Ouseburn, Byker and the City

Another trip to the city, this time heading east to Ouseburn and Byker.  With so many pubs and brewery taps in the valley, it quickly became a day of decisions.  In the end I decided to stay in the Byker part of the valley.

Route

Lady Grey’s → The Tanners Arms → The Ship Inn → The Cumberland Arms → The High Main → The Butchers Arms → Gunner Tavern

But first, a visit to the Mosaic Tap in its new location.  My bad timing struck again and the Tap wasn’t opening until the next day.  I did get to have a quick peek at the bar and the menu.  It’s going to be great.  Oh well, next time.

Train or walk?  It was sunny out, the wind wasn’t too vicious and walking won.   This of course, required refreshments on the way.

Strolling East Through Newcastle

Lady Grey’s

Area: Near the Theatre Royal
Style: Traditional style pub
Visit order: 1

On Shakespeare Street, I’d like to put in some words worthy of the bard on how good the bar and the beer are, but I’d fall well short.  Enough to say that there were several pumps on the bar with a good range of styles.  I tried a couple before heading over the Central Motorway, that great concrete scar through the middle of Newcastle.

Ouseburn

The Tanners Arms

Area: Ouseburn
Style: Food and Students
Visit order: 2

The food being served in this place looked great.  I was very tempted, but beers and walking were the order of the day.  Not too busy, but a mix of workers, students and groups of friends.  I enjoyed a beer and headed along the street.

More family history here.  My great grandad was leaving this pub back in the 1950s and got knocked down by a car.  Ended up with two broken legs and a partial amputation.  Noted and care taken when crossing the roads today.

Brewery	Beer	ABV
Laine Brew Co	Tanners Paaaaaale Ale	4.0%

The Ship Inn

Area: Ouseburn
Style: Traditional, a lot of wood
Visit order: 3

I passed by Donzoko brewery, which is on also on the list for another day.  From there, it’s downhill to the Ship Inn, with a nice mural of a sheep on the side of the building.  Inside, the floor is bare wood and there’s plenty of wood around the bar.  Good ales on the bar and sunshine outside.  Not quite enough warmth for the beer garden, although there were some hardy souls out there.  Got to take the sunshine where you can get it. The whole Ouseburn area is looking good these days.

Brewery	Beer	ABV
Cullercoats Brewery	Rocket Brigade IPA	5.5%

The Cumberland Arms

Area: Ouseburn, east of the Ouse Burn
Style: Traditional and progressive
Visit order: 4

This was my first visit here (I think), and it’s a beauty.  I needed refreshment after climbing back up the hill from the Ship.  Stained glass in the windows and full glasses at the bar.  A solid ale selection in a pub with a community feel.  And it’s always good to see pickled eggs on the bar.

Brewery	Beer	ABV
Allendale Brewery	Tashy Bob	3.9%
Iron Pier	Bitter	4.0%

Byker

The High Main

Area: Shields Road
Style: Wetherspoons
Visit order: 5

Leaving the gentrification of the Ouseburn valley behind, I headed to Shields Road and the obligatory Wetherspoons.  This one on the corner opposite the old Beavan’s store which was a great shopping destination in its day.  It’s a great building and it’s good to see that it’s being maintained.

The pub was full and the beer festival was in full swing, I managed a couple of them, one being the Italian brewery beer which I hadn’t realised was produced at Bateman’s Brewery.  Nothing wrong with that, but I’d have picked something else if I’d known.

Brewery	Beer	ABV
Thornbridge Brewery	Pink Grapefruit Pale	4.0%
Birrificio Italiano	Nigredo	6.0%

The Butchers Arms

Area: Shields Road
Style: Proper Local
Visit order: 6

Across the street from Spoons is this proper local, already filling up ready for the weekend.  Unfortunately, there was no cask beer here, but I took in the atmosphere with a pint of John Smith’s.

Brewery	Beer	ABV
John Smith’s	Extra Smooth Ale (keg)	3.4%

Gunner Tavern

Area: Central Station
Style: Trendy with atmosphere
Visit order: 7

Modern bar with some lovely tiling, right across from the station (Newcastle is blessed with some great bars).  It had a modern vibe which makes it even better to see a line of real ales pumps on the bar.  I tried one, then another before getting the train home.  The fates were against that as an old friend arrived unexpectedly at the bar.  I felt obliged to catch up and have another couple of beers.  There’s always another train.

Brewery	Beer	ABV
Pentrich Brewing Co.	Maine Street	4.8%
Brass Castle	Best Bitter	4.5%
Fyne Ales	Jarl	3.8%
Arbor Ales	C Bomb	4.7%

Plenty of walking today and a real mix of pub styles with locals, student vibes and city centre stops.  Great ale in most of them and great atmosphere in all of them.  As ever, it was only touching the surface of the pubs in the area.  Newcastle offers many areas and many styles.

I reckon a brewery trip to Ouseburn is also on the cards.