MONTH OF MAY (2009)

The latest belated editions of the Great Edinburgh Pub Challenge see Nick take the helm:

By sheer coincidence, one of the few sunny afternoons in May (or, in fact, the whole summer) of 2009 happened to coincide with a trek up the Water of Leith Walkway from Slateford to Colinton Dell. Emerging from the woods into the sunshine we stumbled into The Spylaw Tavern (Dell Road/Bridge Road, 18,45). We opted to refresh ourselves with pints of Deuchars out in their spacious beer garden.

Around the corner and up the hill is the Colinton Inn (Bridge Road, 18,45); a pleasant enough wee boozer split over two levels and featuring a sun-trap beer garden out the back.

In our first blog back in 2007 we told you that the Great Edinburgh Pub Challenge had been conceived during a visit to an un-named pub - that pub was Hectors (Deanhaugh Street, 24, 29,42). A week after the trip to Colinton, we revisited this chic Stockbridge bar to rue the day we’d come up with such a daft idea.

Next door to Hectors is the equally classy but less forcedly trendy Stockbridge Tap (Raeburn Place, 24, 29, 42). With several ale taps, there is always a wide variety of beers available. On this occasion, the range included one of Brewdog’s experimental ales - How to Disappear Completely: although rather nice this was certainly not a session beer!

From a former Bert’s Bar to the original Bert’s Bar (William Street/Walker Street, 13,19,37,41,47), where we were joined by local celebrity Paul ‘PW’ McKay. A pub which is as famous for its pies as it is for its pints, we thoroughly recommend you pay a visit for a pie and a pint.

Our visit to Teuchters (William Street/Walker Street, 13,19,37,41,47) was not so much unplanned as un-coordinated; I was there with work colleagues on a night out when Rod arrived with other friends (apparently they do exist). Probably my favourite Edinburgh pub, this is a quaint wee place with a vibrant atmosphere and wide range of ales, lagers, malts, wines, liqueurs, gins, rums, and various other things which seem like a great idea at the time - such as the tequilas with which we celebrated last orders. For those who enjoy traditional Scottish fayre, the bistro A Room in the West End (located downstairs and affiliated to Teuchters) comes highly recommended.

May ended with a visit to the cinema in an attempt to take in something marginally more cultured: Armando Ianucci’s fantastic In the Loop:



The Cameo Bar (Home Street, 10,11,15,16,17,23,27,45), conveniently provides fully licensed facilities for the cinema. Happy days.

Until the next time...

CUMULATIVE PUB COUNT: 147