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 Slug and Lettuce, Unit 7, Walkergate, Durham, DH1 1SQ. Tel:0845 1262900.

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The Slug and Lettuce in Durham City's Walkergate Leisure was a very modern looking place. Rather large and  very quiet on my late afternoon visit. Two real ales to be had. Ringwoods Boondoggle, my quick choice, and Black Sheep. I say quick because I didn't hang around. The tables were filthy. Maybe they had been busy but thats no excuse.

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.                                     

Black Bull, Bridge Street, Blaydon-on-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE21 4JJ. Tel:0191 4142846.

The Black Bull used to have a reputation, some time ago, as a 1st class real ale pub, or so I was led to believe. I don't know what's happened but it now belongs to the Cask Task section of has beens.

We went in, had a cloudy pint of M'Ladys Fancy from the Titanic Brewery, and were completely sunk like the brewery's namesake ship, alas never to be seen again.

M'Ladys Fancy by the Titanic Brewery. Also Deuchers IPA and Black Sheep, were also in the murky depths.