewery Harvest Pale Ale were the choices.

A very enjoyable and friendly visit. A good real ale pub.

Hugo's at the Coast, 29 Front Street, Tynemouth, NE30 4DZ.Tel: 0191 2578956.

Hugo's at the Coast is on Front Street Tynemouth.
What a street this is for real ale drinkers. Cask Task discovered another pub there on sunday after a meal at Il Forno at Tynemouth Metro station.

This one's from the Fitzgerald Group and is another busy treat for the drinker. A fair sized one room affair for the booze.
Black Sheep, Deuchars IPA, as regulars, plus World Top Brewery Falling Stone and Edinburgh No.3 as guests. Typical Fitz pub. Busy but seemingly well run.

Must get back again in day light to get a decent photo. And a soberish one if possible.

Magnesia Bank, 1 Camden Street, North Shields, NE30 1NH. Tel: 0191 2574831

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The Magnesia Bank and North Shields in general was suggested, by one of Cask Tasks most prominent members, as worthy of a visit. It certainly was.
The Magnesia Bank had originally been a georgian bank many years ago and the interior and attached restaurant were worth a visit. A relaxing and tasty pint in front of the open fire was very pleasant indeed.
The superb selection of real ales came from the seven taps and included Durham Brewery Magus, Caledonian Double Dark(delicious) and 80 shilling, Poaches Billy Boy, Theakstons loverly Old Peculiar, Devonport The Fall and the ever popular Deuchars IPA.
This lot set us up for the enjoyable day to come.
Grand pub.

The Bell and Bucket, 37-39 Norfolk Street, North Shields, NE30 1NQ Tel:0191 2570680.

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The Bell and Bucket turned out to be the end part of an old fire station. Once inside, this cosy little pub turned out to be a warm and relaxing place to have a pint.
One wall kitted out with fishing tackle from divers helmets to photos and the other with a huge assortment of porcelain owls! What's that lot all about?
Never mind. The beer was ok from High Gate and we enjoyed a Dark Mild.