The Never Ending Pub Crawl: March 2016

Saturday 26 March 2016

Witney & Eynsham Crawl 16th May 2015

This Pub Crawl was a Birthday treat from my brother,he drove down to Witney in car and parked in the multistory car park which was free,probably because most people in the area are loaded with money.
Witney is a very pleasant town with a good stock of pubs,our aim was to do all pubs in the town.

Witney

1: Royal Oak

A decent looking pub which claims to be a Free House but all four real ales were from Wadworths Brewery,i have no problem with that,the Wadworth Henrys IPA went down very well after the long drive down from Nottingham.
The pub seemed a bit too posh for our liking with most areas set aside for diners only,we sat on bar stools at the bar which seemed to be the only place to sit if only drinking.

We took a short walk through town and was in our next pub.

2: Cross Keys

This pub is situated in the middle of Witney.
The pub was decent enough inside,there were three real ales on,i had a drink of Thwiates Wainwright which was a nice drink,the pub was also doing food which was quite cheap.

There are a decent amount of pubs on the market place,so it was short walk to our next pub.

3: Eagle Vaults

This is a large pub that could be mistaken for a Wetherspoons pub,but it is not.
There was only one real ale on here which was Doom Bar which was ok but nothing more.

4: Blue Boar

Another largish pub which is just up from the Eagle Vaults.
This pub was fairly large inside and was pretty crap in our opinion,two real ales on here,i had a drink of Brakspear Oxford Gold which was a decent drink,shame about the pub,my Brother commented it is more like a coffee shop than pub.

A short walk and we was on corn street,we noticed an old looking pub on the corner,but it is now called Koi,what was Greene Kings thinking in renaming an old pub like this.

5: Eagle Tavern

A really nice looking pub and an Hook Norton tied house so well pleased,the pub was just has nice inside with a few different rooms some quite small.
Four real ales on here with three from Hook Norton,i had a drink of Hook Norton Bitter which was a very nice drink.
A very nice pub to visit if in Witney.

I decided to leave the other pubs on corn street for later in the day,so we walked back and found Witney's Wetherspoons.

6: Company of Weavers

This looks smallish from the outside,but is much large inside,i had a drink of Belma Single Hop which was a very nice drink.
I quite liked this Wetherspoons.

It was a short walk to our next pub which is in a nice location opposite church green

7: The Fleece

This is more of a dining pub but there is a decent drinkers area to the front so we sat here.
I had a decent drink of Belhaven Golden Bay,there were also two more real ales on the bar.
Not really my sort of pub, but it was on the list to do.

It was now time to do a bit of walking to do a few of the pubs that are away from the town centre.
We took a short cut by walking by walking down a footpath and crossing over the River Windrush,we ended up on newland where there were a couple of pubs close by.

8: Griffin Inn

A really nice looking pub with a nice pub sign.
This pub is a Wadworths tied house so i was well pleased,i had a drink of Wadworths Henrys IPA a drink i really like,there were two more Wadworths beers on the bar.

9: Carpenters Arms

A decent enough looking pub but not quite as good as the Griffin just down the road.
This was quite a smart pub with a separate pool room,i had a drink of Frog Island Lock Stock & Barrel which was a nice drink,there was one more real ale on here.
A decent pub just a shame it was empty on our Saturday dinner visit.

The next three pubs were a shortish walk up the road and roughly in a triangle area on three different roads.

10: Three Pigeons

This is what i would call a picture postcard looking pub,stone built and it still had its old Courage signage in place.
The pub had a few rooms inside and a beamed ceiling,people were dining but no tables were laid so drinkers could drink anywhere,just how it should be.
Three real ales on here,i had a drink of Black Sheep bitter which was a very nice drink.
A very nice pub that was well worth the walk from the town centre.

11: Elm Tree

A standard looking town pub situated on a busy road.
The pub was decent enough inside with a small room to the front and much larger room to the rear,four real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Belhaven Golden Bay which was a very nice drink.
The pub was also quite busy with drinkers which is nice to see.

12: Old Court Hotel

A smart looking white painted pub that is close to a very busy road junction.
Too modern inside for our liking and two unclipped handpumps,i asked for a drink of real ale and a box was brought from the back,this had Abingdon Bridge in it,this was a very nice drink.
The pub was empty on our Saturday afternoon visit.

We now walked back into the middle of Witney to pick up the pubs we had not done yet.
The Plough was still shut so we had to go to our next port of call.

13: The Angel

This pub is situated in what i would call the middle of Witney.
the pub was quite nice inside and also very busy,four real ales on here,i had a drink of Brakspear Oxford Gold which went down well.

A short walk up corn street passing the Koi first a Greene King pub that has been ruined,we did not bother with this pub.
After walking past pubs we would do on our way back down the street we hit our next pub.

14: Chequers Smoke House

Another Witney pub that has been spoiled,it is quite large inside and caters for younger diners who like burgers and the like.
There were three real ales on here,i had a drink of Brakspear bitter which was decent enough,the old style american music was very annoying.

15: New Inn

The last pub on corn street if heading away from the town centre.
This is a very pleasant and comfortable pub inside,five real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Tring Sidepocket which was a very nice drink.
A pub i could stay in for a session.

16: Three Horseshoes

A nice looking stone built pub that is also quite nice inside with a beamed ceiling.
There were three real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Hook Norton Lion which was a nice drink.
A very pleasant pub to have a few drinks in.

17: The Hollybush

A nice looking stone built pub with a separate dining room,the front room is for drinkers.
There were three real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Roosters YPA which went down very well.

There were two more pubs to do in Witney,one an estate pub which we we would need to drive to and the other a roadside pub.
We decided to leave these and go to Eynsham which had a decent stock of pubs and most of all an Arkells tied house.

Eynsham

18: The Talbot

A very long fronted stone built pub.
This is an Arkells tied house a brewery i have done quite a lot of pubs as really like doing their pubs.
There were no handpumps on the bar which took me aback,but i then noticed barrels on stillages behind the bar,there were four real ales on all from Arkells,i had a drink of Arkells 3B which went down well.

19: Swan Hotel

A decent sized pub situated in the middle of Eynsham and within sight of two other pubs.
There were a couple of rooms inside and two real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Doom Bar which was ok.
Nothing special about this pub.

20: Red Lion

A decent looking pub that looks up to the high street.
Pretty standard inside with two real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Doom Bar which was ok.

21: Jolly Sportsman

A decent looking stone built pub that is situated on a crossroads in the middle of Eynsham.
There were two real ales on the bar and the same two as in the the Red Lion and Swan,i had a drink of Doom Bar which was a decent enough drink.

This was a great birthday treat from my brother,21 new pubs done and all sold real ales.
I also really liked the look of a lot of the pubs done on the crawl.

Next pub crawl will be an old one then i may do some of Nottingham City centre pubs that have long closed,that i have been in on many occasions.

Some pub stats will also be on at some point.

Saturday 12 March 2016

Oxford Crawl 19th / 20th December 1987

This was a weekend crawl staying overnight in a bed and breakfast on the Iffley road.
We took a train from Nottingham and got into Oxford well before 11am a taxi took us the the B&B,luckily there was a pub almost opposite the B&B.
This was to be a dinnertime crawl before going to watch Nottingham Forest play Oxford United at the Manor Ground,but the main reason for visiting Oxford was to do the Morrells tied houses.

Saturday 19 December 1987

A walk across the road and we was in our first pub.

1: Fir Tree Tavern

(c) Alan Winfield

A corner pub and the first Morrells house of the day,so well pleased,this was a pretty normal pub that had been done up,we had a decent drink of Morrells Bitter.

We then got a bus into the city centre to do our next pub.

2: The Eagle and Child

(c) Alan Winfield

A proper old pub and quite famous with its connections to JR Tolkein ,the pub was quite nice inside,being fairly narrow, the Halls Harvest Bitter was a decent drink.

Just across the road from the Eagle and Child is the Lamb and Flag.

3: Lamb & Flag

(c) Alan Winfield

A decent looking pub that had Chef & Brewer signage outside.
I noted the pub as an Ushers tied house,we had a decent drink of Ushers Bitter.
This was quite a nice pub.

4: Gloucester Arms

A small pub that was a Free House,we had a drink of Wadworth 6X which went down very well.
For some unknown reason i forgot to take a photo of this pub.

A walk through the City Centre and we found pub number 5.

5: The Grapes

(c) Alan Winfield

This was a decent looking pub and another Morrells tied house,it was quite small and narrow inside,we had a drink of Morrells Bitter which was a really nice drink.

6: Oxford Bakery & Brew House

(c) Alan Winfield

This was a a fairly large looking pub with a nice curved frontage,lots of wood inside and a choice of real ales we had a drink of Old Rot Porter which was a very nice drink.

Our next pub has now changed name for the worse.

7: Welsh Pony

(c) Alan Winfield

This was a small Morrells tied house that was fairly basic inside,the Morrells Bitter was a decent enough drink.
Sadly this pub was called Euro Bar when i took a photo of it at a later date.

8: Nags Head

(c) Alan Winfield

A nice looking pub next to the river,it was quite smart inside with a few different rooms.
The pub was a Halls house when we did it,the Halls Harvest Bitter was a decent drink .

9: Queens Arms

(c) Alan Winfield

A pretty standard town pub,but it was a Morrells tied house so we were well pleased in doing it.
The pub was fairly smart inside and the Morrells Bitter was a decent enough drink.

10: The Westgate

(c) Alan Winfield

This was a modern looking pub that was a Morrells tied house.
the pub was fairly smart inside and the Morrells Bitter was a decent drink.

We now had to make our way to the Manor Ground,but we still had time to get a couple of pubs done on the way.

11: Cape of Good Hope

(c) Alan Winfield

Situated on the junction of some very busy roads.
The pub had a couple of rooms inside and was a Morrells tied house,the Morrells Bitter was a decent drink.

12 : Coach and Horses

(c) Alan Winfield

Another Morrels tied house so we were well pleased,the pub was fairly nice inside and the Morrells bitter was a decent drink.
A decent pub to end our dinnertime session in.

It was now time to to get down to the Manor Ground and hopefully see Forest beat Oxford United.
We did'nt win the game and lost 2-0 but still had a good season in ending up 3rd in the old 1st division.

Back to the pub crawling and a good evening session round the city.

13: Cricketers Arms

This was a Morland tied house with a decent drink of Morland bitter on the bar,we did the pub when it was dark and i did not get back to it on the Sunday to take a photo.

14: The Bulldog

(c) Alan Winfield

A decent looking pub in the city centre,the pub was a Courage tied house when we did it,we had a drink of Courage Best which was a nice drink.

A very short walk down St Aldates and we was in our next pub.

15: Old Tom

(c) Alan Winfield

A small pub with a narrow room which was quite cosy and comfortable.
Another Morrells tied house and a decent drink of Morrells bitter.

Walking further down St Aldates we found our next pub.

16: The Apollo

(c) Alan Winfield

A corner pub which was painted white,nothing special inside but it was a Morland tied house,we had a decent drink of Morland Bitter.

We walked further down St Algates to our next pub.

17: Head of the River

A fairly large pub that was converted from a warehouse.
The pub was an Halls house when we did it,the Halls Harvest Bitter was a decent drink.
This was quite a nice pub to have drink in.
It was dark when we did it and i did not get to take a photo the following day.

18: Royal Blenheim

Another Halls tied house,we had a drink of Wadworth 6x which was a very nice drink.
Another pub i did not take a photo of as it was dark.

We did a bit of a walk back up St Aldates to find our next pub.

19: Penny Farthing

A Morrells tied house that was a modern looking pub, we were well pleased in finding this pub,the Morrells bitter was decent enough.
Yet again no photo as i did not get round to take a photo on the Sunday.

20: The Wheatsheaf

(c) Alan Winfield

Another Morrells tied house that is situated down a narrow alley off the high street.
This was a decent pub with a couple of rooms,the Morrells bittter was a very nice drink.

We decided to start to walk back towards the hotel,but with plenty of time before the pubs closed,we could get quite a few done.
A nice walk over Magdalen bridge and we found plenty of pubs to go at.

21: Plasterers Arms

(c) Alan Winfield

A decent sized stand alone pub that was a Morrells tied house so we were well pleased,there were a few rooms inside,we had a drink in a comfortable lounge and had a nice drink of Morrells Mild.

22: Port Mahon

(c) Alan Winfield

This pub looked a bit strange from the outside,the inside was decent enough and another Morrells tied house,but the first keg Morrells house of the day,the keg Morrells bitter was ok.

A short walk and we was in our next pub.

23: Half Moon

(c) Alan Winfield

A decent Halls tied house that was quite small inside and smart enough inside,but no real ales on the bar.

24: The Elm Tree

(c) Alan Winfield

A fairly large pub that looked quite nice from the outside and another Morrells tied house.
The pub had a few rooms,we had a drink in the lounge,sadly the keg Morrells bittter was not too good.

25: Prince of Wales

(c) Alan Winfield

A small looking corner pub that looked quite basic,but it was a Morrells tied house so we had to do it.
There were a couple of rooms inside,i had a drink of Morrells Varsity bitter which was a nice drink.

A short walk up a side street and we found our next pub.

26: Temple Bar

(c) Alan Winfield

This was a Wadworths tied house so we were well pleased.
There were a couple of rooms inside,we had a drink in the bar,the Wadworths IPA was a decent drink.

It was getting late so we went in the last pub of the day.

27: Oxford Blue

(c) Alan Winfield

A decent enough pub to end our Saturday crawl in.
The pub was an Ushers tied house,the Ushers Bitter was a decent drink.

A great Saturday visiting loads of pubs and watching a pretty poor football match.
The weekend was not over we still had a Sunday dinner session to do before going back to Nottingham.

Sunday 20 December 1987

After a good walk round taking some photos of pubs done the previous day we were ready for our first drink of the day.

28: Duke of York

(c) Alan Winfield

A large pub that seems a but cut off by busy roads.
There were a few different rooms inside,we had a drink in the lounge.
The pub was a Morrells tied house so a good start to our session,the Morrells bittter was a very nice drink,the pub also had a bar billiards table which i like to see and play on.

It was a short walk to the next pub.

29: Jolly Farmers

(c) Alan Winfield

A nice looking pub that is in a quite area of Oxford,well it was on a Sunday.
There was a single room inside that was quite smart,we had a drink of Marstons Pedigree which was a nice drink.

A another shortish walk and we was outside Morrells brewery gates,so we took a couple of photos of us outside the gates.
We then went in the brewery tap next door to the brewery.

(c) Alan Winfield

30: Marlborough Arms

(c) Alan Winfield

A decent pub with a single room,we had a very nice drink of Morrells bitter,and so it should be with such a short distance to travel.
We were well pleased in seeing the brewery and doing the brewery tap.

We was now heading towards the train station but doing any pubs we saw while walking there.

31: The Chequers

(c) Alan Winfield

A nice looking pub with a couple of rooms we had a drink in a comfortable lounge.
This was an Halls tied house,the Halls Harvest bitter was a decent drink.

A very short walk and was in our next pub.

32: The Albion

(c) Alan Winfield

Another Morrells tied house so we were well pleased,just a single room inside but decent enough,the Morrells bitter went down well.
The pub is situated next door to Halls bottling stores.

After a short walk and passing the train station we found our next pub.

33: Old Gate House

(c) Alan Winfield

A decent looking pub that was quite comfortable inside.
A Halls tied house,we had a drink of Halls Harvest bitter.

A short walk down a side street and was in our last pub on our Oxford Crawl.

34: The Kite

(c) Alan Winfield

Quite a large Victorian built pub,that was also decent enough inside.
Our last pub was another Morrells tied house,so a good pub to end our Sunday dinnertime session in,the Morrells bitter was a very nice drink.

A short walk and we was on Oxford train station waiting to go back to Nottingham.

A great weekend out and we did quite well in finding the Morrells tied houses doing 18 of them.