The Birtley Ale House, Talbot Terrace, Birtley, County Durham, DH3 2PS. Tel:0191 4100593.

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The Birtley Ale House, as it's now known, is right on the main street in Birtley.

 Taking up a corner site, you can't miss it, and if you're a real ale fan and you're in the vicinity, you must call in and sample its wares.
Mark the owner, and a very hospitable chap we found him to be, used to be at The Old Fox in Felling. My home town incidentally and frequent drinking hole.

With 6 real ales always available at The Birtley Ale House, it's certainly a treat.
Hadrian and Borders Northern Star, Camerons Snake Joke, Caledonian Deuchers IPA, 80/-, and Double Dark, a beautiful stout, of which I had a couple, on at our visit.

There are a couple of live entertainment nights per week to help the ale go down.

Well worth a visit.

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'.

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.

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.