I assumed you’d want to see what Horden looks like. The Bell, which is the last licensed place that ISN’T a club left in this mining village, is a gem. Well beyond my normal budget, but with the addition of the new railway station (back after 50+ years) last summer it has added value for… Continue reading EAST OF PETERLEE
Tag: Durham
TO BILLINGHAM, TO FINISH DURHAM
I clearly need a break; I must complain to the Pub Tickers Union. The blog titles have gone to pot of late, my crack team failing to come up with a suitable, “R” rated name for a post featuring THIS; It’s no wonder BRAPA is now within 4 Twitter followers of me (1,344 v 1,340);… Continue reading TO BILLINGHAM, TO FINISH DURHAM
LUCIFER OVER STOCKTON
As I mentioned the other day, there’s some stupid hotel prices being quoted as our summer (“what Summer ?”) limps to an end, as lifeless as an Arsenal performance at the Etihad. Pub men have their work cut out finding cheery B & B s from which to tick Guide entries using unreliable trains. Step… Continue reading LUCIFER OVER STOCKTON
CASK AT THE CRICKET – A STICKY WICKET ?
This afternoon Durham play Glamorgan in the final (the final !) of the nation’s premier one-day cricket competition. Search in vain for any mention of it on the BBC’s website, which is devoted to The Hundred, the purest form of cricket. Now the final is played on a Thursday at Nottingham, which with the greatest… Continue reading CASK AT THE CRICKET – A STICKY WICKET ?
SOUTH CAUSEY – THE POSHEST PUB IN THE BEER GUIDE ?
Regular readers will know that I’m not the smartest dresser in town; the suits, ties and cravats all went in the bin when I retired and I hope I won’t be expected to wear black tie for my own funeral. Dave noted that Durham (and Northumberland) have a fair few posh pubs in the Guide,… Continue reading SOUTH CAUSEY – THE POSHEST PUB IN THE BEER GUIDE ?
SEARCHING OUT COMMUNISTS IN CHOPWELL
I’m working far too hard, curating this blog. You can find Chopwell yourselves on the map, somewhere between Consett and Chester-le-Street. An intriguing area of coal mines, Cava and clubs. Where the bus drops you off in Blackhall Mill, note the leg to the sign stolen by a vandal from Vindolanda. Sadly the Social Club… Continue reading SEARCHING OUT COMMUNISTS IN CHOPWELL
BIGGING UP BISHOP AUCKLAND
As Dave “US” Dave mentions, the joy of the GBG is that it drags you round the country, visiting places the pashmina and DIPA crowd fear to tread. Like Bishop Auckland, whose run of poor quality beer in the Guide was only broken last week with The Welcome. Even there, BRAPA was led on to… Continue reading BIGGING UP BISHOP AUCKLAND
“Have the real ale; we’re trying to get on to the next barrel !”
Back up to Durham, where I seemed to be stalking BRAPA, or perhaps vice versa. Half a dozen ticks, and a burning urge to return to Bishop Auckland. It’s not a rich town, but it has a richness of history and architecture and landscape few towns can match. And of course, it is the home… Continue reading “Have the real ale; we’re trying to get on to the next barrel !”
YE OLD ELM TREE
Once/if things get back to “normal” I’ll be able to catch a train to Durham in less than 2 hours, which sounds like a win. I’ve been scouring my newly acquired first Guide to North East pubs for a Durham City boozer that’s in the current GBG I can write about. It’s harder than I… Continue reading YE OLD ELM TREE
TOP 10 COUNTIES – No. 8 – DURHAM
Oooh, clickbait Bass. Is a pint of banked Bass REALLY the best visual representation for County Durham (not to be confused with Durham the City or Adrian of Talksport infamy) ? Stockton-on-Tees, home to the Sun’s famed bankers, doesn’t even appear on the Bing Map for the county. But it does appear in the Good… Continue reading TOP 10 COUNTIES – No. 8 – DURHAM
