London pub crawl – Photo supplied by Jeff Hitchcock
| Start/Finish | Category | Distance | Estimated Walking Time |
| Cittie of York / The Blackfriar | Restaurants, cafes and pubs | 1.5 km | 20 min* |
Summary
A journey through London’s backstreets exploring some classic English pubs, each with their own character and history.
Public transport
Catch a train to Chancery Lane. Ends near Blackfriars Station.
Directions
Starting point – Cittie of York
The London pub crawl starts at the Cittie of York in Holborn. The current pub has a panelled front bar and Great Hall at the rear. The brick cellars from an older building form the Cellar Bar, which is opened when food is served.
From the Cittie of York walk down High Holborn in an easterly direction. High Holborn becomes Holborn Rd. Continue down Holborn Rd then turn up Charterhouse St walking in a north easterly direction. From Charterhouse St turn up Ely Place.
Half way down Ely Place is a small passage, which can be a bit difficult to find. Walk through the passage to Ye Old Mitre. Ye Old Mitre is a historic pub with a range of different ales on tap. The pub was reportedly built in 1546, with alterations occurring in 1782 and remodelling in the early 1930’s. Apart from its selection of beers, the pub also serves some delicious snacks, including a range of pies and toasties.
From Ye Old Mitre exit Ely Place and cross Charterhouse St and then Holborn Viaduct. From here walk down Shoe Lane in a southerly direction. At the end of Shoe Lane walk up Little New St, left down Printer st, left down Gunpowder Square and continue down Wine Office Court.
Ye Old Cheshire Cheese
Image: Ye Old Cheshire Cheese, photo supplied by George Rex
Although you might feel a little lost in these London back streets don’t worry! Wine Office Court will take you to Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, which is the next pub on this journey. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is one of a number of pubs in London rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1666. The pub has vaulted cellars, thought to belong to a 13th-century monastery which once occupied the site. In winter, you can enjoy a beer next to an open fireplace. The pub has a rich history and apparently was frequented by Charles Dickens who took a liking to the place.
From Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese walk up Fleet St in an easterly direction to the Old Bell Tavern. The Old Bell Tavern built in the 1670’s, offers a selection of craft beers and wines, as well as an extensive range of gins and whiskeys. You also get a choice of classic pub dishes such as burgers, fish and chips and meat pies.
Finish – Blackfriar
The last pub on the journey is the Blackfriar. From the Old Bell Tavern continue east down Fleet St then turn right down New Bridge St. The Blackfriar is in Blackfriars Court, which is located near the intersection of New Bridge St and Queen Victoria St. Built in 1875 on the site of a former medieval Dominican friary you can treat yourself to a selection of ever-changing cask ales, including their very own Nicholson’s Pale Ale brewed by St Austell Brewery in Cornwall. To get home you can catch the tube from Blackfriars Station, which is located opposite.
London pub crawl – GPX file
To access to the GPX file for this walk click on the download button below.
Information on GPX files and how to import them into Google maps on your phone can be found here.
London pub crawl – Map
Start – Cittie of York
- Cittie of York
- Ye Old Mitre
- Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
- The Old Bell Tavern
- The Blackfriar
Finish – The Blackfriar
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