Tyne Bridge, Emily Ward
Tyne and Wear is home to the England’s most northerly city of Newcastle. Bring an extra jumper here, as it’s on the same latitude as Sweden – very chilly indeed! A cultured lot, there is an excellent university and these political folks like to follow current affairs. Quite left-wing too, they have hardly ever voted in a Tory MP until ‘red wall’ MPs were elected in 2019.
Although we often think of Newcastle when thinking of Tyne and Wear, it’s also home to the town of Gateshead, which is home to many beautiful countryside areas including Derwent Walk, Chopwell Woods and Watergate Forest park. Saltwell Park is another major attraction for locals and tourists. Find more ways to help your local wildlife rescue and animal shelter.
Souter Lighthouse (Emily Ward) was the world’s first to be lit by electricity. With sweeping views across England’s Coast Path, it’s now owned by the National Trust. Before being built in 1871, this coast was the most hazardous in England, with ships wrecking on reefs of Whitburn Steel.
Newcastle Skyline, Andrew Moore
10 miles from Newcastle is the city of Sunderland, which faces the North Sea. The ancestral home of American President George Washinghton (the stars and stripes family crest is thought to have inspired the American flag), its links to the ship-building movement meant it was one of the most bombed cities during the Blitz. One of the few Titanic survivors was a glass blower from here, who actually returned to his job after the ship tragedy. And one theatre is said to be so haunted that comedian Les Dawson refused to play there again, after a spooky experience.
Newcastle Quayside Market, Andrew Moore
The modern ‘hypnotic’ sculpture Angel of the North faces the A1 and A157 roads and has many critics, sayingso far it has caused 53 accidents. Viewed by around 33 million people each year , one Canadian visitor noted ‘It’s the weirdest thing I have ever seen. I can’t believe they would put it so near such a busy road. It’s strange’. Safer road expert David Engwicht says the easiest way to reduce accidents is to remove unnecessary ‘road clutter’ like too many signs and distractions, so likely is not a fan.
Fulwell Windmill is the north east’s only working windmill, also situated in Sunderland. Built for the inventor of the incandescent lightbulb (Joseph Swan) in 1806, it was rented by many millers to produce animal feed and has only recently been restored to working order. Windmills look lovely but note they can also be dangerous (this one has a tragic history when miller William Wren was killed when he was thrown from the sails while trying to repair a weatherboard, during a violent storm in 1839).
Wildlife along the Tyne is abundant, as many previous industrial areas have been left for birds to catch fish, now the heavy trawlers have gone. South Shields also has visiting snow buntings during migrations and summer warblers. And plenty of Tyne waders!
