1: The Auld Hoose, Kinghorn, Fife.
This is one of the pubs that I look forward to visiting whenever I am in Scotland. The publican is a lovely bloke, the patrons are friendly, there is a good choice of ales on tap and good pub food. Highly recommended.
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 10
2: Feuars Arms Public House, Kirkcaldy, Fife.
This pub holds a special place in my heart.
When I was working in Scotland it was, after picking up my wife from our flat, my first stop after finishing work each day. Apart from it's beautiful art-nouveau-tiled décor, it has an interesting range of real ales and friendly staff and patrons - one of whom is still my friend many years later.
3: P.F.McCarthy, Kenmare, Ireland.
P.F. McCarthy has draught Guinness, brewed in Dublin, on tap.
Ho hum, you might well say.
But what a revelation after the dreary Adelaide-brewed stuff that comes out of Guinness cans in Australia!
In all other regards, "Ho Hum" is probably a pretty fair comment.
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 5
4: Plockton Hotel, Plockton, Scottish Highlands.
Ah, Plockton. Home of Hamish Macbeth.
Plockton is a beautiful village at the other end of the railway line from Inverness.
The cast of the television show stayed at the Plockton Inn which is, sadly, no longer a pub.
The Plockton Hotel, however, powers on.
It is a fine establishment with a good range of ales and good dining.
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 10
This is a great old hotel ("Sydney's Oldest Hotel")
in the historic Rocks area of Sydney, a short walk from Circular Quay.
Excellent pub food is complemented by an exceptional range of ales, brewed at the pub.
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 10
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 10
6: Murphy's Bar, Killarney, Ireland
Yep. Guinness is on tap. As it is in every other pub in Ireland.
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 5
7: The Dreel Tavern, Anstruther, Fife.
My wife and I used to live a few doors away from this historic 16th century coaching inn in High Street, Anstruther.
Apparently King James V visited the pub in the 16th century and allegedly formed an extremely close relationship with a local lass for a few minutes.
Apparently King James V visited the pub in the 16th century and allegedly formed an extremely close relationship with a local lass for a few minutes.
This pub is one of my favourites, with a range of ales and excellent food.
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 10
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 10
8: Moulin Hotel, Pitlochry, Scotland.
They brew their own ales at the Moulin Hotel. My favourite is Old Remedial. (That's my pint of it in the picture.) The staff are friendly, the atmosphere is welcoming and the food is seriously good.
A great pub!
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 10+
9: Old Mill Inn, Pitlochry, Scotland. 
This marvelous pub is on a laneway off the main street of Pitlochry.
There is a nice beer garden at the front which is a great place to lunch on the (not all that common) occasion of a fine day. But the interior of the pub is very cosy and welcoming.
The food is excellent, as is the range of ales available.
(If you are in Pitlochry, you will have a serious decision to make - Moulin Hotel or Old Mill Inn?
Whichever you choose, you'll be happy, although Moulin Hotel has a special place in my heart. And liver.
Not far from the Old Mill Inn is the world's foremost Malt Whisky shop - Robertsons of Pitlochry - where you will find the finest range of Malt Whiskys in the country, and have the pleasure of meeting internationally famous whisky expert and nice bloke, Ewan McIlwraith.)
Whichever you choose, you'll be happy, although Moulin Hotel has a special place in my heart. And liver.
Not far from the Old Mill Inn is the world's foremost Malt Whisky shop - Robertsons of Pitlochry - where you will find the finest range of Malt Whiskys in the country, and have the pleasure of meeting internationally famous whisky expert and nice bloke, Ewan McIlwraith.)
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 10
10: Guildford Arms Hotel, Edinburgh.
A big, rather impersonal pub in the New Town area of Edinburgh. They serve beer.
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 3.5
11: Myrtle Bank Hotel, Gairloch, Scotland.
If you happen to be returning from a dirty weekend in Skye and, because your fellow traveler in the passenger seat just WON'T BLOODY SHUT UP, you've accidentally turned left at Kyle of Lochalsh and found yourself heading along the southern bank of Loch Maree, don't despair.
Keep going until you reach the village of Gairloch, where you will be able to palliate your rage, drown your sorrows, quench your thirst and overcome your compulsion to choke the living shit out of your incessantly chattering travelling companion at the Myrtle Bank Hotel.
(It all seemed like a great idea, didn't it.
Your wife was visiting rellies in the Borders for the weekend and the little blonde typist from work with the enormous breasts who'd been making the hairy eyeballs at you for months said no, she had never been to the Highlands or even sat in a Mustang and yes, she would really love to go for a drive with you in your flash new car and no, she didn't need to be back before Monday.
Perfect. If only she would just sit quietly for a while.)
Good range of Scottish and Highland Real Ales on tap, with panoramic views from the Lounge Bar to watch the sun set across the loch to Skye.
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 10
Keep going until you reach the village of Gairloch, where you will be able to palliate your rage, drown your sorrows, quench your thirst and overcome your compulsion to choke the living shit out of your incessantly chattering travelling companion at the Myrtle Bank Hotel.
(It all seemed like a great idea, didn't it.
Your wife was visiting rellies in the Borders for the weekend and the little blonde typist from work with the enormous breasts who'd been making the hairy eyeballs at you for months said no, she had never been to the Highlands or even sat in a Mustang and yes, she would really love to go for a drive with you in your flash new car and no, she didn't need to be back before Monday.
Perfect. If only she would just sit quietly for a while.)
Good range of Scottish and Highland Real Ales on tap, with panoramic views from the Lounge Bar to watch the sun set across the loch to Skye.
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 10
12: Atholl Arms Hotel, Blair Athol, Scotland.
At least you won't have to queue for bar service.
You may, however, have to wait. And wait. And wait....
It's the Mary Celeste of pubs.
Nice décor, though.
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 3
13: Inver Lodge Hotel, Lochinver, Scotland.
This is the place to go when you win the lottery and get lucky with that classy, sophisticated auburn-haired divorced beauty from Endocrinology.
The food, the grog, the ambiance just don't get any better than this.
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 10+
The food, the grog, the ambiance just don't get any better than this.
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 10+
14: The Abbotsford Bar, Edinburgh.
Convenient location in Edinburgh New Town. The food is excellent. The beer is too. (Try the Innes and Gunn draught lager).
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 9
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 9
15: Aberdour Hotel, Fife.
One of Clibrig's favourites. Enjoy Real Ales and good pub food in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.
Friendly staff and patrons (especially when your daughter is with you.)
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 10
16: Ulmarra Hotel, Clarence River,
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 9
17: Eltham Hotel, Eltham, Victoria.
Sharing a name with the famous pub run by the legendary Mrs Dickie in the tiny village of Eltham near Lismore in northern NSW (the inevitable Friday night destination in the 1960s of newly- legal teenage boys too inexperienced to recognize that closing time in the Lismore hotels was probably a reasonable time to call it a night), is the perfectly respectable establishment in the leafy north-eastern Melbourne of the same name.
.
This is a pleasant location to enjoy the winter afternoon's sun on the deck of the public bar while sampling, a pint at a time, beers such as Great Northern, a fresh spicy brew from Southern Queensland.
At no extra charge, the Eltham Hotel provides an interesting cast of extras masquerading as regulars, including some celebrity look-alikes.
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 7
18: The Grand Hotel, Warrendyte, Victoria.
The historic Grand Hotel (constructed 1895) overlooks the leafy banks of the Yarra River.
Warrendyte, a gold mining centre in the 1850s, is now an arty-crafty outer Melbourne suburb, a weekend escape for the residents of the ticky-tacky little boxes of the more central suburbs.
And where better to have a cold ale after a peaceful walk along the river banks with the wife, the girlfriend, the boyfriend, the dog or somebody-else's wife, than The Grand Hotel.
There is a good selection of Victorian beers on tap, agreeable bar staff and sophisticated, dead-set-excellent pub food.
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 8
19: The Banksia Tavern, Pacific Coast, N.S.W.
One of Clibrig's favourites. Enjoy Real Ales and good pub food in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.
Friendly staff and patrons (especially when your daughter is with you.)
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 10
16: Ulmarra Hotel, Clarence River,
New South Wales.
Idyllic location on the banks of the Big River.
Comprehensive range of Cooper's Ales and really good pub food.Clibrig's Pub Rating: 9
17: Eltham Hotel, Eltham, Victoria.
Sharing a name with the famous pub run by the legendary Mrs Dickie in the tiny village of Eltham near Lismore in northern NSW (the inevitable Friday night destination in the 1960s of newly- legal teenage boys too inexperienced to recognize that closing time in the Lismore hotels was probably a reasonable time to call it a night), is the perfectly respectable establishment in the leafy north-eastern Melbourne of the same name.
.
This is a pleasant location to enjoy the winter afternoon's sun on the deck of the public bar while sampling, a pint at a time, beers such as Great Northern, a fresh spicy brew from Southern Queensland.
At no extra charge, the Eltham Hotel provides an interesting cast of extras masquerading as regulars, including some celebrity look-alikes.
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 7
18: The Grand Hotel, Warrendyte, Victoria.
The historic Grand Hotel (constructed 1895) overlooks the leafy banks of the Yarra River.
Warrendyte, a gold mining centre in the 1850s, is now an arty-crafty outer Melbourne suburb, a weekend escape for the residents of the ticky-tacky little boxes of the more central suburbs.
And where better to have a cold ale after a peaceful walk along the river banks with the wife, the girlfriend, the boyfriend, the dog or somebody-else's wife, than The Grand Hotel.
There is a good selection of Victorian beers on tap, agreeable bar staff and sophisticated, dead-set-excellent pub food.
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 8
19: The Banksia Tavern, Pacific Coast, N.S.W.
Great location with spectacular Pacific Ocean views, cordon bleu dining, a beautiful barmaid and interesting ales.
See you there! (Try to ignore the old piss-head who is invariably there, mumbling into his beer.)
Clibrig's Pub Rating: 15