Bristol : Bedmister & Redcliffe Crawl 23rd January 2016

This was to be my second visit to Bristol to do a pub crawl,i did my first crawl here quite a few years back with the wife.
This was a pub crawl i was really looking forward to as i really like Bristol.
It was a very early start from my home and on an early train from Derby direct to Bristol,just after 9.30 am and i was in Bristol for the second time in my life.
Things got a bit complicated once i had left the station to find the Knights Templar Wetherspoons for my early first half,i got lost and was wandering around Redcliffe not having the faintest idea where it was,just i was about to walk into the city centre for an early opener i noticed three people walking towards me a couple of younger people and an older one,i asked if i was anywhere near the Knights Templar and was told no,but "we are going there so follow us" which i did.

Redcliffe

1: Knight Templar

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

This is a modern looking Wetherspoons which is well hidden behind Temple Meads station,i would never have found it on my own.
The pub had a single L shaped room and i had a decent drink of Moles Best which went down well after the journey down here.
While i was sorting tickets out to keep safe and thinking where to take my photos of pubs to do later in the day,a man approached me and asked if i was Alan Winfield,this took me aback for a few seconds being in a pub a long way from home and someone knowing my name,i then realised it was Jon who also contributes to Pubs Galore and had thought i might start my crawl here,he was right.
Jon was to stay with me for the whole crawl and was a great help in giving directions making my A-Z redundent for the day.

After walking past a few pubs and taking photos of them as it would be dark fairly early,we found a pub that was open,so it had to be done.

2: The Coliseum

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

This looked like a 60s built estate pub but was no where near an estate.
The pub seemed decent enough inside and the breakfasts seemed pretty popular.
There were no real ales on,so i had a drink of keg Courage Best which was a decent enough drink and a bonus as it was well before 11am.
Jon would stick to Lagers all through the crawl.

We were now heading towards Bedminster but i was still taking photos of pubs i may do later in the day.

Bedminster

3: Barley Mow

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

This was a decent looking pub from the outside with a green and brown tiled lower frontage.
Once inside there was a very small single room which was pretty basic and also almost full with older drinkers.
There were no real ales on,i had a drink of keg Courage Best which was a decent enough drink.
This was a very basic pub,not the sort of pub to take your girlfriend or Mam in.

After a walk through the main shopping area on East street we found our next pub open which was just after 11am.

4: The Steam Crane

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

This was a decent sized pub just off East street and on  the start of North street.
The pub had  a mural covering its frontage,you dont see this on pubs in Nottingham or the conurbation.
The pub was fairly large inside and bare boarded,the seating was a mix of types.
There were four real ales on,i had a drink of Bath Ales Jem which went down well,but was very expensive,so no surprise that the pub was empty on our Saturday dinnertime visit.

The pubs were all quite close to each other  round here,but some were not yet open and i had planned to walk down West street and back up North street which we did.

5: Robert Fitzharding

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

This was a typical looking Wetherspoons that was just across from the Steam Crane.
The pub was packed inside,the choice of guest beers was'nt great,but i only wanted one half,the half of Cotleigh Tawney Owl was a decent drink.
I thought this was a decent Wetherspoons.

6: Princess of Wales

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

This is a stand alone pub that is on a back street just away from the busy North street.
There was a single room inside wrapped around the bar on three sides,the room was carpeted and had comfy bench seating.
There was one real ale on which was Courage Best,this was a decent drink.
The pub was empty on our Saturday dinner visit.

We were no going to do any pub that was open on West Street.

7: Jolly Colliers

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

This was a decent looking pub that was painted in two tone green.
There was a single room which was carpeted and had a pool table and darts board in it.
There were no real ales on,i had a drink of John Smiths smooth crap which lived up to its name.

8: Plough & Windmill

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

This was a decent sized and nice looking pub that had a couple of signs outside stating Cask Ales so i was looking forward to getting a decent drink,but no such luck as there were no real ales on the bar,but there were lots of handpumps with clips on them but not in use.
I had to settle for a half of John Smiths Extra Cold Crap which was even more crap while looking at what real ales used to be on here.
The pub has a couple of rooms and a pool table.

9: Three Lions

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

This pub is a very short walk from the Plough & Windmill.
The pub has a very large England flag on its upper half and BS3 on it,i had no doubts that Bedminster is in the BS3 area of Bristol after seeing it while walking round the pubs.
Once inside this pub is a shrine to Bristol City FC with loads of pictures of their players and scarfs and flags,Jon advised me to go the the rear which is up a step and has a pool table and a large window which had good views looking down towards Aston Gate Bristol Citys ground.
There were no real ales on,i had a drink of keg Courage Best which was decent enough.

We now started going into the back streets and downhill to do the next pub which is well into the back streets.

10: Luckwell Tavern

This is a decent looking pub that has a single L shaped room inside.
There were two real ales on here,i had a drink of Courage Best which was a decent drink,there was also Doom Bar on.
This was the furthest flung pub from Temple Meads station and typical in being the only one i forgot to take a photo of.

It was more walking downhill and we were getting closer to Bristol Citys Ashton Gate ground.

11: Rising Sun

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

This is a nice looking pub with a fairly long frontage.
The pub has a single room which runs the width of the pub,this room is quite smart and also has a pool table,there is also a dining room and decent sized function room.
There were three real ales on,i had a drink of Exmoor Axe which went down very well.
I quite liked this pub.

12: Coopers Arms 

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

This pub is just along from the Rising Sun.
The pub has a single room which is quite smart and very comfortable,there were three real ales on,i had a drink of Taylor Landlord which was a decent drink.
This was another pub that i quite liked.

We were now heading for North Street to do some of the pubs on it,though not all as there would be too many.

13: Hen & Chicken

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

This is a decent sized corner pub that is situated on the busy North street.
The pub had a decent sized room inside which had raised areas,there was a decent choice of real ales on,i had a  drink of Arbour Blue Sky Drinking which was a very nice drink.
This was a decent pub and probably the most upmarket on the crawl up to now.

There are many pubs and bars along North street so i was doing what i fancied while heading back towards Temple Meads station.

14: Spotted Cow

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

This was a decent looking pub with some old brewery signage still in place.
There was a single L shaped room inside and a decent choice of real ales on,i had a drink of Arbour Triple Hop which was a decent drink.
Another pleasant pub to have a drink in.

15: The Masonic

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

This is a proper unaltered pub with a decent bar room with a darts board  and TVs showing football,there is also a large long skittle alley to the rear.
There were three real ales on,i had a drink of Butcombe Bitter which was a very nice drink. 

16: The Old Book Shop

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

This was not on my list to do,but Jon advised me to do it.
This is a newish pub that was converted from other use.
It is fairly small inside and on two levels with the bar to the right on the upper level,for some strange reason there is a piano in front of the bar.
There were two real ales on,i had a drink of Wild Weather Little Wind Bitter which went down well.
I quite took to this place.

17: The Hare

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

A pretty small looking pub and you have to go up a few steps to get into the main room.
There were three real ales on,i had a drink of Sheriff Fat Man which was a decent drink.
I found this to be a decent pub to have a drink in.

It was now getting dark so we would now pick up some of the pubs i had took photos of earlier in the day.

18:  London Inn

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

A decent looking pub that is in the middle of Bedminster,sadly the pub now sports the battleship grey colour.
Once inside this was a pretty standard pub with not a lot going for it.
There was one real ale on which was Doom Bar.

19: Black Cat

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

Another battleship grey painted pub.
There was a single  oblong shaped room which ran the width of the pub,the room was pretty basic but did have loads of fairy lights on the ceiling,not sure why.
No real ales on here,so it was a drink of John Smiths Smooth Crap which it was.
A pretty dissapointing pub.

After walking back along East street we got onto Bedminster Parade where there were more pubs to do,but yet again too many,so i had to miss a few out.

20: White Hart

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

A decent looking pub that was open when we passed it earlier in the day.
There is a single L shaped room which is bare boarded and there were three real ales on,i had a drink of Charles Wells White Hart Bitter which was a decent enough drink.

We passed a few pubs before doing the next one.

21: Little Grosvenor

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

A small corner pub that is close to the River Avon.
There is a small single room inside that had a TV showing football and very loud background music.
There were no real ales on,i had a drink of keg Courage Best which was decent enough.
This was a pretty boisterous pub and not for the faint hearted.

Redcliffe

We were now getting closer to Temple Meads station and had a couple more pubs to do which were not too far from it.

22: Golden Guinea

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

This was a nice looking pub from the outside and was also very nice inside,there is a single L shaped room which is bare boarded.
There were two real ales on that i noted,there may have been more but it was the second to last pub that i did,i had a drink of Tapstone Wild Woods which was a nice drink.

23: The Ship

(c) Photo taken by Alan Winfield

A stand alone pub situated in a quiet area.
The pub had three rooms with one being a pool room,i thought the two drinking rooms were quite smart and comfortable.
There were three real ales on,i had a drink of Courage Best which was a decent drink to end my crawl on.

It was a fairly short walk back to Temple Meads from here and Jon guided me through the back streets,it just started to rain as we left the Ship so we had a good days pubs crawling in the dry.
I went to the station while Jon went into the Reckless Engineer for another drink and his 24th pub of the day.

Many thanks Jon for finding me and guiding me round those pubs.
A great Bristol pub crawl and not my last as i now have a thirst for the City.

Next up and old Manchester Pub Crawl.