An all day 'Round-Trip'
South Tyneside--South Shields-Cross the River Tyne- North Shields / Tynemouth-Return via North Tyneside
TRY TO BE AT SOUTH SHIELDS BY 10AM
Board at any Metro Station or 1.2.3. below, buy Day Rover Tickets. Green Line, to South Shields Metro Station. Stations have map/ audio 'help' facilities.
Metro Information Service.
Metro Map.
(1) Callerton Parkway Arrive by car. A1 Road. B696 Jedburgh Rd- Airport. 1 mile take Callerton 'M' sign. From West A696. slip after Airport. `M' sign. Pk. Free, supervised. Not Sun.
(2) Central Metro Station (Rail Link)-(Bus routes).
(3) Gateshead (Bus concourse)
Your Journey, on board The Train, to South Shields
(Views from the train are looking forward in the direction of travel)
Central Station, next stop Gateshead. Left as you cross the river on The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, views of High Level, Swing, Tyne and Millennium Bridges. Right King Edward VII rail Bridge.
Gateshead after leaving, see the redundant multi coloured cranes of a once thriving industrious River Tyne.
Gateshead Stadium Station (left) the stands and lights of the International Athletic Stadium.
Hebburn Station (left) 2 concrete cones spaced 1 mile apart: ventilator shafts of The Tyne Road Tunnel.
Bede Station far to your left: funnels of ships in the river and the large Oil Refineries of North Shields.
Tyne Dock gone are the 24/7 trains that delivered coal to the docks. Many of Catherine Cookson's novels based here.
South Shields, leave train. Take Stairs or lift, exit left at Travel Centre to Kepple Street.
South Shields
Local Information
South Shields lies at the mouth of the River Tyne with beaches bordering the North Sea. The Town's abridged history shows early associations with the Brigantee Tribe (see site History page), then later as a `Roman' Fort at ARBEIA and supply station (by river) to Hadrian's Wall. Norsemen, like the Romans built a Fort, killing many of the areas inhabitants. All used the town's strategic position, as a port and shipbuilding centre. Achievements include designing/building the World's first purpose built Lifeboat. Town was heavily bombed during the war/s which caused substantial damage and loss of life.
4 major points to visit...
The
Museum 5 mins from Station
King's Street: Shopping Street
The Church of St.Hild
Market Square
The Market Square: Traditional Market - Mon & Sat
Begin your Visit out of station left see Mac Donald's on your left. Next junction, turn left, Fowler St. Crossroads turn right onto Ocean Rd. On your right, The Museum and Art Gallery.
Museum. Free. (Mon-Sat.10-5:30) (Sun 1-5)
Grade II listed building see Land, Sea and River gallery. Charts industrial and environmental history of area. Catherine Cookson gallery illustrates life and times of the author and people of the area. Leave museum. Turn left. At the junction cont. onto King's St. (High Street shops, cafes). Walk the full length of the street then in front of you, you will see the Market Square.
The Market Square 1768: (Mon-Sat-traditional) (see Metro Trail 1)
A favourite gathering place for sailors in the 18th & 19th century looking for a ship. In the centre is the old Town Hall 1768. To your left you will see the ancient Church of St.Hild
St. Hild's Church: 647 AD. Present church 1790. Free. Mon & Sat.( see Metro Trail 1)
The Ferry Landing
Sailings
In The Market Square, find the Commando Pub. Leave Square by alley, right of the pub next to toilets. Take small stairway to the right. At base of the stairs turn left. Cross road, take first right past the Alum Pub to Ferry Landing.
Ferry runs every 1/2hr (quarter past and quarter to the hour) and will take you to your next destination. Your Day Rover ticket allows you to travel on the Ferry.
First Sailing Monday to Saturday 0645 (1015(Sun))
Last Sailing 2215 (1715(Sun))
On the Ferry
Look down river and see river mouth opening to the North Sea, The two Piers (Tynemouth Left: South Shields Right). Up River, see the landings of the Scandinavian Ferries and The North Sea Ferries. On the hills opposite see the Town of North Shields further over Tynemouth Village. Between the tall white building, is the High Light, (1727). Ships lined up the light with the identical Low Light down on the Fish Quay below, this marked the safe channel into the river.
“Do not assume that the street information signs `point' in the right direction!”
1.When Ferry `docks' take the frequent bus service (use your Day Rover ticket) to North Shields Shopping Centre. North Shields Metro station / Town Centre is about a 10 minute walk (up a very steep hill!) from the Ferry Landing in the Town Centre. Walking turn right at the Chainlocker Pub walk straight on, the building on left (see plaque) a Sailors Mission. Turn left and walk up Borough Rd. At the top of the bank you are in North Shields.
Finish your day browsing the shops. Finish by going to North Shields Metro Station; take train back to where you got on (use your Day Rover ticket).
2.When the Ferry 'docks' turn right at the Chainlocker Pub. Continue walking straight on the same side of the street as the apartments (see plaque). At the end of the building, walk over the road. Signpost-continue along Clive Street. Passing some dilapidated properties, with the river on your right, pass Bedford Street (left). On to the luxury apartments with their own private dock.
Further on, is The Prince of Wales pub, originally built 17C Outside see the famous Wooden Dolly, original has been replaced many times, due to the sailors cutting a piece off to keep for good luck while at sea. William Would have, b.1789, (Lifeboat fame) was born near to the pub. Clive St. becomes Liddle St.
Road widens to the Fish Quay, Union Quay and Bell Street, fine views of the river: retailers, facilities, cafes and fish restaurants with, 'eat in', English Fish & Chips / to, 'eat out', as you walk on.
Look for the shops selling Fish, Kippers and many other types of seafood from recent catches. There is also a ships chandler, which is well worth a visit.
Opposite see the roofs of the buildings protecting the moored fishing boats as they unload their catches.
Here stood Clifford's Fort, 1672 built to defend the area in the 3rd Dutch War.
At public toilets walk left toward The Dolphin Pub-see replica of a traditional Dolphin Mooring post which once stood out in the river notice the replica of a cormorant. At the pub turn right follow signpost `Watch House Museum: Tynemouth Priory'. Pass `Larry's Fishcakes -Taylor Foods' on to the promenade car park.
At the car park: right is the former lifeboat house on stilts. At the end of what was a pier is the ruin of Lloyd's Hailing Station, where an employee would hail incoming ships to find their name for insurance purposes.
In front of the car park are The Black Midden rocks. Terns, cormorants, can be seen roosting there.
Promenade
Follow the promenade path to the left. See on your left on top of the hill Knott Memorial Flats built by local ship owner, originally for sailors families.
To your right across the river are the Groin and South Shields Piers.
Further on see / visit Collingwood's Monument (1845).
Continue back down from the monument and continue on promenade up to the:
Watch House and museum HQ of the Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade (country's first 1887).
Admission FREE. daily not Mon. 10-3 Sun. 10-12. Out of museum turn left on the road; pass the Headland car park (right), site of the former Spanish Battery (1545) and part of walls of Tynemouth Castle. Gunners were `Spanish' mercenaries.
At the bottom of the hill Right is Prior's Haven, a little beach and cove. and the bridge over the old pier railway line. Stop. Look along the half-mile long pier (1896). Upwards is Tynemouth Priory and Castle now walk up to the entrance.
Tynemouth
[Priory. Castle. Village]
Visit Tynemouth on line.
Castle and Priory. 1st Apr.- 31 Oct (10am to 6pm)...1st Nov - 30th Mar Wed-Sun (10am-4pm) Cost £1.50, ch.80p.
Monastery / Priory grew around grave of King Oswin 651. Closed 900AD after raids by Danes. Began again 1090.The Castle constructed to protect monastery. Gatehouse and wall leading Spanish Battery added 1539.
Looking at the entrance, left is the Gibraltar Rock pub; behind you is Front Street Tynemouth and the fountain and clock tower 1861.Turn and walk along the street. North side, Turk's Head, south side, Church of Our Lady and St Oswin 1871, opposite Timothy Duff Court-built on the site of the Carlton Cinema named after former Mayor of Tynemouth. Nearby is Marshall's Fish and Chip shop (1930)
End of the street is Congregational Church, (1866) now Land of Green Ginger Shopping Arcade. Walking on toward the Metro Station cross the road to the Green, and Queen Victoria's memorial (1902). Walk to the left of the Green pass King's School est.1760. Keeping left follow path to Tynemouth Metro Station. Original Station1882. (Market held in station Sat.)
All that now remains is to board a train, (Use your Day Rover ticket), relax, and return to your original boarding station.
Thank you
NW.
Please note that Newcastle Walks does not accept liability, for the condition of the walks which can change on a daily basis, or for any injury, fatality, loss or damages incurred by any person. Newcastle Walks are not inviting the public to walk on any of the walks, but are providing information about specific routes, that are available in the North East of England. Therefore any person who decides to walk any of the walks within this website does so of their own choice and at their own risk.
