13/09/16 - The Castle Pubs of Camden

Walk Distance - Negligible
Pubs - Edinboro Castle, Dublin Castle and the Hawley Arms
Geocaches - 0

There's a rumour that the four castle pubs of Camden were created to keep the navvies that built the railways in North London apart from each other.  Each Country - England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland had their own pub and separation was said to stop Natioanlistic Victorian railwaymen from taking lumps out of each other.

Except the dates of when they were built don't really line up.  Nor when compared to when the actual railway lines were built.

Still, never let the truth get in the way of a good story.  The two remaining are decent enough pubs and *should* be worthy of investigation.

The Edinboro Arms - Mornington Terrace - London Pride

Random BeerintheEvening Quote - "The punters are sadly an eclectic mix of loud mouthed Daddy bought it for me types and moaning old young media hags."

I do like this pub.  It has to be one of the finest pubs in London for the summer, with an extensive garden to the side.  Unfortunately, when the sun comes out, it is packed to the rafters with moaning old young media hags.

And you cannot get a seat outside.  Still, the Air Con was a welcome relief and we got to sit a stripped pine high tables and watch the young folk jostle for position at the bar.

Beer, on this visit, was a cloudy abomination of London Pride.  Unless CAMRA have succeeded in getting beer producers to remove the finings from beer.  Bring back fish bladders, say I.

Rollup for your Cloudy Pride, Young People of Camden

Dublin Castle, Parkway, Youngs Bitter 

Random BeerintheEvening Quote - "part from a few posters and other memorabilia related to Madness, it appears to be a level headed Camden boozer"

Moving quickly from Scotland to Ireland.  The Dublin Castle is another must seek out pub.  Its as rock and roll as you can get.  A first live music venue to many household bands over the years.  Amy Winehouse was known to serve behind the bar.  Presumably herself.

My Young's was served by a man who looked like a cross between Hank Williams and Bob Dylan.  Cowboy Shirt and Shades on - indoors.

He did start the conversation by shouting at the bar "Who Wants Booze?".  Makes a change from "Who's Next".  He also called me Man (not The Man, just Man), so I felt rather down with the kids.

A good place to spend 1/2 hour looking at the band memorabilia.  Particularly if you like Madness.

Dublin Castle on the Busy Parkway

I've found the RED setting on my camera 

There is some debate as to where the Windsor Castle in this quadri-pub is actually located.  Is it the one on the opposite side of Regents Park (not really worth it) or the one that used to be on the Parkway and is now a french steakhouse?

Its clearer with the Welsh pub.  The Caernarvon Castle burnt down in a fire that temporarily closed the Hawley Arms.

So, we went to the Hawley.  Spotting me for the tourist that I was, the barman tried to short change me with the "here's a fiver instead of a tenner from a twenty" trick.  I'm too pub-wise for him.

But you're not getting on my blog as a result.  And I've destroyed all my "I Heart Hawley" beer-mats.

Still, later in the evening - after we got the roof top bar reopened - a man ran in brandishing a knife.

Presumably he had been short changed.