Bath Pub Crawl
This has to be counted among the world’s top pub crawls. So long as you can count to, say, half a million. A pub crawl with friends is one of life’s great pleasures. A few drinks, a good natter, unexpected deep conversations with total strangers, and meditation on life’s challenging questions, such as, Why is that pub in the picture not in this crawl?
If it’s a sunny afternoon, why not visit the library? I’ll tell you why not: because you should be spending it at the Garrick’s Head in Sawclose (next to the Theatre Royal). There are lots of pavement tables. Sit there and drink in the atmosphere, as well as that continental lager. This will put you and any companions in just the right frame of mind for your pub crawl which has, of course, to take place in the evening.
Start from the Abbey Churchyard as seven o’clock chimes. Walk towards the Guildhall and turn left into the second pedestrian alley, Northumberland Place, opposite the entrance to the Guildhall. The pub crawl is about to begin.
1. Coeur de Lion
Northumberland Place. This is the smallest pub in Bath: you may only have space to hold a half a pint. Come back out opposite the Guildhall and turn left. Go a hundred yards up past the Podium to…
2. The Saracen’s Head
Broad St. This is where Dickens wrote the Pickwick Papers: so how did his editors read the handwriting? There is a piece of graffiti in the toilet which might be by Dickens, because it just says ‘Notwithstanding…’. Hop across Broad St into Green St to…
3. The Green Tree.
This has a nice log fire: great for burning sensitive documents. Or boring Victorian novels that aren’t funny any more. It also has a no-smoking room at the back. After this, go up to the top of Broad St and fork right along the Paragon. At the end of the long curve of the terrace is…
4. The Star
In the Paragon. Bath’s only genuine old pub. You might feel you’ve stumbled into a wartime photograph – indeed, after a few pints of Bass from the jug, you may feel like someone has conducted a bombing raid in your head.
