Walk London’s beer heritage in London Beer City week

Historic riverside pub the Dove in Hammersmith, on the Fuller’s Country walk. Pic: Fuller’s.

I’m combining my walking and my beer interests to help celebrate the London beer renaissance during London Beer City week in August. I’ll be launching my new Beer Badge Guides project with two great walking tours taking in the capital’s rich brewery heritage and some great pubs as well as various historic and beautiful corners.

Porters, Peers and Pilgrims: a London brewery heritage walk

Saturday 9 August, 1030hrs

Join me for a fascinating walking tour of London’s brewery heritage and numerous other historic sites, through the City, Spitalfields and the East End, across Tower Bridge and along Bankside.

Discover the sites of Whitbread, the original Truman’s, the perfection of porter at St Katharine’s Dock, Courage on the riverside and Barclay Perkins by Shakespeare’s Globe, finishing at the celebrated George Inn, the Borough’s last historic coaching inn, near London Bridge and numerous other beer venues.

A leisurely walk of approximately five miles (8km) taking about three hours. Note this walk visits heritage sites, not working breweries. Charge: £10 per person.

Meet at Old Street Underground/National Rail station (downstairs by ticket hall), London EC1Y 1BE. Finishes at the George Inn, 77 Borough High Street SE1 1NH, near London Bridge station.

Ensure your place by booking an advance ticket.

The Thames Path and Fuller’s Country: a riverside pub and brewery walk

Thursday 14 August 2014, 1300hrs

A walk that combines the splendours of the Thames Path, including part of the famous Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race course, with the Fuller’s brewery and two fabulous Fuller’s pubs. From Putney we walk along the river then beside the Beverley Brook near the London Wetlands Centre to the well sited Red Lion at Barnes, then across Hammersmith Bridge to one of London’s loveliest riverside pubs, the Dove, finally passing the brewery itself with a chance to call in at the shop (a brewery tour may be available at an extra charge – to be confirmed).

A leisurely walk of approximately five miles (8km) taking about four hours including pub stops. Charge: £8 per person

Meet at Putney National Rail station, High Street, London SW15 1RT. Finishes at Turnham Green Underground station (District Line).

Ensure your place by booking an advance ticket.

London Beer City 9-16 August 2014.

London Beer City

London Beer City is a week-long, city-wide festival which will celebrate London’s beer renaissance, running from Saturday 9 to Saturday 16 August. There will be events at the best pubs, bars and breweries across the city, showcasing the finest beer from London, Britain and further afield. There’ll be mini-festivals, tap takeovers, dinners, tours and much more besides. See the London Beer City website for more, including the full schedule of events.

London Beer City takes place around CAMRA’s flagship event, the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF), one of the biggest events of its kind in the world, serving more than 900 British cask ales, ciders and perries and imported beers. GBBF runs from Tuesday 12 to Saturday 16 August at Olympia Exhibition Centre.

Not only that but the London Craft Beer Festival, launched last year, will run from Thursday 14 to Sunday 17 August at the Oval Space in Bethnal Green. 24 breweries from London, the UK , Europe and this year the USA will be pouring beers to fuel the imagination and delight the senses.

Truly a sensational summer of beer here in London!