NORTH Yorkshire has the best scenery and the best beer, but it took a former brewery manager to link the two. Enthusiastic walker Mark Reid was working for Tetley's in Leeds when he came up with the idea for a book connecting his two loves. The result was The Inn Way...To The Yorkshire Dales.

Essentially this is an elegant, elongated pub crawl, involving long yomps amid the beautiful dales, with stop-offs at the area's best pubs.

It was an instant hit in the North of England, selling so well that Mark gave up his brewery job and devoted himself to writing full time.

The latest in the series, The Inn Way...To The North York Moors, took him 18 months, more than 60 pubs, 650 miles and one broken toe to complete.

Ironically, the injury was sustained not while clambering over rocky crags or boggy peat, but after he stubbed said toe on the corner of a cupboard at his Harrogate home.

Mark hopes The Inn Way...To The North York Moors will promote sustainable tourism by encouraging people to get out of their cars and walk.

"This is the only real way that you can fully understand, and therefore appreciate, the landscape, culture and heritage of the North York Moors - you have to walk through it to see, smell, taste and feel it in its every mood," he said.

His book sets out an 89-mile circular walk over six days, suggesting local pub and bed and breakfasts along the way.

Among the classic country pubs recommended by Mark are: the Crown, Helmsley; the Star Inn, Harome; the Blacksmiths Arms, Lastingham; the New Inn, Cropton; and the Moon and Sixpence, Glaisdale.

Bar Talk has five copies to give away of The Inn Way...To The North York Moors (published by Inn Way Publications, price £7.95).

Question: Mark used to work at which Leeds brewery?

Send your answer, on a postcard please, to Chris Titley, Inn Way Competition, The Evening Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York YO1 9YN, by January 27.

- WITH awe-inspiring synchronicity, we move from a piece about bars and walkers to Walkers Bar.

Nature-minded visitors to the Micklegate boozer may have spotted the fruit of the horse chestnut tree behind the bar.

This is the pub's so-called 'Lucky Conker'. As it turns out, the title is something of a misnomer.

Landlord Dave Wiltshire takes up the story. "I was out running down the path that leads to the Millennium Bridge.

"The conker fell out of the tree and missed me by a couple of feet. I thought, 'that's a lucky conker'."

It became the totem of the pub's new domino team, launched three-and-a-half months ago at the start of the season.

Since then, the team's match record reads: played 12, lost 12.

"We take the conker out on the pub crawl and then before a match it gets passed around and we rub it rather hopefully," Dave continued.

But the Lucky Conker doesn't seem to have brought you much luck, Dave, does it?

"It doesn't, no."

Nevertheless, he is keeping faith in the mascot until at least the end of the season. With luck he may one day give the victory cry: I came, I saw, I horsechestnutted...

- HOOTS mon, it's nearly Burns Night. Get your tatties and neeps out, heat up your haggis and then, in tribute to the great Scottish people, scour the city for a free drink.

Bar Talk's tip for a tot on the house: head for the Fox and Roman on Tadcaster Road, York, on the big night - Thursday.

Landlord Steve I'Anson is offering a free gargle of Scotch to anyone prepared to stand up and read some lines from their favourite poem in true Burns Night style.

"There's nothing like a drop of something warming and good company to dispel the winter chills," says Steve, "and Burns Night seems an appropriate occasion for a friendly get together.

"If you're an admirer of Burns' verse, then feel free to bring along your favourite poem, but I am not restricting the evening to just his work.

"I hope that people will bring along something that means something special to them, and perhaps share their reasons."

Standing up and spouting verse may sound a little intimidating, but remember there's a drop of whisky in it. And what are you, a man - or a wee, sleekit, cow'rin', tim'rous beastie?