Mark Bravery
@markbravery.bsky.social
Birding mostly in and around London, drinking real ale across most of Britain, following Sutton Utd FC home and away
⚽️ Sutton Utd 4 Gateshead 2: our third straight league win, achieved after going behind, and without a recognised striker, two goals early in the 2nd half (one a stunner from midfielder Lewis Simper) putting us 3-1 up, our fourth a late solo effort from home-grown defender Jack Taylor. Up to 17th. 🙂
November 29, 2025 at 5:59 PM
⚽️ Sutton Utd 4 Gateshead 2: our third straight league win, achieved after going behind, and without a recognised striker, two goals early in the 2nd half (one a stunner from midfielder Lewis Simper) putting us 3-1 up, our fourth a late solo effort from home-grown defender Jack Taylor. Up to 17th. 🙂
🍺 Trinity, Borough, London: pub with an eye-catching frontage, right by Borough tube station, taken from Greene King's clutches by Fuller's. The Christmas party season is already underway here. The Hophead passes muster. This visit completes Gtr London's entries for me in the 2026 Good Beer Guide. 🙂
November 27, 2025 at 7:40 PM
🍺 Trinity, Borough, London: pub with an eye-catching frontage, right by Borough tube station, taken from Greene King's clutches by Fuller's. The Christmas party season is already underway here. The Hophead passes muster. This visit completes Gtr London's entries for me in the 2026 Good Beer Guide. 🙂
🍺 Rockingham Arms, Elephant & Castle, London: busy (aren't they all?) Wetherspoon pub on the ground floor of a 1960s building that once housed the DHSS, now doubtless serving modern-day claimants. The Salem (Batemans) Dark Fruits Porter is rich, with damson notes and faint bitterness in the finish.
November 27, 2025 at 5:33 PM
🍺 Rockingham Arms, Elephant & Castle, London: busy (aren't they all?) Wetherspoon pub on the ground floor of a 1960s building that once housed the DHSS, now doubtless serving modern-day claimants. The Salem (Batemans) Dark Fruits Porter is rich, with damson notes and faint bitterness in the finish.
🍺 Bugle Horn, Charlton, London: rambling old pub in Charlton Village, where taciturn blokes lurk on bar stools, though some livelier customers have now arrived. Much less appealing than the last pub, but the Marston's Pedigree, not often seen in the capital these days, is satisfyingly robust.
November 24, 2025 at 8:41 PM
🍺 Bugle Horn, Charlton, London: rambling old pub in Charlton Village, where taciturn blokes lurk on bar stools, though some livelier customers have now arrived. Much less appealing than the last pub, but the Marston's Pedigree, not often seen in the capital these days, is satisfyingly robust.
🍺 Lord Herbert, Plumstead Common, London: comfortable, street corner local with a relaxed ambience and island bar, the walls decorated with portraits of rock musicians, old ceramic signs and pro-Palestine posters. The Wye Valley HPA is on top form; I'm staying for another. 🙂
November 24, 2025 at 6:21 PM
🍺 Lord Herbert, Plumstead Common, London: comfortable, street corner local with a relaxed ambience and island bar, the walls decorated with portraits of rock musicians, old ceramic signs and pro-Palestine posters. The Wye Valley HPA is on top form; I'm staying for another. 🙂
⚽️ Truro City 2 Sutton Utd 3: our first league away win of the season, and a vital one, against the division's bottom side who came back from 2-0 down to 2-2, our late winner (Wimbledon loanee Kai Jennings's second rocket of the game) coming two minutes after their equaliser. We're up to 19th. 🙂
November 22, 2025 at 5:44 PM
⚽️ Truro City 2 Sutton Utd 3: our first league away win of the season, and a vital one, against the division's bottom side who came back from 2-0 down to 2-2, our late winner (Wimbledon loanee Kai Jennings's second rocket of the game) coming two minutes after their equaliser. We're up to 19th. 🙂
🍺 A visit to SW Cornwall isn't really complete without a return to the legendary Blue Anchor brewpub in Helston. The Middle (5%) is above average.
November 22, 2025 at 11:50 AM
🍺 A visit to SW Cornwall isn't really complete without a return to the legendary Blue Anchor brewpub in Helston. The Middle (5%) is above average.
🍺 Moth & the Moon, Falmouth, Cornwall: cosy, cultured pub with mixed seating and a nice mix of customers drifting in and out. Big shout-out for the Tintagel Pendragon, a stunning beer (4.5% and 4.5 NBSS), so good I had to stay for a second. Experiencing this reminds me why I keep drinking cask ale.
November 21, 2025 at 8:05 PM
🍺 Moth & the Moon, Falmouth, Cornwall: cosy, cultured pub with mixed seating and a nice mix of customers drifting in and out. Big shout-out for the Tintagel Pendragon, a stunning beer (4.5% and 4.5 NBSS), so good I had to stay for a second. Experiencing this reminds me why I keep drinking cask ale.
🍺 Verdant Brewing Tap Room, Penryn, Cornwall: modern beer hall, adjacent to the brewery on the almost-inevitable industrial eatate, with a mostly young crowd (plus kids and dogs) in this Friday teatime. The Burnthouse porter (4.6%) is satisfingly rich, with hints of coffee and dried fruit.
November 21, 2025 at 6:03 PM
🍺 Verdant Brewing Tap Room, Penryn, Cornwall: modern beer hall, adjacent to the brewery on the almost-inevitable industrial eatate, with a mostly young crowd (plus kids and dogs) in this Friday teatime. The Burnthouse porter (4.6%) is satisfingly rich, with hints of coffee and dried fruit.
🍺 Knowles of Norwood, West Norwood, SE London: named after the hardware store that once occupied the building, and now run by Portobello Pub Co, this smart and expansive bar is rather a contrast to the down-at-heel shops nearby. The locally brewed Gipsy Hill Bandit is chilled and hoppy.
November 20, 2025 at 8:06 PM
🍺 Knowles of Norwood, West Norwood, SE London: named after the hardware store that once occupied the building, and now run by Portobello Pub Co, this smart and expansive bar is rather a contrast to the down-at-heel shops nearby. The locally brewed Gipsy Hill Bandit is chilled and hoppy.
🦊🐦⬛ This rather handsome Red Fox greeted me on Wandle Meadow this morning.
Birding highlights were four Fieldfare and a Redwing up in the trees.
Birding highlights were four Fieldfare and a Redwing up in the trees.
November 20, 2025 at 9:31 AM
🦊🐦⬛ This rather handsome Red Fox greeted me on Wandle Meadow this morning.
Birding highlights were four Fieldfare and a Redwing up in the trees.
Birding highlights were four Fieldfare and a Redwing up in the trees.
🍺 Lady Ottoline, Bloomsbury: named after a society hostess associated with the Bloomsbury Set, an eclectically furnished pub with wooden floorboards and upstairs dining room. Most customers in the bar are women. My Wimbledon Common is murkier than it should be, but tastes as it should.
November 17, 2025 at 7:35 PM
🍺 Lady Ottoline, Bloomsbury: named after a society hostess associated with the Bloomsbury Set, an eclectically furnished pub with wooden floorboards and upstairs dining room. Most customers in the bar are women. My Wimbledon Common is murkier than it should be, but tastes as it should.
🍺 Duke, Bloomsbury, London: characterful, art deco pub with original features, both bars offering (uncushioned) wooden booths for more intimate drinking. Against my initial impulse (for Harvey's), I ordered the Greene King Fireside, actually pretty decent, and feeling right for a chilly evening.
November 17, 2025 at 6:19 PM
🍺 Duke, Bloomsbury, London: characterful, art deco pub with original features, both bars offering (uncushioned) wooden booths for more intimate drinking. Against my initial impulse (for Harvey's), I ordered the Greene King Fireside, actually pretty decent, and feeling right for a chilly evening.
🍺 Beer Merchants Tap, Hackney Wick, London: warehouse-like bar and bottle shop with bench seating, where I'm the oldest customer by around 35 years. There's only one cask ale on but it's a goodun, Skylark Stout from Uckfield's Three Acre, whose beers often make it from East Sussex to the capital.
November 16, 2025 at 8:12 PM
🍺 Beer Merchants Tap, Hackney Wick, London: warehouse-like bar and bottle shop with bench seating, where I'm the oldest customer by around 35 years. There's only one cask ale on but it's a goodun, Skylark Stout from Uckfield's Three Acre, whose beers often make it from East Sussex to the capital.
🍺 Duke of St Albans, Kentish Town: over the road from Parliament Hill, and seemingly a magnet for the North London set, this place was buzzing early this Sunday evening. With bar flies obstructing my view, I missed the revived Boddingtons on handpump, opting instead for the so-so Vale Tickety Brew.
November 16, 2025 at 6:56 PM
🍺 Duke of St Albans, Kentish Town: over the road from Parliament Hill, and seemingly a magnet for the North London set, this place was buzzing early this Sunday evening. With bar flies obstructing my view, I missed the revived Boddingtons on handpump, opting instead for the so-so Vale Tickety Brew.
⚽️ Sutton Utd 2 FC Halifax Town 0: our most emphatic league wn so far this campaign (against a club that won 3-0 here last season) featured a first senior goal from academy graduate Junior Eccleston and a penalty save by our keeper. 7 points from three games and we're out of the relegation zone!
November 15, 2025 at 5:29 PM
⚽️ Sutton Utd 2 FC Halifax Town 0: our most emphatic league wn so far this campaign (against a club that won 3-0 here last season) featured a first senior goal from academy graduate Junior Eccleston and a penalty save by our keeper. 7 points from three games and we're out of the relegation zone!
🍺 Pottle, Beeston, Notts: micropub with much packed into a small space. The hazy My Poor Brain from Derbyshire's Pentrich brewery is robust and fruity. Guvnor tells us that they'll be moving to bigger premises next year.
November 14, 2025 at 3:12 PM
🍺 Pottle, Beeston, Notts: micropub with much packed into a small space. The hazy My Poor Brain from Derbyshire's Pentrich brewery is robust and fruity. Guvnor tells us that they'll be moving to bigger premises next year.
🍺 Horse & Jockey, Stapleford, Notts: on a GLC Real Ale trip to Nottingham and this place, a former CAMRA national Pub of the Year finalist, is worth the extra bus journey. 13 beers on handpump, including The Crow And The Bees dark mild from Sheffield's Blue Bee brewery. A few other old guys are in.
November 14, 2025 at 2:14 PM
🍺 Horse & Jockey, Stapleford, Notts: on a GLC Real Ale trip to Nottingham and this place, a former CAMRA national Pub of the Year finalist, is worth the extra bus journey. 13 beers on handpump, including The Crow And The Bees dark mild from Sheffield's Blue Bee brewery. A few other old guys are in.
🐦⬛ River Thames at Crossness, SE London: a few Wigeon were among the other ducks at the outfall, Black-tailed Godwits had gathered en masse with a scattering of Redshanks and a dozen Dunlin. To the west, an adult Yellow-legged Gull loafed on the shoreline near a probable 1st winter bird on the water.
November 12, 2025 at 2:02 PM
🐦⬛ River Thames at Crossness, SE London: a few Wigeon were among the other ducks at the outfall, Black-tailed Godwits had gathered en masse with a scattering of Redshanks and a dozen Dunlin. To the west, an adult Yellow-legged Gull loafed on the shoreline near a probable 1st winter bird on the water.
🍺 White Swan, Aldgate, London: lovingly preserved by Shepherd Neame, a pub just outside the City limits where the Master Brew is in fine fettle. The guvnor, who no longer drinks, asks me to sample the Whitstable Bay before it comes on. I was the sole customer, but others are now drifting in.
November 10, 2025 at 5:21 PM
🍺 White Swan, Aldgate, London: lovingly preserved by Shepherd Neame, a pub just outside the City limits where the Master Brew is in fine fettle. The guvnor, who no longer drinks, asks me to sample the Whitstable Bay before it comes on. I was the sole customer, but others are now drifting in.
🍺 Northumberland Arms, Brentford: rather desolate-looking pub, west of the River Brent, with a modernised interior and two of the three handpumps partly hidden behind a pillar. Three blokes at the bar discuss trips to the western USA. I can't fault my pint of Oakham Original Pale Ale.
November 6, 2025 at 9:03 PM
🍺 Northumberland Arms, Brentford: rather desolate-looking pub, west of the River Brent, with a modernised interior and two of the three handpumps partly hidden behind a pillar. Three blokes at the bar discuss trips to the western USA. I can't fault my pint of Oakham Original Pale Ale.
🍺 White Swan, Richmond, Gtr London: yet another pub I'm returning to after a long absence (I recall it being a Courage house in the 80s), this cosy, C18th hostelry, up a back street from the river, serves a decent pint of Surrey Hills Shere Drop. Clientele are decidedly middle-aged and middle class.
November 6, 2025 at 8:32 PM
🍺 White Swan, Richmond, Gtr London: yet another pub I'm returning to after a long absence (I recall it being a Courage house in the 80s), this cosy, C18th hostelry, up a back street from the river, serves a decent pint of Surrey Hills Shere Drop. Clientele are decidedly middle-aged and middle class.
⚽️ Sutton Utd 2 Eastleigh 1: beneath a supermoon and fireworks we grab only our second league win of the season, the first half graced with two fine home goals, the rather rocky second seeing us give away our umpteenth penalty this term and spurn chances to get a third goal. We are off the bottom!
November 5, 2025 at 10:34 PM
⚽️ Sutton Utd 2 Eastleigh 1: beneath a supermoon and fireworks we grab only our second league win of the season, the first half graced with two fine home goals, the rather rocky second seeing us give away our umpteenth penalty this term and spurn chances to get a third goal. We are off the bottom!
🐍 The mild November weather had tempted out this young Grass Snake at the London Wetland Centre, Barnes, today.
🐦⬛ The Glossy Ibis was still present on the grazing marsh and two Redpolls were in the birches by the sheltered lagoon. No sighting of yesterday's Long-eared Owl.
🐦⬛ The Glossy Ibis was still present on the grazing marsh and two Redpolls were in the birches by the sheltered lagoon. No sighting of yesterday's Long-eared Owl.
November 4, 2025 at 2:46 PM
🐍 The mild November weather had tempted out this young Grass Snake at the London Wetland Centre, Barnes, today.
🐦⬛ The Glossy Ibis was still present on the grazing marsh and two Redpolls were in the birches by the sheltered lagoon. No sighting of yesterday's Long-eared Owl.
🐦⬛ The Glossy Ibis was still present on the grazing marsh and two Redpolls were in the birches by the sheltered lagoon. No sighting of yesterday's Long-eared Owl.
🍺 Old Shades, Whitehall, London: acquired by Young's since my last visit (thus a Beer Guide re-tick) and it was pleasing to see six different breweries represented on the handpumps, my Southwark London Pale Ale somewhat underwhelming. Handsome, late Victorian pub, long and narrow, moderately busy.
November 3, 2025 at 6:18 PM
🍺 Old Shades, Whitehall, London: acquired by Young's since my last visit (thus a Beer Guide re-tick) and it was pleasing to see six different breweries represented on the handpumps, my Southwark London Pale Ale somewhat underwhelming. Handsome, late Victorian pub, long and narrow, moderately busy.