2017 nearly a year of Pub Crawling

It was a slow start by my standards with no proper pub crawls planned for January.

14th January 2017

Castle Donington

A nice bar done in the middle of the village,one new pub done.

21st January 2017

Beeston

A new micro pub done,now up to two new pubs done in 2017.

28th January

Ilkeston,Langley Mill & Derby

I used a Trent Barton Zig Zag ticket to pick up two new Micro pubs and a keg pub in Derby. 3 new pubs done.

4th February 2017

Bristol,Clifton, Redland & City Centre

It was a walk up to the top end of Clifton and then doing pubs on my way back to Temple Meads station 23 new pubs done.
A good start to February in a city i really like.

18th February 2017

Nottingham City Centre

One new bar picked up in Nottingham.

25th February 2017

London, Holloway N19, Highbury N4, Lower Holloway N7

This was a pretty simple crawl,go to Highbury & Islington tube station and then walk up Holloway Road,i took photos of pubs on side streets and at the bottom end of Holloway Road,that i would do when it was dark.
I walked up to Archway and then back down taking detours off the main Holloway Road to do pubs on the back streets.
20 new pubs done.

18th March 2017

London, Beckenham, Shortlands, Clapham Junction

I had pre booked this Pub Crawl,but felt not that well when it came to doing it,as i do not like wasting money i went and did a shorter Pub Crawl than i normally do.
I decided to do some pubs well away from the middle of London and Beckenham fitted the bill with 12 pubs,though two did not open,i got a bus to Shortlands and one back and ended my pub crawl close to Clapham Junction train station where there were 4 pubs near each other.
14 new pubs done.

Mackworth Village & Derby City Centre 1st April 2017

I got a Trent Barton Zig Zag and went to Mackworth Village where there were two pubs but i had done one before,i did do both though.
I then did all pubs on the Mackworth estate mainly to take photos of the pubs which i had done many years ago.
I picked up one new bar in Derby City Centre.
2 new pubs done. 

Bristol, Redfield, Lawrence Hill & Barton Hill 8th April 2017

I did a walk out to Redfield and did all open pubs there and then walked back to Lawrence Hill and Barton Hill doing some back street pubs,i did get a bit lost walking back to Temple Meads train station.
23 new pubs done.

Bridgnorth 29th April 2017

Bridgnorth looking towards High Town

I have wanted to to to Bridgnorth to quite a while,but it is quite hard to get to from Nottingham on public transport.
My Brother treated me for my Birthday by driving me to Bridgnorth and walked round the pubs with me,but only having a few halfs.
It was a great day out in a great town that is very well pubbed.
21 new pubs done.

Guildford & Godalming 13th May 2017

This was my wife's Birthday treat for me a trip to Guildford.
I got into Guildford well before 10am and did a Wetherspoons there,with time to spare i decided to do a few pubs in Godalming,then go back to Guildford for my main pub crawl.
Really nice weather and two nice towns done,a great day out.
23 new pubs done.

Redditch, Alvechurch, Barnt Green, Birmingham Selly Oak & City Centre 26th May 2017

I decided to go to Redditch as no one else seems to have been to the pub away from the middle,when i do a town,i do the lot.
I found a few pubs that had closed down in Redditch,but i could get off the train on the way back to Birmingham to pick up more pubs.
21 new pubs done.

London St Pancras NW1, Kentish Town NW5, Tufnell Park N7, Upper Holloway N19, Dartmouth Park NW5, Gospel Oak NW3, Kentish Town NW1 2nd June 2017 

This was a Friday pub crawl,i travelled down on train from Nottingham to get an early start and got a National Express coach back from Victoria Coach Station.
I got an early drink close to St Pancras train station then went up to Kentish town and do a good walk round the area picking up any pubs or bars that were open.
I did a lot of walking but enjoyed it and the weather was very nice.
23 new pubs done.

Hucknall 3rd June 2017

I had a Saturday spare so went up to Hucknall to get a new micro pub done.
I did not know until i got there that our leader Jeremy Corbin was to do a speech shortly,the micro pub was full of Labour supporters and the square was filling up with lots of people.
I had to go out and wait for him to appear and he got out of a car quite close to me as i was stood away from the crowds.
1 new pub done.

Our Leader

 Hitchin & one in Grantham 17th June 2017

I managed to get a cheap day return from Grantham to Hitchin all i had to do was get a cheap day return on the day from Nottingham to Grantham and back.
It was an early start and i took a photo of Grantham's Wetherspoons before it opened,but i would do it on the way back to Nottingham, forward planning.
I was in Hitchin before 10am but it was a bit of a walk into the town centre.
A really nice town with a good stock of pubs.
Another great day out in very nice weather.
24 new pubs done.

St Albans 24th June 2017

I have always liked doing pubs in Hertfordshire because you can get McMullens tied houses done.
I got a train from Nottingham and then a Thameslink train from St Pancras to St Albans.
I had been to St Albans before when i had done a pub crawl years ago with the wife on a Nottingham Camra pub crawl.
I enjoyed the pub crawl,but did make a lot of mistakes,which is not like me when pub crawling.
21 new pubs done.

1st July 2017 Loughborough

I had done every pub in Loughborough years ago with my wife or my brother.
I decided to do a cheap pub crawl doing any new pubs and bars in the town and taking photos of pubs i did many years ago.
I did a heck a lot of walking to the North of the town and then to the South of the town doing some pubs i had already been in.
A good day out in really nice weather.
12 new pubs done.

Bristol City Centre, Hotwells & Clifton 15th July 2017

Another trip down to Bristol on train which gets me into Temple Meads train station well before 10am.
I am really starting to get my teeth into Bristol and getting to know my way round as i walk most pub crawls here like i did for this one.
It was a pretty simple crawl out to Hotwells doing any open pubs and doing some pubs uphill in Clifton,then a walk back to the City Centre to do a few pubs then on to Temple Meads train station.
I thought this was a really enjoyable pub crawl in a city that i really like.
23 new pubs done.

Ilkeston 22nd July 2017

A quick bus ride up to Ilson to get a new Micro pub done.
1 new pub done.

Kingswood, Bristol Two Mile Hill, St George, City Centre, Totterdown, Knowle & Brislington 29th July 2017

It was the usual early start and on the 7.26am train to Bristol from Derby.
This crawl would be a bit different as i would use a Bristol First bus for the first time,i got a day ticket for £4 and off up to Kingswood,it would be a walk from there back downhill and then a bus back to the city centre and a walk to Totterdown and a proper pub crawl round the area.
All went to plan i was well pleased and another pub crawl done in nice weather until the last hour when it rained heavy,so i got a bus to Temple Meads station and was one pub short of what i like to do,but well pleased as to how the pub crawl went.
22 new pubs done.

Falmouth Holiday 12th - 19th August 2017

This was our proper weeks holiday for many years after our children had left home,we had had weekends away and city breaks,but not a proper holiday.
I had never set foot in Cornwall before so i was quite excited in going to Falmouth.
It was a long journey from Nottingham and after missing a connection at Truro we finally got into Falmouth at about 3pm.

Day 1 Falmouth 12th August 2017

We had a drink in the Sea View where we were staying and then went out to look round Falmouth and do some pubs.
It was a nice day and we went in 10 new pubs.

Day 2 Falmouth 13th August 2017

We had a nice full English breakfast and ready to go out before 10am,we fell lucky as my wife spotted a Wetherspoons and we had an early drink.
More walking round Falmouth and doing more new pubs.
10 new pubs done.

Day 3 Truro & Falmouth 14th August 2017

The weather forecast was not that good for Monday with heavy rain predicted.
We had took no coats with us and went to Truro in a sports shirt and my wife in a blouse.
It started raining just after 12 when we came out of our third pub,it got heavier and heavier, Primark came to the rescue,no we did not buy coats as we dont do them when on holiday,i got a hoody and my wife a thin cardy.
My wife took a very big dislike to Truro and still hates the place now.
8 new pubs done in Truro and 1 new pub done in Falmouth.

Day 4 St Austell, Mevagissey, Fowey & Truro 15th August 2017

The weather was set fare for Tuesday and this would be one of our more complicated pub crawls.
Get a train to Truro and then onto St Austell, a bus to Mevagissey and then a ferry to Fowey, another bus back to St Austll where we would end our pub crawl.
Rule Number one: If in Cornwall do not rely on buses they never turn up.
We had a quick pint and a half in St Austell's Wetherspoons and then went to the bus station with plenty of time to get the bus to Mevagissey, it never turned up, 40 minutes waiting and we finally gave in and got a taxi to Mevagissey.
A really nice village with a good few pubs.
We were running a bit late due to Kernow buses not turning up, the ferry was on time and it was a really nice going across St Austell Bay.
Fowey was nice and we did all pubs we passed there.
We ended up in the Safe Harbour pub where the bus back to St Austell started from,there were lots of people waiting and some with children,the bus never turned up as a local who was waiting said it had turned round at the top of the hill, there were about 25 people waiting for it, *ing Kernow buses let us down again.
We went back into the Safe Harbour for another drink and had thoughts of sleeping rough as taxis were hard to book, my wife finally booked one which took us to Par train station and we just made it onto the Penzance train which would stop at Truro, we missed our connection to Falmouth as nothing seems to connect from Truro to anywhere.
My wife said we will walk uphill away from the middle of Truro as she hates the place, we finally found a pub and had a quick pint and a half and a better walk back downhill to the train station.
A very long day and we were pleased to get back to the Sea View.
14 new pubs done.

Day 5 St Mawes 16th August 2017

The weather forecast was for rain in the mid afternoon, we decided to do a short ferry trip to St Mawes which would take about half an hour, no problem as i like going on ferry's and have been on lots over the years.
Our first problem was that half of the ferry's had been cancelled due to heavy seas,no alarm bells ringing yet,we went in the Prince of Wales for a pint and a half while waiting for the next ferry.
It was a small tub with a bit of a shelter in the middle of the ferry,it started to get a bit choppy while still in Falmouth Harbour,once outside the harbour the waves started to roll in and the boat was going up and down and rolling quite bad,i was getting very worried as the waves were getting higher,people at the front of the ferry were getting soaked as waves were going over them.

Falmouth

Navy ship in Falmouth harbour

Falmouth in the distance,wish we were back there

There were three pubs in St Mawes to do and we were both pretty unhappy as the wind was getting stronger and the only other way to get out of St Mawes was an hourly shit Kernow bus to Truro, that my wife hates and then a train back to Falmouth or go back on the ferry.
When the ferry turned up everybody who got off was saying how bad it was and the captain of the ferry said it was very rough.
We got a seat in the small inside area where everybody was holding hands,as soon as we left St Mawes harbour the waves were very big and the ferry was soon rolling and then the engine cut out for a few seconds, which seemed like a lifetime.
We were so pleased to get back to Falmouth and on dry land.
We did a few pubs we had already been in and then went to Wetherspoons,the rain started and it was heavy,we decided to get a taxi back to the Sea View where we settled in for the night having a meal and joined in the quiz night,we really enjoyed the night having lots of drinks.
3 new pubs done.

Day 6 St Ives 17th August 2017

St Ives

It was the usual train from Falmouth to Truro which my wife hated the more we had to wait for a train there.
The connection from St Erth to St Ives was spot on unlike any trains at Truro.
St Ives was really nice and we did all open pubs we saw in the town.
12 new pubs done. 

Day 7 Penzanze, Mousehole, Newlyn & Falmouth 18th August 2017

Ship Inn Mousehole

 

Mousehole Harbour

We got a train from Falmouth to Truro and then wait an age for a train to Penzance,my wife was hating Truro more by the day.
This was a more complicated pub crawl as we had to use Kernow buses that never turn up,but they were three an hour to Moushole.
We had a drink in Penzance and then got the bus to Mousehole which was really nice,we then got a bus to Newlyn which looked nice from a bus,but the pubs were not so good.
After a bit of a wait we were on a bus to Penzance where did a few more pubs.
We did three more pubs in Falmouth and ended up in Wetherspoons for a late drink.
A great day out.
15 new pubs done.

Nottingham City Centre 26 August 2017

Two new bars done with the wife,both decent but no real ale in both.
2 new pubs done.

Darlington 9th September 2017

A new town for me and a direct train from Derby to Darlington,i was in the town just after 10am and found lots of early openers,i did a good walk out to do a Samuel Smiths tied house because i am trying to all of them,a shame the Glittering Star in the middle of Darlington had closed down.
23 new pubs done.

Bristol Bedminster and City Centre

Back down to my favourite city and pick up any pubs i had not done in Bedminster plus a few in the city centre,i walked out and back so no need for a bus.
Yet another great day out in Bristol.
23 new pubs done.

Bristol Fishponds, Eastville, Staple Hill & City Centre

I got an all day first bus ticket and on a bus to Fishponds,which had quite a few pubs to do.
I did a good walk round the area and did a few in Staple Hill,i ended up in a pub close to Bristol Temple Meads train station.
23 new pubs done.

Birmingham City Centre, Edgbaston & Harbourne 11th November 2017

I was not up to going too far from home, so i decided to go to Birmingham, was in the city just after 8am and walking round as i do not know the city that well,i found a Wetherspoons at 9am and was straight in for a drink.
I walked along Broad Street and did another Wetherspoons, then walked to Harbourne picking one pub up before 11am in Edgbaston.
I quite liked Harbourne and it had quite a few pubs.
I got a bus back towards the city centre where i had took photos of some back street pubs,i did a few but did not feel to well so finshed my pub crawl early.
19 new pubs done.

Nottingham City Centre 25th November 2017 

We had a good drink in Nottingham doing a few city centre pubs and picking one new bar up.
Not the best of times,but we were getting out.

Lincoln 9th December 2017

This was my wife's last minute idea to go to Lincoln Christmas market.
We had plenty of drinks and i hardly anything to eat,it was a great day out and we did do one new pub.
We ended up in a pub in the middle of Nottingham before getting the bus home.
1 new pub done.

I am not going to do best pubs done due to lack of time.

I am sure most who read my blog will know the worst.

Hand Bar Falmouth

421 new pubs done in 2017

Total pubs done 12654

Photo of pubs taken 10356 

No more pub crawls this year and into next year,hopefully with help from my wife i may do some later in 2018.