The Watering Hole

This boozer is located close to Picardy Place where the great author was born. as you would expect its stuffed full of Sherlock Holmes/Conan Doyle memorabilia so well worth looking for if you are a Sherlockian.

Real ales are changed regularly otherwise you are stuck with that Tennants keg muck. I had a Guinness.

This is the nearest boozer to Edinburgh Castle and one of my favourite pubs in the city. Its named after the Ensign Ewart of the Scots Greys who captured one of the two French Eagles at Waterloo. Inside the pub you will find the story of the local hero together with lots of military memorabilia, but if you want to see the Eagle you will have to visit the Scots Grey's Museum in the Castle.

Real ales include Duechars IPA and Black Sheep. This pub can get very busy given its location and is very popular during the annual Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

What can I say about this little gem of a pub? Simply that it is the finest town-centre pub that I have ever come across. The atmosphere is just as you'd find in a typical English country pub. It has been recently refurbished, and thankfully the owners have kept the traditional feel to the place rather than turn it into some kind of trendy wine bar.

Real ales typically are from the Hog's Back Brewery, T.E.A. being the regular ale. Drinks are reasonably priced - Strongbow cider at £2.86 a pint - and the few times I've taken the time to sample their food menu, I have been mightily impressed.

Overall, I would say this is one of the best pubs in the area and well worth a visit.

More details and reviews

Ok I know its not much to look at but

this is one of the most welcoming pubs in Santa Eulalia. Whats more when you can pay up to €4.50 for a half pint anywhere else, in here its €2.50 for a pint of lovely chilled Estrella. The couple who run this bar are very friendly and also have Carling and some kind of keg bitter on tap for those people who enjoy paying extra for a taste of home. There are also Fruit Shoots and J20 for the discerning under 16s.

Best to avoid when major sporting fixtures are on though as it can get a bit rowdy.

The Royal Oak in Winchester purports to be "The Oldest Bar in Britain", as do several others. But this bar in Winchester has an aged feeling whilst being fairly modern in decor. Unlike most pubs its frontage is very narrow and the main entrance is down an alley. But considering this it is very light and airy. The earliest record of it being known as The Royal Oak is from the History of Hampshire where it is listed in 1732 as owned by Thomas Godwin and a 'messuage called the Royal Oak, Winchester'.

Apart from that the beer and food is very good and the atmosphere very plesent.

This pub has a tremendous literary heritage being the favoured watering hole of people like George Orwell and Dylan Thomas and this is reflected in the number of framed photos and other documents that adorn the walls.

Named after the Fitzroy family who were ennobled by Charles II the pub is credited with giving the London district of Fitzrovia it's name. It is now a Sam Smith's pub, which in London is a bit of pub schizophrenia - as Smiths on the one side spend a lot of cash on preserving the pub's original features but on the other only sell their own keg beers, which are pretty uniformly putrid. The exception is the Imperial Stout which is not unlike Guinness. I do find it puzzling as Sam Smiths make a very fine cask conditioned bitter (Old Brewery Bitter) but don't stock it in any of their London boozers.

So worth a visit to soak up a bit of London's literary heritage, enjoy a pint of the black stuff but carry on down to the Marquess of Granby if you want a pint of proper beer or decent lager.

Died and went to heaven yesterday when popped into the The Swordsman Inn, Stamford Bridge near York to find Sam Smiths beers. Had a pint of Imperial Stout yummy.

In Winchester for 6 weeks and found this bar.
Serves Wadsworths beer, need I say more?

Previously known as 'The Bell' the 'Hobgoblin' in Bicester is a great live music venue that has great beer to-boot. Quite old and shabby in side, but the fact that it serves Wychwood ales makes up for that.

Hard to find, but worth the effort. This small boozer serves the best range of real ales in Darlington.