Charlton to Greenwich pub crawl

I've been promising myself to be a bit more energetic and with the glorious sunshine over the past few weekends a post match pub crawl back to Greenwich provided the perfect incentive to get walking and hopefully introduce a few fellow Charlton supporters and friends to some of South East London's hidden gems.  It was this or writing about another loss to Middlesbrough so it was an easy decision.

Anchor & Hope

I start with the Anchor & Hope, right on the Thames, appropriately enough down the lane of the same name, just North of the Valley.  It looks like a dead end until you get down to the end where the road turns left. There it stands in a desolated spot along with a few news houses, behind a Sainsburys' depot but don't let that put you off . It has a spacious riverside patio with views from the O2 and the cable car all the way to the Thames barrier and the planes descending into City Airport and is ideal if you want to watch the boats trawl the river.

The pub is understated on the outside but cosy on the inside with polite and friendly service. If you like your Thames history, the side room has a fascinating series of pictures depicting working Tug boats on the river.  On my latest visit they had Doombar and London Pride on tap and they were well looked after.

From there we take a stroll down Woolwich Road past the usual suspects such as the Rose of Denmark, the Pickwick and the Angerstein Hotel.  I purposely haven't included these as I am sure that many Charlton fans are familiar with them and they are easy to find.  Besides I'd be pickled before I'd got a third of the way back to Greenwich!

While not a pub, the Theatre of Wine at 75 Trafalgar Road is a handy stopping point on the way back to stock up on take away supplies for home consumption.  While concentrating on wines they have a superb supply of bottled beer that is well worth a second look if you are after something a bit unusual.  The British supply is heavily weighted towards London breweries such as Camden, Partizan,  and Kernel as well as Greenwich's own Meantime and there is always something interesting to tickle the taste buds.

Pelton Arms

Pelton Beer Garden

A right turn down Pelton Street finds the Pelton Arms, on a corner nestled amongst the houses.  Its easy to spot from the abundance of floral displays from the hanging baskets.  I would class this place as a proper local, not too smart inside, but with comfortable old leather sofas and a friendly feel to the place.  With eight cask beers on tap (yes eight!) they have a good revolving supply of ales that will suit all tastes.  My last trip there they had Old Growlers Gladness (made in collaboration with the band Madness) and Windsor & Eaton's Cot to name but two.  They have a smashing beer garden with plenty of tables amongst the myriad of  planted pots and flower beds.

Cutty Sark

 If you can prise yourself away, its a short walk to the Thames and the Cutty Sark pub nestled alongside some beautiful mews houses, and its style is in keeping with the surroundings.  It's a Youngs pub with their full range on display as well as a decent supply of kegs on tap from Meantime Brewing.  Again there is plenty of outside seating, along the Thames and its easy to while the whole afternoon away here.

 

The Yacht

The Bar at the Yacht

If you continue to follow the Thames into Greenwich the footpath will take you past the old power station and alms houses and then go slightly inland and you will pass The Yacht on the right hand side.  It's a Taylor Walker pub with a great range of beers.  On my visit they had three ales, with a further two keg beers and craft ciders racked up on the bar.  A fridge of bottled craft beers from the USA, Australia and Cambodia completed the selection.  There is no outside area but that shouldn't put you off as the large windows overlooking the Thames are left open during the summer and again afford a great view of the river and the Isle of Dogs opposite.

Plume of Feathers

Plume Beer Garden

As you come out of the Yacht it's a few paces from the passage way to the Naval College and it's tempting to turn right and pop into the Trafalgar next door.  While I have nothing against it, they have plenty of passing trade from the tourists visiting the Naval College and health and safety demands you drink from plastic glasses if you want to sit outside, so I would encourage you to instead take a left and head up towards Greenwich Park and visit the Plume of Feathers instead.

Old Brewery Beer Garden

Again, like the Pelton this has the feel of a local rather than catering to the tourists.  The scarves displayed behind the bar show the Land Lady's allegiances to Selhurst Park but please don't hold that against visiting a superb pub.  The inside of the pub is the traditional wood and horse brass look and like the Pelton Arms the Plume takes great pride in their floral display both outside the pub and in the beer garden. There are two regular and two guest beers on tap and the Sunday roasts looked superb! 

Finally, if you still have a thirst then the Old Brewery, owned by Meantime Brewing, in the grounds of the Naval College has something for everyone.  They have a wonderful walled garden to sit outside while the full range of Meantime beers, a few guest cask ales and the most comprehensive collection of weird and wonderful bottled beers from around the world that I have seen.

If you want more variety than this, can I suggest you get a ticket for the Great British Beer Festival which runs from the 13-17th August at Olympia.  More details can be found at www.gbbf.org.uk