A round on the Circle

What better way to round off the week than with that fine British institution, a pub crawl? But in London, bars and pubs are so spread out, meaning pricey cabs or someone drawing the designated-driver straw. This is where London's transport came in handy for our Friday afternoon pub crawl with a difference: a clockwise tour of the Circle line, stopping off at 10 great pubs and bars along the way. I figured one or two mates might be able to bunk off work for it. Instead, five people with steady jobs were able to slip away, with several more joining us en route. Here's how we fared.

Barbican
1pm: SMITHS OF SMITHFIELD

67-77 Charterhouse Street, EC1 (020 7251 7950)
Is there a more satisfying feeling than drinking on a weekday lunchtime when everyone else has to scurry back to work? Smiths is packed with goodlooking sorts, the sun is shining, the beer tastes like nectar and my whole team are so up for this outing it's unbelievable.

Liverpool Street
1.45pm: THE LIGHT BAR

233 Shoreditch High St, E1 (020 7247 8989)
The Light Bar, a vast two-floored bar/club, popular with clubbers, is the sort of place that puts you in mind of dancing - possibly on the large trestle tables.

But I start to feel that our confidence - though impressive - may be misplaced. We boys all have a pint of lager (£3), the girls each have a glass of rosÈ (£4.75), and I wolf a delicious club sandwich (£5.50) - the tour manager needs to keep sharp for the troops, after all.

Monument
2.30pm: PRISM

147 Leadenhall Street, EC3 (020 7256 3888)
"This place is super-posh," says Kitty as we swish past the hostess at this City watering hole. There's a perceptible hush as six pub-crawlers enter the inner sanctum of the smart. It's all high-vaulted ceilings and walls covered in modern art. We feel out of place but the manager is a jovial sort, happily serving up six shots of black Sambuca. At £47 for the round, it's no wonder he's grinning.

Embankment
3.30pm: GORDON'S WINE BAR

47 Villiers Street, WC2 (020 7930 1408)
This is more like it - a cosy candlelit bar built into an old cellar between Embankment and Charing Cross - where deliveries used to arrive off the river. It would be a great place for a date; sadly, I'm with five increasingly drunk friends rather than a gorgeous girl.

St James's Park
4.30pm: ZANDER BAR

45 Buckingham Gate, SW1 (020 7630 6630)
The Zander Bar sees us sink more Sambuca shots (£4 each) - quickly. This slick, modern cocktail den may have the longest bar in London but it's way short on atmosphere today. Admittedly, that may be because it's the middle of the afternoon - we're enjoying our crawl so much, we've forgotten most of the capital is still at work for another hour or so.

South Kensington
5.15pm: JOE'S

126 Draycott Avenue, SW3 (020 7225 2217)
Situated next to poshfrock shops such as Joseph, this is the sort of place that yummy mummies come to get squiffy and, in hindsight, perhaps isn't the best spot for people who definitely now have a slight weave in their step. After a busy rush-hour Circle line train though, it's a relief to sit down with another bottle of house rose (£18).

Notting Hill Gate
6pm: THE PRINCE ALBERT

11 Pembridge Road, W11 (020 7727 7362)
Fantastic bar. We love it. The Notting Hillbillies are all lining up Friday night drinks, there's a back space where the weed fiends can fire up fags and there are an outrageous number of cute girls. We boys have a lager (£2.80), Kitty a vodka cranberry (£2.95) and Katy another rosé (£3.50).

Baker Street
7pm: THE VOLUNTEER

247 Baker Street, NW1 (020 7486 4091)
Is this the busiest pub in the world? With at least 200 punters outside, and Lord knows how many queuing at the bar, it takes almost 20 minutes to get four pints (£3) and two rosÈs here (£3.30). By now, the troops are kicking off about having to get back on "that bloody Tube". I feel like Captain Bligh in Mutiny On The Bounty.

King's Cross
8pm: THE BIG CHILL HOUSE

257-259 Pentonville Road, N1 (020 7427 2540)
Another winner. The big roof terrace at this trendy bar/club is the perfect spot to relax and take stock of the day. We all move on to spirits, and order two Jim Beam and Cokes (£3) and four vodka and cranberry juices (£3). But we also manage to lose our pretty new recruits along the way. Very careless.