The Lady Grey, 20 Shakespeare Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NEI 6AQ. Tel:0191 2323606.

The Lady Grey in Shakespeare Street.
What a shock I got when I left the Bacchus and thought I'd try the Adelphi. A pub I hadn't been in for umpteen years and was , in my view anyway, a dump with no proper beer. I turned the corner and there was the Lady Grey, 6 real ale hand pumps and an ancient typewriter!
I don't know exactly when it happened, but I couldn't wait to sample some.
Dark Stars Espresso, Summer Wine's Gambit, Bristol Beer's Virtue, Ouseburn Valley's Victoria Tunnel and Farmhouse Pyder (Cider).
A good atmosphere and lovely real ale. I'll go again when my typing's up to scratch.

The Cross Keys, Front Street. Esh, County Durham, DH7 9QR. Tel: 01913731279.

The Cross Keys is an old country pub in the middle of the small village of Esh, overlooking Langley Park. Quite high up, giving magnificent views from the rear.
My son lives in Langley Park so I've taken the liberty of visiting the pub twice for a pint and a bite to eat. Unfortunately the place seems to be in turmoil and had a different landlord on each visit. The food was adequate and the beer was ok but the place was definitely suffering through the change of ownership.
On the first visit  there was a choice of 3 ales. Adnams, Olde Esh from the Beamish Brewery and Black Sheep. On the next only one beer was on to be had.
Maybe worth another try?

The Old Mill Hotel, Metal Bridge, County Durham, DH6 5NX. Tel.01740 652928

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The Old Mill is a very pleasant, well appointed, old pub with an extension or two added to give a generous eating area and a reasonable menu to choose from.
 I must admit it is tucked away a little, but maybe that's just me being a bit fussy.
The real ale choice was a little disappointing, there being only two to savour. Bishops Finger and Durham Brewery's Summit Wicked.
Still, not a bad place to visit.

The Trap Inn, Main Street, North Broomhill, Northumberland, NE65 9UT. Tel:01670 761672.

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The Trap Inn is a little isolated, just off the main coastal route through Northumberland.
 I must have passed the pub a number of times over the years without giving it a second glance. A refurbishment around 2008 has cheered the place up no end and we thought it was worth a look in.

The man on duty behind the bar was a friendly and welcoming bloke and served up a good pint of Theakstons Old Peculiar. With a choice of 3 real ales, a restaurant and accomodation the place is certainly worth a visit.

The Elks Head, Whitfield, Hexham, Northumberland, NE47 8HD. Tel:01434 345282.

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The Elks Head is an attractive and inviting pub a little out of the way, but beautifully sited, by the river.

Some extensions were being completed to accomodate extra guest rooms overlooking the water at the rear and were going to enhance the place.

The interior was pleasantly decorated and comfortable with a couple of real ales on sale.

Allendale Golden Plover and Deuchars IPA.

A very pleasant visit.

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.

The McOrville Inn, 34 The Green, Elwick, Hartlepool, Cleveland, TS27 3EF. Tel:01429 273344.

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What an unexpected pleasure the McOrville Inn turned out to be.

Situated in the beautiful village green of Elwick, this friendly and comfortable pub serving good food and, more importantly from Cask Task's point of view, good real ale .
Nick Staffords Hambleton Ales Stud and Stallion, which was my choice incidentally, were accompanied by Timothy Taylors Landlord, making for an excellent choice of three beers.

A smashing pub well worth the trip out.

Dipton Mill Inn, Dipton Mill Road, Hexham, Northumberland, NE46 1YA. Tel:01434 606577.

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The Dipton Mill Inn is not the easiest pub to find, but well worth the effort as its a fabulous old building.
Full of character, low ceiling, proper fire and its own real ale brewery! Even has decent food if you want it and an attractve beer garden out the back, but that will have to wait for another visit.
Cask Task seems to be staggering from one terrific country pub to another and this one's a beaut!
A good welcome from behind the bar started us off on the pub's Hexhamshire Brewery Devils Water. Deliciously dark and tasty. Right up my street and I can't wait to try the Old Humbug which comes in at 5.5%. A grand variety of ales including Shire Bitter, Whapweasel, and Devils Elbow complete the choice.
This pub's a must for the real ale fan. Can't wait to go back.

The Feathers Inn, Hedley On The Hill, Stocksfield, Northumberland, NE43 7SW. Tel:01661 843607.

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What a smashing old pub The Feathers Inn turned out to be. Having missed it, for one reason or another, were we pleased to find it at last, in the little village of Hedley On The Hill, and I can't wait to go back for something to eat.
A cheery welcome, from Pip behind the bar, lead us to sample the locally brewed Hexhamshire Devils Water from the choice of 4 real ales. Smashing.
The others were, Mordues Workie Ticket, Wylams Magic, and Cumberland Brewerys Corby Ale.
Unfortunately, pushed for time, Cask Task had to be dragged off home, but not for long I hope.

The Forum. 8/9 Market Place, Hexham, Northumberland, NE46 1XF. Tel:01434 609190,

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The Forum, incorporating a Wetherspoons pub and, upstairs, a cinema!
Walk in and the place is surprisingly large with stairs down to a further part eating/drinking area. A bit soulless, but typical Witherspoons, the beer choice is good and reasonably cheap.
Not to my liking as a watering hole, but as usual the pub was reasonably busy and the staff friendly.
The real ale was the ridiculously cheap Ruddles Best, Allendales Wolf, Wylams Angel, Greene Kings Abbot Ale and my choice for the visit, the very tasty Saddlers Stumbling Badger.

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 Royal Oak, 7 Manor Road, Medomsley, Consett,Co Durham. DH8 6QN. Tel:01207 560336.

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What an attractive pub the (Royal) Oak is.
A good, comfortable and inviting place, although only two real ales on offer. Not to worry as they were both in good order. Theakston's Best Bitter and Mordues Five Bridge Bitter didn't let us down and the staff were friendly.
A warm and relaxing pub for an enjoyable couple of pints. Certainly worth a visit.