Day trips from Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne

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jump on the metro and head to Tynemouth, there is so much history and scenic views to take in, as well as a abundance of pubs, cafes, restaurants etc. to suit everyone.

Tynemouth is a village located at the mouth of the River Tyne on the North-East coast of England, 6 miles from the centre of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne.
It has stunning beaches permitting a wide range of water sports, including surfing, sailing, wind surfing, jetski, sub-aqua, swimming and canoeing.

Prominent on the headland overlooking the river are the Tynemouth Priory and Castle, dating back to the 11th Century. The village itself is now a conservation area mostly comprised of buildings from the 18th and 19th century.

Read more at:TYNEMOUTH

One of the things I love about Newcastle is the ease with which you can reach the coast. A short drive or Metro ride from the city centre takes you to Whitley Bay (a rather run-down traditional English seaside resort), Cullercoats or my favourite Tynemouth. You may not want to laze on the beach or swim in the sea, even in summer (this is the chilly North Sea after all) but there are plenty of other reasons to come here: great fish and chips in local restaurants, bracing walks (the photo was taken on the jetty at Tynemouth), welcoming pubs and lots of interesting historical sights such as the Watch-house and Priory at Tynemouth.

My favourite walks are around the point at the mouth of the Tyne in Tynemouth or along the long sands in Cullercoats, but the Links at the northern end of Whitley Bay are also good. Or if you're feeling really energetic, why not do the whole length from Whitley Bay to Tynemouth?!

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it is beside the castle and tyne mouth so if you go there you gona like it if it is summer and also sunny you might even swim

i did once let me warn you it is freezinggggggggggggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A side visit to the Cathedral (and castle) of Durham is an absolute must if you are staying in Newcastle for more than a couple of days.

A full set of tip can be found on my Durham page at ....

....Sourbugger's salad days

In the words of Bill Bryson :

"If you have never been to Durham, go at once. Take my car. It's wonderful."
( Notes from a Small Island (1995), pp 234-35.)

Newcastle is a great place to use a centre for exploring the rest of the North of England.
Just to the North is fantastic coastline with superb views. Don't miss Bamburgh Castle which is just to the North of Seahouses. It is perched right on a wide expanse of beautiful beach. Just down the road in Seahouses you can get a boat trip to the Farne Islands which has one of the largest seabird colonies in Europe as well as seals. You can land on the island and the trip coast about £8 - £10. Just North of this is Holy Island with Lindisfarne castle on. You can drive across a causeway to the island at low tide. The times of this are posted near the islands. This stretch of coast is one of the most magical I have been to. Here is a picture of Bamburgh Castle from the boat to the Farne Islands.

Beamish Open Air Museum, is set in over 300 acres of beautiful countryside, vividly recreates life in the North of England in the early 1800s and 1900s. It shows the recent history of the region in a 'living' way and provides entertainment and education for visitors of all ages and interests.
Very unique to the North East of England..you won't find anything else like it!

TYNESIDE COAST: Surprisingly, Newcastle has a nice coastline with good seaside resorts within the city limits.
Whitley Bay with it's Spanish City amusement arcade and funfair is tacky and brash, but has a nice beach ending in St Mary's Lighthouse on an island reached only at low tide. Cullercoats has the Sealife Centre, then further south is the nicest of the Tyneside resorts, Tynemouth. A small beach backed by tall cliffs and a ruined castle and priory, Tynemouth is my favourite place around Newcastle. As for shops, there is an unusual shopping centre built inside a church, consisting of some good craft shops. On the Tyne estuary is the ferryport of North Shields. Apart from the quayside(where there are music festivals in summer) there is little to do in North Shields apart from taking the Shields ferry to it's counterpart South Shields. Famous as the finishing point of the Great North Run (Newcastle's half marathon which attracts over 40,000 runners each year), South Shields has a decent beach and is the start of the National Trust coastline which stretches south to Sunderland. Highlights of this walk include Marsden Bay (in picture), Marsden Rocks bird sanctuary and Souter Lighthouse. In summer, you'll hear Sunderland before you get there, as the funfair behind the beach obviously thinks that it should be heard along the length of the beach (about 2 miles). Having said that, the beach is long, sandy and clean, and Sunderland surprised me as I had expected something more industrial and depressing!!

LINDISFARNE:You should try to get to Lindisfarne, although it is difficult unless you have your own car. For more pictures and info, see my travelogue about Lindisfarne.
I forgot to mention in the travelogue that Lindisfarne produces its own variety of alcohol, called Lindisfarne Mead....it is very strong and tastes vaguely of honey, and you can try a free sample at the imaginitively titled 'Lindisfarne Mead Shop'. Small bottles start at £1.50.

If you have the time and like coastal experiences, start in Saltburn and going through Sunderland and then head towards Whitley Bay and then onto Blyth - just follow the coast road and you will take in some magical scenery.
If you prefer sites and things to do, the new Centre for Life is absolutely fantastic - its about £6.50 per adult but you can lose yourself all day in there - the theme is DNA and the growth of life as we know it - everything is interactive and if you like a bit of educational fun - go for it. (its in the centre of Newcastle, next to the train station)
No visit to Newcastle would be complete without a visit to the hallowed ground of NUFC - the new stand makes this a place totally awesome and you can get a great pint in The Strawberry pub opposite - not on match days - stay clear!!
The thing that makes Newcastle so unique is that it has a bit of everything.
Great shopping (Metro Centre and Eldon Sq), fabulous views, endless amounts of bridges to view and walk over, fantastic social life (8th best city in the world rating) museums and art galleries (The Laing) and plenty of history to walk around but its the people of Newcastle that make it so special - stand still for more than five minutes and you will have made a new friend - we are a very friendly bunch and love to talk!

This Island was a place of pilgrimage in the middle ages. The island has a Castle and a Church and is generally just a nice place to visit. It is conected to the mainland by a road that floods when the tide is in. The island does not have a police station as it is virtually crime free. However when the tide is in you may notice that the pubs don't seem to shut, and the fresh Salmon is suddenly freely availible at knock down prices. Confession. The photo is not mine it is from the Holy Island web site.