Or alternatively you can call

Reception: 0191 2571406

 

Out and About...

 

Before you plan

 

One of the most important factors in planning a sucessful day out is being mindful of the weather. Stay one step ahead with this handy weather centre.

 

 

For the surfers and watersport enthusiasts among you this webcam feed of Longsands beach may be more useful.

 

Local Attractions

 

Below you can find some of the local attraction that you may want to visit during your stay in Newcastle.

 


Tynemouth

 

Tynemouth Longsands Beach Tynemouth is blessed with a glorious sandy beach known as the Longsands, where, on a summers day, you could be forgiven for thinking you were sunning it up abroad rather than the English north east coast. Complementing the award winning beach is the Victorian village where you'll find an interesting mix of antique shops, fashion boutiques, eating places and superb village pubs full of friendly locals putting the world to rights over a locally produced beer. The area is steeped in history and there is no better way to discover that for yourself than by visiting the Priory and Castle standing guard over the River Tyne for centuries.

 

 

Tynemouth Priory

The history of Tynemouth Castle is closely connected with that of the Priory, both of which stand on the same rocky headland. Setting aside the idea of a Roman occupation there is the tradition that it was used as a military base by the Danish invaders. We are on certain ground in 1095 when William Rufus captured Earl Roberts castle which is at the mouth of the river Tyne.
Earl Robert de Mowbrays castle from which he defied the king was probably of earthen ramparts surmounted by a wooden stockade.
In 1296 Edward granted the prior and convent of Tynemouth permission to surround their monastery with a veil of stone. The medieval walls and tower, with the exception of the gatehouse, which survive, belong to that period. In 1390 the gatehouse was erected on the landward side. it is a powerful gatehouse keep with a barbican in front. In 1538 the convent was disbanded and the lands attached to it were taken over by the king who granted them to Sir Thomas Hilton of Hilton. The castle, however, remained in royal hands and in 1545 a thousand workmen were employed in fortifying the headland.
When the work was completed a garrison of Spanish mercenaries was stationed here (hence the name of the Spanish Battery). During the Civil War the castle played an important part but afterwards fell into decay. In 1681 it was in a ruinous state and the defence of the Tyne was taken over by the newly built Cliffords Fort at North Shields. At the turn of the century the castle was a barracks with many buildings added to it. But in 1936 after being gutted by fire it was taken over by the Ministry of Works who have removed many additions and restored the original parts of the castle to a more dignified form.

The monument for Admiral Collingwood stands at the mouth of the river to commemorate the man who took over from Admiral Nelson in the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The guns that accompany the
monument are from Collingwoods ship, The Royal Sovereign.

War memorials in the area include a memorial placed in 1930 to commemorate those fallen during the Boer War and also a memorial placed in 1925 to commemorate those fallen in the first world war with names added later for those soldiers who were lost during the second world war.

The Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade was the first of its type in the world and still operates today as an auxiliary to the national coastguard service. The Watch House Museum contains relics from various shipwrecks and rescue missions carried out since its beginning in 1864.

Tynemouth`s Victorian railway station now forms part of Tyne and Wear's efficient and frequent Metro rail system which stretches from the coast as far as Newcastle Airport, through Newcastle City and on to the south of the river Tyne towards Gateshead and South Shields. It has recently been extended to
include Sunderland and parts of Durham. Situated within the old Victorian Station itself, you will find on Saturdays a Flea Market, and on Sundays, an Arts, Crafts & Antique Market.

Blue Reef Aquarium takes visitors on a journey of discovery from the rugged cliffs and sandy secluded beaches of the Northumberland and the Tyne and Wear coastline to the spectacular underwater gardens of the Mediterranean and the exotic tropical reefs of the Americas. Entrance is around £5 and £3 for adults and children respectively. If you're looking for nostalgia, search no further than the Childhood Memories Toy Museum which has over 3000 exhibits to remind you of your youth.

For the keep fit population, Tynemouth has its own Olympic sized swimming pool and gym facility.
although walking and jogging along the coast line have always been popular pursuits. For those that
enjoy water sports you could a hire a suit and board from Tynemouth`s surf shop and sample some of the surf to be found off Longsands beach, as is ever popular with the locals.

 

North Shields and Wallsend

 

North Shields stands at the mouth of the River Tyne and takes its name from the 'shielings' or shiels' (fishermen's huts) on the riverbank. You can visit the Fish Quay and sample some of the finest fish 'n' chips around whilst watching numerous vessels sailing down the river.

 

There are many top family attractions nearby such as Wet 'N Wild Water Park - the biggest indoor water park in Europe . If you plan to explore Hadrian's Wall when visiting the area there is no better place to start than Segedunum - the multi-million pound visitor attraction featuring the largest Roman museum on Hadrian's Wall and the only reconstructed working Bath House in Britain.
The historic fishing port has a wealth of maritime associations including the Wooden Dolly -
a ships figurehead. Sailors used to cut off pieces of the statue to take to sea with them as good luck charms. As a result there have been a number of Wooden Dollies over the years, the latest of which is now standing in Northumberland Square. There are many secrets to uncover about the area like the fact that Stan Laurel's father lived in North Shields and Stan gave his first public performance here.
The area hosts the annual 'Fish Quay Festival' one of Britain's largest free outdoor events with
music, food and entertainment, last year attracting over 300,000 visitors. Cinema goers are catered for with UCI`s Multiplex Cinema which can be found at Silverlink Retail Park.
The International Ferry Terminal is located in neighbouring Royal Quays area. From here sails
ferries of DFDS Seaways to Holland, Norway and Sweden. In addition, Fjord Line (formerly Color Line) also operates crossings to Norway.

 

Whitley Bay and Cullercoats

 

Made famous by the hoardes of English and Scottish tourists that would flock to this seaside town before the advent of economy air travel, Whitley Bay is once again establishing itself as one of the top party destinations in the country, with a great concentration of bars in one area. At the time of print there are twenty bars on and around South Parade street, with more being planned all the time.
St Mary's island, or Bate's Island, as it was formerly known, lies off the coast at Whitley Bay.
At one time the island only consisted of a few farmhouses built by George Ewan, and in 1855 these were partly tiled and partly thatched. The lighthouse was built on the island in 1896, and in past history this island was once used by smugglers. The island can be reached by a short causeway at low tide.
The Spanish City was opened in 1910 and designed by Robert Burns Dick who was also the architect for Newcastle's Laing Art Gallery. Since the introduction of home computer gaming systems, it has been decreasing in popularity but still houses many fine amusement arcades and is especially busy during the warmer months.
Although shopping in Whitley Bay is limited when compared with the likes of Newcastle City, you can find most essentials here and the town does feature some interesting shops.

 

Cullercoats

Cullercoats was home for a number of years to famous American artist Winslow Homer. Bill Gates recently paid $30 million for just one of his paintings You can see Cliff House the place he painted from, on a stroll between Tynemouth and Cullercoats.






 

Newcastle Upon Tyne

 

Newcastle-upon-Tyne is an exciting city and, set at the hub of an excellent transport system. It has a rich and diverse history, providing considerable scope for exploration. Its museums and galleries are widely acclaimed, as are the City's cosmopolitan arts and theatres, and the shopping, restaurants, nightlife and 'Geordie' welcome are legendary.

 

Newcastle Bridges

Must visits are the indoor Eldon Square, Eldon Garden and Monument Mall Shopping Centres together with the surrounding streets - great for the shop-a-holics amongst us. For a great night out look to Newcastle Bigg Market and/or Newcastle Quayside for the best in bars and restaurants and while you're at the quayside don't miss Newcastle's latest architectural splendour the Millennium Bridge.




 

Gateshead

 

Gateshead Metrocentre is a vast indoor shopping centre and whether your choice is serious shopping or a family day out, theres always a treat in store for all the family. The centre offers the very best in retail therapy. Famous names Marks and Spencer, BhS, Littlewoods, House of Fraser, Argos, Gap and Next contrast with smaller specialist shops in unique themed areas.

 

Angel Of North

The Angel of the North is a new landmark at the entrance to Tyneside. Its wide, open arms greet visitors as they reach Gateshead, whether they come by road or rail. The scale cannot fail to impress them, at 20 metres (65 feet) it is more than the height of four double decker buses. Its wings are 54 metres (175 feet) wide - almost as long as the wings of a Jumbo jet.





 

Durham

 

Durham City is based in the North of England and is steeped in history and culture, with its finest treasure being the magnificent 12th Century Cathedral sitting high on a hill, encircled by a loop in the River Wear. The present Cathedral has stood on this spot as a place of prayer and pilgrimage for over 900 years.
It contains the remains of Cuthbert, the saintly 7th Century bishop of Lindisfarne; it also holds the tomb of Bede, the chronicler of Cuthbert's life and the first English historian. It is one of the most beautiful buildings in England, and part of a World Heritage Site.
Also in the area is Beamish - Britain's favourite open air museum, set in over 300 acres of beautiful countryside, the museum vividly recreates life in the North of England in the early 1800s and 1900s. Winner of both the British Museum of the Year and European Museum of the Year Awards, it demonstrates the recent history of the region in a "living" way and provides entertainment and education for visitors of all ages and interests.

 

Northumbria

 

From the ramparts and beaches of Berwick to the broad sands at Saltburn, Northumbria is justly famous for it's beaches and coastline. Long stretches of the Northumberland coast are designated areas of
Outstanding Natural Beauty. From the wildly spectacular Northumberland National Park, fringed by the brooding Cheviot Hills, to the heathery slopes of the North York Moors National Park, keen walkers will revel in mile after mile of moorland, wildlife, and big, big skies.
The great river Tweed, famed for its salmon, starts in Scotland and meets the sea at Berwick, and Kielder Water is the largest man made lake in Britain. Travelling on through Kielder Forest Park, the moorland gives way to pine woods and the area is a pleasure ground of walks, cycle trails, striking
outdoor sculpture and water sports. The vast and impressive North Pennine landscape gives rise to the great rivers of the north: the Tees, Tyne and Wear. This is a wildlife haven where Hen Harriers breed, where Merlin and other rare species can be seen and where the plaintive cries of the curlew echo in spring and summer accompanying Pennine Way and other walkers.

The magnificent castles of Alnwick, Bamburgh, Chillingham, Dunstanburgh, Durham, Lindisfarne, Lumley and Raby are all potent examples of past battles and glories. Now, these magnificent buildings still stand proud - but as museums, stately homes, impressive ruins ... and even hotels! Several are still privately owned and lived in. A glance at the history of just a few of them tells the wild and bloody story of Northumbria.

 

The Wild Border Reivers

 

For 300 years, the English and Scottish fought bitterly for control of the borderlands. For example,
Berwick upon Tweed changed hands thirteen times before becoming English in 1482.

 

Bamburgh Castle

Throughout Northumberland, a great chain of castles and fortified manor houses still stands as testament to this fierce dispute - Warkworth, Chillingham, Callaly, Cresswell, and Etal castles, along with the historic battlefields of Otterburn and Flodden. The modern path of the Reivers is much more peaceful - the Reivers Cycle Route crosses some of the most charming areas of Northumberland on its way to Cumbria.




 

Raiders from the Sea

 

The regions coastal fortresses were often built in response to the threat of seaborne invasion. A stunning example of this is Tynemouth Castle and Priory, perched bravely on the cliff tops at the mouth of the River Tyne. But perhaps the most impressive of them all is Bamburgh, standing high above the beach, but nonetheless stormed three times by the Norsemen (Vikings)

 

Palaces of the Prince Bishops

 

Elsewhere in the region, you can see mighty castles that are the legacy of Durhams Prince Bishops. Durham and Norham Castles, and the Bishops Palace at Bishop Auckland were all once well-defended ecclesiastical palaces, from the days when Bishops ruled the North like kings. Durham Castle became the home of England's third oldest University in 1832, and is now a student residence which accommodates visitors during vacations.

 

Mighty Barons

 

Powerful families also once ruled Northumbria, building impressive fortified homes. Barnard Castle in the south of the region was a Norman stronghold; Raby Castle was the home of the Nevill family, who governed large tracts of County Durham for centuries; Dunstanburgh was the property of the Duke of Lancaster; and Alnwick Castle has always been the home of the Percys, Dukes of Northumberland.

 

Walkworth Castle

Scattered throughout the area are many more historic castles, fortified farmhouses (bastles), pele towers such as Preston Tower, and atmospheric romantic ruins. Some are so hidden away that only the keenest history sleuth is likely to find them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Main Castles of Northumberland

 

The legacy of the Border wars of the 14th and 16th centuries has resulted in Northumberland having more castles than any other English county. These are complemented by numerous other fortified buildings known as `Bastles` and `Pele` towers. Those that are currently open to the public as visitor attractions have been grouped into two categories:

Furnished Castles - Alwnick Castle (11th century), Bamburgh Castle (11th Century), Chillingham Castle (medieval), Chipchase Castle (medieval/Jacobean), Kielder Castle (not a castle but a former hunting lodge), Lindisfarne Castle (16th century).

Castle Remains - Aydon Castle (13th century fortified Manor House), Belsay Castle (14th century), Berwick Town Walls (15th century), Dunstanburgh Castle (14th century), Edlingham Castle (14th century), Etal Castle (14th Century), Norham Castle (12th century), Harbottle Castle (12th century), Prudhoe Castle, Warkworth Castle.