Next up an exciting yomp from Stockton up to Norton, which is definitely NOT a suburb of your new favourite Durham town. However much it looks like one on the Navigator. Sheer suburbia between the two towns, though I do fancy the building below as a future micropub accessible only by scaling the fence. It… Continue reading A NORTON PIONEER
CLOUDWATER COMES TO STOCKTON
WARNING: Contains trip to Stockton-on-Tees without a visit here; No banked Bass, but another day to admire the ongoing revitalisation of Darlington’s hitherto scruffy sister. Goodness me, Stockton is scrubbing up well. The big project is the refurb of the Globe Theatre, which once played host to the Beatles in the days before Lennon switched… Continue reading CLOUDWATER COMES TO STOCKTON
DRY DARLO
My morning post was a bit rushed due to “events”, so I failed to do justice to Darlington beyond its pubs. To remedy that, here’s the highlights from my breakfast stroll, aided by a brand new tourist guide produced by the Borough Council. I’ve commended them on producing a colourful little leaflet to put in… Continue reading DRY DARLO
A DOUBLE IN DEAR OLD DARLINGTON
The second beer in the Wylam Tap was both a joy and a bad idea, necessitating a comfort break at Caffe Nero that only meant I needed another comfort break in the Bigg Market. Perhaps I shouldn’t make so many stops to take photos for you, but that’s the problem with the photogenic old… Continue reading A DOUBLE IN DEAR OLD DARLINGTON
PALACES, PRODIGY, PUBMEISTER @ THE WYLAM TAP
My last Newcastle pub for GBG19 was an exciting 45 minute 37 minute hike through the Ouseburn and Jesmond to Exhibition Park, hitherto unknown territory for me. Ouseburn, of course, went posh in the new millennium with the arrival of a children’s museum, craft beer in the Cluny and pashminas in the Free Trade.… Continue reading PALACES, PRODIGY, PUBMEISTER @ THE WYLAM TAP
TAPS ON THE TYNE, THEY’RE ALL MINE, ALL MINE
From Masham, via Northallerton, to Darlington, retiredmartin on tour. Unlike BRAPA, no T-Shirts or Official Soundtracks on sale. Even Mrs RM wouldn’t buy a shirt. Darlo is my accommodation choice. A lovely town, great train services, two new GBG pubs. And cobbled streets like these where it’s completely safe to park my car for… Continue reading TAPS ON THE TYNE, THEY’RE ALL MINE, ALL MINE
THEAKSTON TAP BRAINSTORMING
2 hours is a long time to kill in Masham, so I continued my aimless wander looking for pictures of sausages in French berets, and quirky old fashioned delis. My hopes were high for the Yorkshire ham sandwich at Reahs Deli, but wafer thin ham slices in a cheap brown roll just made me… Continue reading THEAKSTON TAP BRAINSTORMING
SMASHIN’ MASHAM
After Aberdeen I took a week off from pubs (“DryEarlyMarch”, anyone ?). I felt no better for it, mind. And I certainly wasn’t prepared for another lengthy bus trip to Masham. I can’t even blame Beeching for the lack of a railway station in Masham. I’d allowed myself an insane amount of time to rediscover… Continue reading SMASHIN’ MASHAM
ABERDEEN – IT’S A WRAP
My last Aberdeen post, promise. I met Mrs RM at the Marischal, looking lovelier than ever (Mrs RM, not the Marischal). Any plans I had to take Mrs RM on a tour of Aberdeen’s famous pubs went out of the window; whether due to that evening in the Krakatoa or the cumulative effect of IT… Continue reading ABERDEEN – IT’S A WRAP
SCRATCHING THE AITCHIE’S ITCH
Back in Aberdeen, via the hospital and every possible bus stop in the western suburbs, I pondered three things over flat whites in the Archibald Simpson. a) I would never have another beer, ever. b) It was my own fault. c) I couldn’t just sit in Wetherspoons nursing a coffee for five hours till Mrs… Continue reading SCRATCHING THE AITCHIE’S ITCH
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