One of the things I love about living in Northumberland, apart from its great wide open spaces and stunning coastline is the fact that it is only 30 miles from Newcastle.
I love living in the countryside but at times, I crave a bit of life and there is no better life to be experienced than ‘the Toon’ as the locals call it. Since moving back in 2000, Newcastle has just got better and better. The Quayside has been developed, more restaurants and shops have opened up and for me, it’s just an exciting place to visit. It’s an excuse to swap the walking shoes and casual clothes for something a little more ‘dressy’.
When I lived in the South, I was often asked where I hailed from. In those days, few people knew where Northumberland was, so I used to say I was from ‘Geordieland’. I was born in Alnwick so technically, I’m a Northumbrian but never minded the Geordie association. The people are the friendliest you can meet and most of the shop assistants talk to you as if they have known you for years.
When the sun is shining, there is nothing better than a stroll along the Quayside whilst admiring the iconic Tyne Bridge and The Sage Gateshead, a music venue where I’ve enjoyed many a concert – the acoustics are great. The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art offers the best views of the 7 bridges across the River Tyne and the Castle from which the city gets its name. You can even see St James Park, Newcastle’s famous football stadium. The Quayside always has a great atmosphere during the day and in the evening too, when the bridges and The Sage are lit up.
The iconic Tyne Bridge, Sage Gateshead and Millenium Bridge at Newcastle Quayside
My favourite road has to be Grey Street which runs from Lord Grey’s Monument, (famous for Earl Grey Tea) to Dean Street. The buildings along this road are some of the most impressive in Newcastle and it’s also where many of the best restaurants are. If you walk far enough down, you eventually reach the Quayside. It’s a bit of a steep climb coming back up, but worth it to see all the eating venues and bars and has a particularly good atmosphere at the weekends. This leads me to the nightlife for which Newcastle is famous.
Tim and I were delighted when Rob decided to study his degree at Northumbria Uni in Newcastle; for 2 reasons, he wasn’t too far away from us (he IS our only child) and we had a damn good excuse to visit the Toon on a regular basis. We also knew he was going to LOVE the nightlife. There are many nightclubs and bars in Newcastle. I’m a bit out of touch with which ones to recommend but Rob could certainly advise you, since he is rather well known for his dance moves and was very quickly given the nickname ‘Dancing Rob’ by one of his course mates. So if anyone is lucky enough to come on one of his coach tours to Northumberland, if you ask him to play a Bruno Mars tune, he is likely to throw some shapes right there in front of you. I kid you not!
I can’t talk about Newcastle and not mention the shopping. I’m not a fan of online shopping and prefer to touch and feel things before I purchase. My favourite shopping experience has to be Fenwick, being the flagship department store. I can literally spend a whole day in there and it usually includes lunch at one of their many restaurants/cafés or a cup of tea and a slice of mouthwatering cake from Mason & Rye in the beautiful Food Hall which reminds me of Harrods. If I was to mistakenly get locked into a store overnight, it would have to be this one. I’d come out the next day weighing a lot heavier than when I entered, probably decorated with beautiful Jewellery and carrying a new handbag or 5!
Delicious cakes and desserts at Fenwick Food Hall’s Mason & Rye
My favourite time of year to visit Fenwick is over the festive period. I’m usually one of the first to turn up to its Christmas Department. It has all sorts of brightly coloured baubles and goodies that I find impossible to resist and the Fenwick Christmas window unveiling is so popular that it’s become as important to me as Morecambe and Wise was on Christmas Day during the 70s (showing my age). So no pressure Fenwick Newcastle, but my enjoyment of the festive season depends a lot on you!
The popular Fenwick Christmas window
Finally, I have to mention St James Park because for many Geordies, it’s really a place of worship. Now, I’m not a football fan, but the Geordies love their ‘black and white army’. I’ve been to a few games in my time and I have to admit, the atmosphere is electric. I was less interested in what was happening on the pitch, but for me, it was more fun watching the die-hard fans and listening to their singing and chanting sometimes unrepeatable and colourful language. I’ve heard the team isn’t performing brilliantly at the moment so I’ll just end this blog by saying
HOWAY THE LADS!
April 6th, 2019
