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trainman
15-10-2015, 18:59
I seem to have over-used the better beer areas in concentric rings ever further afield from London, incl Chelmsford, Reading, Brighton, Snorbans etc. Anyone have a suggestion (behave!) for, say, a 5 (4+) pubber within striking distance of the capital?

I thought about a return to the Harlow-Sawbridgworth-Allen's Green route, as it's the 3rd Sat of the month for minifest at Queens Head, if they still do that, but I couldn't get so lucky with buses a 2nd time! I wouldn't mind Carshalton's Hope, but there's not a great deal to go with it... Colchester was disappointing last visit.

Thanks! tm

Mobyduck
15-10-2015, 19:46
I seem to have over-used the better beer areas in concentric rings ever further afield from London, incl Chelmsford, Reading, Brighton, Snorbans etc. Anyone have a suggestion (behave!) for, say, a 5 (4+) pubber within striking distance of the capital?

I thought about a return to the Harlow-Sawbridgworth-Allen's Green route, as it's the 3rd Sat of the month for minifest at Queens Head, if they still do that, but I couldn't get so lucky with buses a 2nd time! I wouldn't mind Carshalton's Hope, but there's not a great deal to go with it... Colchester was disappointing last visit.

Thanks! tm

From my end of things, forget Basingstoke,Aldershot and Camberley, Not much in Woking, Farnham and Alton not too bad but think you have already done that, Dorking, a couple or three, How about Guildford, a few there amongst the dross but a bit of legwork between them.

trainman
15-10-2015, 20:53
How about Guildford, a few there amongst the dross but a bit of legwork between them.

really? I'd have to have another look round there, never found owt worthwhile except the quick bus to Puttenham's Good Intent, and a random walk past Hogs Back brewery further along ending up in a pub hosting a Bikers wedding, fine stuff if somewhat bizarre!

Maldenman
15-10-2015, 21:11
Into Kent, Tunbridge Wells , Faversham, Whitstable, Dover has a few new Micro pubs, Metro Line up into Bucks, Amersham, Rickmansworth, Chesham, loads in Dorking.

Aqualung
15-10-2015, 21:56
I seem to have over-used the better beer areas in concentric rings ever further afield from London, incl Chelmsford, Reading, Brighton, Snorbans etc. Anyone have a suggestion (behave!) for, say, a 5 (4+) pubber within striking distance of the capital?

I thought about a return to the Harlow-Sawbridgworth-Allen's Green route, as it's the 3rd Sat of the month for minifest at Queens Head, if they still do that, but I couldn't get so lucky with buses a 2nd time! I wouldn't mind Carshalton's Hope, but there's not a great deal to go with it... Colchester was disappointing last visit.

Thanks! tm

The current GBG also has the Sun and Windsor Castle listed for Carshalton and it's not that far from Sutton or Wallington. Wallington has a Spoons and an Antic pub right by the station. The Antic pub like many trendy newer pubs doesn't open until 16:00 unless you are going on a Saturday or Sunday.
Have you been to Hertford?
Don't go to Harlow it's hell on earth.
Sawbridgeworth has a couple of pubs but it's a walk from the station.
Have you considered Berkamsted or Leighton Buzzard?
Billericay?

Mobyduck
15-10-2015, 21:56
really? I'd have to have another look round there, never found owt worthwhile except the quick bus to Puttenham's Good Intent, and a random walk past Hogs Back brewery further along ending up in a pub hosting a Bikers wedding, fine stuff if somewhat bizarre!

Yeah, nothing to major in the extreme beer stakes , but for pubs I have quite enjoyed , The Kings Head (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/35841/), The other Kings Head (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/35840/),The Keep (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/35842/) is a bit different,also of interest maybe The Royal Oak (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/35854/), Star Inn (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/35860/),White House (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/35868/) and possibly The George Abbot (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/35829/).

trainman
15-10-2015, 23:16
Have you been to Hertford?
Don't go to Harlow it's hell on earth.
Sawbridgeworth has a couple of pubs but it's a walk from the station.
Have you considered Berkamsted or Leighton Buzzard?
Billericay?

Yes, not keen on McMullens though...
Hehehe..., 1st thing we did was get a bus away from Harlow town...
Dropped from another bus in Sawbo
Yep, done both those, incl the newish excellent (Red Squirrel?) outlet on Berko high st
Wow!?

Re Sutton/Wallington, a big area that I still think needs a big injection of worthwhile pubs :0(
Also the Addingtons - where do folk drink round there..?

trainman
15-10-2015, 23:38
Into Kent, Tunbridge Wells , Faversham, Whitstable, Dover has a few new Micro pubs, Metro Line up into Bucks, Amersham, Rickmansworth, Chesham, loads in Dorking.

TW surprisingly good on 1st visit last year and have been back. Faversham, done (sheps), Whitstable & Dover rather outside the distance brief Mm, though I note quicker services if starting via HS1 at StP...

RB's Dartford stomping ground would be perfect travel, but reports fall just short of required enthusiasm for the hostelries. Gillingham, Gravesend, Rochester, remain vague targets for return.

cheers all...

Aqualung
15-10-2015, 23:39
Yes, not keen on McMullens though...



McMullens are a joke. I've not been to either local ones for years and they are all on my AVOID list.

Billericay has two Gray's pubs and a reasonable Spoons all GBG listed plus the Billericay Micropub tap but don't go on a really hot day.

Maldon has a couple of Gray's pubs, a new Spoons and a new micropub. There is also a Sheps pub. You need to get a bus from Chelmsford and there is a third Gray's pub on the outskirts as you enter the town. There is a fourth Gray's Hotel that I'm not sure about.

Wittenden
16-10-2015, 09:07
TW surprisingly good on 1st visit last year and have been back. Faversham, done (sheps), Whitstable & Dover rather outside the distance brief Mm, though I note quicker services if starting via HS1 at StP...

RB's Dartford stomping ground would be perfect travel, but reports fall just short of required enthusiasm for the hostelries. Gillingham, Gravesend, Rochester, remain vague targets for return.














cheers all...

Canterbury might be a bit far, though Javelin remarks apply. Bit studenty though. Some good kent beers available, but haven't been for a while.

Maldenman
16-10-2015, 10:13
Marlow or Henley?

Pubsignman
16-10-2015, 10:47
I seem to have over-used the better beer areas in concentric rings ever further afield from London, incl Chelmsford, Reading, Brighton, Snorbans etc. Anyone have a suggestion (behave!) for, say, a 5 (4+) pubber within striking distance of the capital?

Thanks! tm

There is a decent crawl to be had along the trainline from London Bridge to Bexleyheath. Take your pick from:

Bexleyheath - Robin Hood and Little John
Welling - Door Hinge
Bus out to Blackfen - Broken Drum (and George Staples?), then bus from there to
Eltham - Long Pond, Eltham GPO (Antic), Park Tavern
Blackheath - Hare & Billet, Zerodegrees
New Cross - Royal Albert (Antic), New Cross House
Finish at London Bridge, where you can take your pick from plenty of familiar ale houses.

The above all have decent ale ranges and there are 'Spoons of varing degrees of quality that you could include along the way as well.

Not sure what you classify as striking distance from London, but you can get to Ipswich from Liverpool St in around an hour and a quarter. Plenty of good pubs around town - Fat Cat, Dove St Freehouse, Brewery Tap, Briarbank Tap, St Judes, Greyhound and Lord Nelson to name a few.

On an unrelated subject, I'll be making my first trip to the Etihad tomorrow. I have a terrible feeling that I'm going to enjoy the pre and post-match pub crawl a lot more than the actual match!

Maldenman
16-10-2015, 13:25
Zerodegrees (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/65482/)!!! I think not :eek::moremad:

Bucking Fastard
18-10-2015, 20:57
If you are free on a Saturday the Bermondsey Beer Mile might be worth a shot,but there will be a lot of craft keg and hipsters everywhere.I think PSM has done this recently.

I live in Hertford so happy to escort you around
The Old Cross Tavern
Black Horse
White Horse
Old Barge
Blackbirds
Quiet Man

and AVOID all the Macs pubs !!

Berko now has more than The Riser (the best of the three canalside pubs),I was impressed by The Red Squirrel Beer Shop .Also worth a visit to The Crown (Spoons) and maybe The Lamb.
Leighton Buzzard now much better with The Black Lion,and a micropub so you could do a train journey taking in both Berko and Leighton Buzzard if you are feeling fit.I'm in Buzzard on Nov 24th.

Bucking Fastard
18-10-2015, 22:13
Also the Addingtons - where do folk drink round there..? They are all in The George via tramlink.;)

trainman
19-10-2015, 13:07
If you are free on a Saturday the Bermondsey Beer Mile might be worth a shot,but there will be a lot of craft keg and hipsters everywhere.I think PSM has done this recently.

I live in Hertford so happy to escort you around
The Old Cross Tavern
Black Horse
White Horse
Old Barge
Blackbirds
Quiet Man

and AVOID all the Macs pubs !!

Berko now has more than The Riser (the best of the three canalside pubs),I was impressed by The Red Squirrel Beer Shop .Also worth a visit to The Crown (Spoons) and maybe The Lamb.
Leighton Buzzard now much better with The Black Lion,and a micropub so you could do a train journey taking in both Berko and Leighton Buzzard if you are feeling fit.I'm in Buzzard on Nov 24th.

Thanks BF, psm did give me the heads-up on the bbm, but not tried it yet. A real shame that the on-sales at Kernel was to finish in Sep - I don't really get that - they had plenty of space, which they could have halved and still had a good area for people to buy tasters before stocking up with bottled off-sales.

Yes, we found the Red Squirrel bar last time we were in Berko, coincidentally the day of a beerfest at the Riser - everyone was impressed with venue, choice (not just RS), quality, and good pricing. After sampling Berko's excellent chippy at the station, we then headed off to Leighton Buzzard for the acclaimed Black Lion, only to find we'd been there before. Who could forget previously disembarking at a stn called Leighton Buzzard? We all did!

I've been to Hertford before, but have had the OCT down for a (re-) visit for a long time - I don't recall it at all. Good tips on non-mac pubs, thanks, I'll let you know if heading up that way.

Cheers again everyone, tm

Bucking Fastard
19-10-2015, 17:09
Just remembered I'd left off The Duncombe Arms from that Hertford list:o

Ever done Hitchin ?
Nightingale,Radcliffe Arms and Half Moon in the GBG ,Bricklayers definitely worth doing with Sun Runner and Victoria as wild cards

london calling
26-10-2015, 20:33
Carshalton not too bad ,some decent pubs and if you combine it with the Hope beer fest on the last weekend of every month. I have been to 3 of them this year and probably will go on Friday.The list of beers is on the pub website. Looks a good one again.Great beer quality and prices.

trainman
26-10-2015, 21:49
Yep, done Ipswich, Hitchin and Carshalton - I think it's mostly packing apart from the Hope at the latter and, even there, why don't they stick a dartboard in that mid room to the 'beer garden'?
Didn't know about monthly beerfests though - I'll bear that in mind, thanks, but can't do this weekend.