THE LONGEST DAY, THE SHORTEST CORBRIDGE PUB CRAWL

20th June 2025. Corbridge.

The recommended post-curry train back to Newcastle was due just after 9pm, but there were three (3) GBG pubs in Corbridge to tick, and no-one should run after curry, particularly on the longest day of the year.

I know that 20 June has the same number of hours (I think) as every other day, but I’d been at U2’s Longest Day gig at Milton Keynes exactly 40 years ago, so there.

Hang on, that says 22nd !

My recollection of this day of Bono-induced torture (I went for REM) is meagre, but I found this review;

“The banks of the former clay pit saw scenes of naked people surfing the mud throughout the day, and as the strident bars of ’11 O’clock Tick Tock’ rang out we knew we were in for something special.”

Less excitement in Corbridge, bar Mrs RM being unwilling to believe my answer to “How long is this walk then ?”.

Wives, trust your husband. At your peril.

About 12 minutes from station to tiny town, passing Dyvels and the Angel, which I know I ticked.

The one I couldn’t be sure about is the Black Bull,

a handsome, rambling old Greene King pub with one of their seasonal beers cleverly disguised as a guest.

My Pennine Pale was a solid NBSS 3 but became increasingly undrinkable due to the heat, the lethargy induced by a 5 course curry, and anxiety that we might miss our train.

I reckon the cocktail menus had been taken straight out of an Ember Inn.

We must have been struggling, as my notes record Karen saying “You’d only have the “Hedgerow Cocktail” if someone spiked your drink” which I found hilarious.

It was not an hilarious pub. A few gentlefolk were still finishing supper, about to quibble over the bill,

and Jane and Karen guessed whether this was a wall of books or book wallpaper.

In the Town Mouse we’d had Husker Du. Here it was Mystic Merlin.

Mystic Merlin is also the name of a woody, short-lived perennial, as well as a short-lived disco novelty act.

And that’s as exciting as the Black Bull gets.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

5 thoughts on “THE LONGEST DAY, THE SHORTEST CORBRIDGE PUB CRAWL”

    1. “Keep going through Cobridge” was what motorists needed to do after dark to avoid the attention of the local constabulary – so I am told !
      I hope to be three miles beyond Cobridge later this week, my first ever visit to the Vine at Pitshill which has just reopened after the pandemic with, of course, Draught Bass.
      I doubt if I’ll make Leek on my bus pass, unless staying for a night, but hope soon to have a couple of Saturdays each in Ashbourne ( via Uttoxeter ) and Burton ( via Lichfield ).

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  4. A pity you didn’t enjoy your Pennine Pale from local Allendale brewery. I drank quite a few of their beers during the look downs. They’re very good. And you swerved Tynside Blonde from Hadrian’s, hugely popular in Hexham. Not to mention the rarely sighted Riggwelter from Black Sheep – I can’t remember the last time I saw that one on the bar though I drank quite a bit of it at home during Covid. What a good line up – but were enough people drinking the six cask beers?

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