London,Wood Green N22,Hornsey N8,Muswell Hill N10,Crouch End,Crouch Hill N8 & Finsbury Park 4th August 2016 N4

This was to be a full pub crawl of Hornsey and area that i had planned a few years back.
Not your normal London pub crawl,so hopefully a lot of London pubs that most people who do not live in London have never seen or been in before.

It was my usual early start from Nottingham but this was a Thursday crawl,which means the National Express Bus leaves earlier and gets into Golders Green earlier.
The bus trip down went without any problems and i was soon getting off the bus at Golders Green which has a tube station next to the National  Express coach station.

A pretty simple trip down the Northern line to Kings Cross /St Pancras and back up the Northern line to Wood Green and my starting point.

Wood Green N22

1: The Goose

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

Situated opposite Wood Green tube station and an early opener,so i was straight in for my first drink of the day on what would hopefully be a large pub crawl.
There was a fairly large single room that had decent seating and there were two real ales on the bar, i had a drink of London Pride,which went down well.

It was a very short walk to my next pub.

2: Spouters Corner

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

A Wetherspoons pub,so i knew it would be open early.
It was situated under some kind of complex which would put some people off,i quite like pubs that are under office blocks and the like.
A single oblong shaped room running to the rear,the beer choice was not that good for a Wetherspoons,but my Trumans Runner went down very well. 

I had to get my bearings  as to which way to walk,it was a walk South,i was soon walking down a major shopping street that must attract lots of shoppers from surrounding areas.
It was not long  before i found my third pub of the day.

Hornsey N8

3: The Wellington

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

I liked the look of this pub,a pretty rough looking pub that has probably never had a camra member cross its threshold.
Once inside there was a single oblong shaped room which was bare boarded,the seating was comfy enough and if you like watching horse racing it was on plenty of TVs,there were no real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Worthington Cream Flow,which was a pretty poor drink.
But i was pleased to get another new London pub done.

It was a short walk along Turnpike Lane and i was outside my next pub.

4: The Toll Gate

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

A decent looking Wetherspoons pub that looks like it was converted from houses,but what do i know.
Once inside there was a decent sized comfortable room which had more staff than customers,so it was easy to get served.
There was a good choice of guest real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Dark Star Hop Head,which went down very well.

I had to carry on walking along Turnpike lane to the junction and then over it to the Great Northern Railway Tavern,it was not open and i was told not open until 4.
I decided to walk down Church Street which was not to plan,but i am pretty good at changing pubs crawls at short notice.

5: Hope & Anchor

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

This looked kike a typical London pub with a turret on its corner and it was open.
Once inside there was an L shaped room with comfy enough seating,there was one real ale on the bar,which was London Pride,this was a decent drink.

I was now planning a revised route as i had found two pubs not open and one not really being a pub.
I walked back up to the High Street but through the back streets to save time,i was soon outside my next pub.

6: Three Compasses

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

A smart looking corner pub painted the horrible battleship grey colour.
Once inside it was quite a nice pub,with a good choice of real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Bath Ales Summer Hare,which went down well.
The pub was quite smart with an L shaped room and a mix of seating types,food was also being served,the background music was crap.

It was a short walk along the High Street to my next pub.

7: Hornsey Tavern

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

A corner pub with Greene King signage outside,i liked the look of this pub,could it be a really rough pub!
Once inside it was quite smart with it being carpeted,there was a single L shaped room with normal tables and chairs plus a couple of settees.
There was one real ale on the bar which was Greene King IPA and a bargain at £2 a pint or £1 for my half.
Horse racing was on the TVs.
I quite liked this pub.

I carried on walking along High Street which then turned into Priory Road.
I had made my mind up to go up Muswell Hill and see what pubs were there,not on my original crawl so no notes of what it had to offer.
But there were two pubs to do before i walked up Muswell Hill.

8: The Priory

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
A sports type pub with a single oblong shaped room which was bare boarded,there was a pool table to the rear,there were normal tables and chairs plus a few settees for seating,Heart FM was on the radio.
There were no real ales on the bar,i had a drink of John Smiths Extra Cold crap,which was a pretty crap drink,but all the old boys who were in seemed to enjoying it.

It was a very short walk to my next pub which was at the bottom of Muswell Hill.

Muswell Hill N10

9: Victoria Stakes

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
A smart looking pub that faced a very busy road junction.
Once inside the bar faced in a square shaped room which was bare boarded,there were normal tables and chairs,the front left side was down two steps.
There were three real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Purity UBU,which was a decent drink,i also noted Hopback Summer Lightening on the bar.
I presume there was a dining room upstairs,the main bar room was empty apart from myself.
This seemed quite a pleasant pub.

It was time to walk up Muswell Hill which would be worth it for the views over London,it was steeper that i thought it would be,but i was soon at the top and in Muswell Hill proper,it looked very posh,with lots of posh people shopping in posh shops.

10: The Mossy Well

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
A nice looking Wetherspoons from the outside.
Once inside this is a very large Wetherspoons that is on different levels,quite different to any other Wetherspoons i have been in,i quite liked it.
I had a drink of  Trumans Zephyr,which was a very nice drink.
I could have happily had a few more drinks in here,but i was on a pub crawl,so had to move on.

It was not long before i found my next pub and i had walked past O'Neill's,which i would do on the way back.

11: John Baird

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
A plain looking pub and the sort of 30s built pub that i have never liked,no doubt someone will tell me i am wrong with the date it was built,but i am not bothered as i did not like the look of it.
Once inside it was quite smart and comfortable,with the bar facing in an L shaped room which was part carpeted and bare boarded,there was comfy bench seating and normal tables and chairs,the rear left side looked like a Chinese or Indian restaurant,it was empty on my Thursday dinner visit.
There were three real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Woodfords Wherry,which went down well.
I thought this was a decent pub to have a drink in.

I retraced my steps and was soon outside my next pub.

12: O'Neill's

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
Housed in a large and nice looking ex church.
Once inside there was a square shaped room which was bare boarded,the bar was to the rear,there was also seating upstairs on three sides of the room which overlooked the main room.
There were three real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Black Sheep Golden Sheep,which was a decent drink,i should have had a drink of the Old Dairy Cow Shed,as i have never had any Old Dairy beers before,oh well.

It was time to leave Muswell Hill,so i caught a bus down the hill towards Crouch End,keeping my eye out for any pubs along the way,i pushed the bell as soon as i noticed a pub.
The Alex was not open but i could see another pub just down the road.

Crouch End N8

13: Maynard Arms

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
A corner pub painted in London black,to remind you that you are still in London.
Once inside there is an oblong shaped room which runs to the rear,part carpeted and bare boarded,there are raised areas to the front left and the rear where there there was a dining room.
There was a bar football table opposite the bar,there was comfy bench seating and normal tables and chairs.
There was a decent choice of real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Trumans Swift,which was a very nice drink,there was also Portobelo Star,Portobello Summer Bloom,Alchemy Blonde and GK IPA on the bar.
A decent pub in my opinion.

It was a short walk to the middle of Crouch End where there were plenty of shops and pubs.

14: The Henry Reader

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
Set in a row of shops and painted green.
Once inside there was a smallish oblong shaped room which was carpeted,the bar was on the left side,normal tables and chairs opposite the bar and a few tall tables and chairs to the front.
The TV was showing crap Irish songs because this is an Irish pub,to my surprise,there were five real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Bootleg Urban Fox,which was a decent drink,the other real ales were Adnams Ghost Ship,Sharps Atlantic /Doom Bar and Henry Reader bitter.

The pubs were all quite close to each other in the middle of Crouch End.

15: The Queens

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
A very large looking pub set slap bang in the middle of Crouch End.
Once inside the pub has three separate rooms,the main room is L shaped with the bar facing,there is an oblong shaped dining room to the left,plus a small room to the rear which is where the real ales were.
All rooms were bare boarded and had normal tables and chairs.
There were three real ales on the bar,i had a drink of By the Horns Mayor of Garrat,which was a decent drink,there was also Sharps Atlantic and Doom Bar on.
A very nice pub to have a drink in.

16: Kings Head

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
A grand looking pub with its own turret,it is situated on the apex of two roads in the middle of Crouch End.
Once inside the pub seemed a lot smaller with a single oblong shaped room which has bench seating tall tables and chairs plus a few settees,it is bare boarded.
There were four real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Harvistoun Summer Legend,which was a very nice drink,the other real ales were Salopian Hop Twister,Purity UBU and Doom Bar.
A decent pub to have a drink in,also quite busy on my Thursday afternoon visit.


  
17: Railway Tavern

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
A really nice looking pub with a mock Tudor  look outside.
Once inside there is a single oblong shaped room which has lots of wood panneling,there are normal tables and chairs and tall tables and chairs to the front,the bar is up one step on the right side,there is comfy bench seating and chairs opposite the bar,the rear area is up one more step,where there is more bench seating and chairs.
There were three real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Taylor Landlord,which was a decent drink,the other real ales were Purity UBU and Doom Bar.
A very pleasant and comfortable pub to have a drink in.

18: Harringay Arms

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

A decent looking pub from the outside. 
Once inside there is a small oblong shaped room which runs to the rear,the bar is on the right side and the room is carpeted,there is comfy bench seating and chairs for seating.
There were four real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Otter Bitter,which was a nice drink,the other real ales were Hammerton No5,LBF Chelsea Blonde and Adnams Lighthouse.
I quite liked this pub,just a shame the background music was crap.

My plan was to walk down Crouch Hill picking up any pubs along the way and end up at Finsbury Park for a Victoria Line tube to get me to Victoria Coach Station.
It was not long before i found my next pub.

Crouch Hill N4

19: The Hopsmiths

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
Once inside the bar faced in a single oblong shaped room that was bare boarded,there were tall tables and chairs to the front and normal tables and chairs to the rear.
The pub was being run by Late Knights brewery,there was a very good choice of real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Late Knights Crack of Dawn,which was a very nice drink,the other Late Knights real ales were Worm Catcher /Penge Porter /Morning Glory /Fog Cutter and Summer Knights,there were two guest beers,Windsor & Eton Republica and Thames H2O.
Not really my sort of pub.

After a short walk along Crouch Hill i found two pubs opposite each other.

20: The Old Dairy

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
A very large pub which i presume is housed in an old dairy.
Once inside there was a very large room with lots of different areas and seating types,the floor was bare boarded.
There were four real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Sambrooks Wandle,which went down well,the other real ales were Sambrooks Lavender Hill,Hackney American Pale Ale and GK IPA.
There were lots of TVs showing the cricket and decent background music was playing.
Not really my type of pub.

21: Stapleton Tavern

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
A decent sized corner pub situated in the middle of Crouch Hill.
There is a large single room which runs to the rear,where it opens out,the bar is on the left side,there are normal tables and chairs and settees to the front and normal tables and chairs elsewhere.
There were two real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Oakham Inferno,which was a very nice drink,the other real ale was GK IPA.
There was decent background music playing.
The pub was empty on my Thursday afternoon visit.
I was quite happy having a drink in this pub.

Finsbury Park N4

22: White Lion

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
An ex Wetherspoons pub situated on a busy road which leads to Finsbury Park.
Once inside there was a U Shaped room to the front which was bare boarded and had mainly normal tables and chairs for seating,there is a separate dining room to the rear.
There was one real ale on the bar which was Trumans Rio Gold,this was a decent drink.
There are tables and chairs outside the front with an awning,if you like to watch the constant traffic go by. 

23: The Worlds End

Photo taken by Alan Winfield

 
A corner pub that would be my last pub on this pub crawl,it is situated a short walk from Finsbury Park Tube station.
Once inside there is a large opened out room with the bar facing on entry,there was a bar football table near the entrance.
There were long tables and benches to the front and normal tables and chairs elsewhere.
There were four real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Portobello VPA,which was a very nice drink to end my crawl on,the other real ales were Hop Stuff Justified,Hogs Back Golden Ale and GK IPA.
There was decent background music playing.
I thought this was a decent pub to end my pub crawl in.

It was a short walk to Finsbury Park tube station and i was soon on a tube to Victoria and a short walk to Victoria Coach station.

This was a great day out in a part of London  that most people will never see.
Some of the pubs have closed down since my visit,but i did not want to highlight closed pubs as it is depressing.

My blog may become even more simple in the future.
Just a pub name beer and date done,due to things beyond my control.