Jon looks at the North East of England
City, Seaside and see more for your money!
Is it coincidence that the late heavy industrial parts of the UK that started with The Industrial Revolution and led to the ‘Great’ in Great Britain, is surrounded by some of the most beautiful countryside too? Manchester has The Lake District, Leeds the Dales, Sheffield the Peak District, Glasgow and Clydebank Loch Lomond, and Birmingham is surrounded by some great hidden and not so hidden secret lands of green fields and gently rolling hills.
When it comes to the North East of England, not only do we get countryside, but a fabulous coast too, and to cap it all, history mixes with heritage to ooze out of almost every brick and cobblestone. The whole region is packed with sights and visitor attractions, together with great accommodation in every style from lodge to castle, much of it winning national awards. This is not an area to be ignored, and has so much to offer return visits are a must, as you cannot possibly see it all in a couple of visits.
Many coach operators and wholesalers already offer very successful breaks to the North East, and with so many themes and visitor attractions to choose from – why not?
The area covered by the regional tourist board to so large it has to be split into different sections, so let’s start at the southerly end with Durham. What hasn’t been said about one of Britain’s finest cities? Wandering around The Vennels, the local name for the narrow alleys, are cobbled streets full of little shops selling quality goods. Overlooking it all is the quite magnificent and unique Cathedral and Castle. This isn’t a history lesson, but the Cathedral, started in 1093, is classed as one of the finest buildings in the world. Home to St Cuthbert, the Prince Bishops, and even a Benedictine community, it’s past just has to be seen and examined at close quarters.
There is enough in Durham to keep most visitors happy, but the area is blessed with other household named attractions. The imposing Raby Castle, home of the Neville’s since 1626, the Bowes Museum housed in the jaw dropping Barnard Castle is packed – and I do mean packed, with art of almost every style, and let’s not forget Beamish. History comes alive in this multi award winning ‘real’ museum, where costumed staff are ready to explain their life styles, and to show you how they lived. 300,000 visitors every year can’t be wrong – miss this at your peril!
Just as southward, but over towards the east coast takes us to The Tees Valley, stretching from Darlington in the west, to Saltburn-on-Sea on the coast, and encompassing the city of Middlesbrough en route. This is an area with a strong seafaring history, and not only that of perhaps one of most famous sons, Captain James Cook. A replica of one of his ships, the HM Bark Endeavour can be found in Stockton, and his birthplace Museum is in Stewart Park, Middlesbrough. The park is built over the village of East Marton, where Captain Cook was born in 1728, and was donated to the city by Councillor Stewart and opened in 1928. Ooops, so much for this not being a history lesson, but around here you just can’t help it! Take the award winning (yes, another one) Hartlepool Maritime Experience, and what an experience too! Included is Britain oldest floating warship, the almost 200 year old HMS Trincomalee (named after a RN base in Ceylon – or for younger readers, Sri Lanka) which was built in Bombay in 1817. Mind your head when you visit, as the decks are low! One of the last frigates built during the Nelson era for The Admiralty, she served in The Pacific mainly before returning home, largely in Portsmouth, and acted as a training vessel until 1996. Well done the Royal Navy, waste not want not!
Before leaving the area, I have to return to Saltburn, as together with its near neighbours was a nest for smugglers. Whilst the Navy was busy fighting wars, the coasts of Cornwall and the East Coast were a haven for smuggling in tea, gin, brandy and textiles, which were heavily taxed – to pay for the Navy! Whole communities worked together to hide and distribute contraband. For years, Saltburn man, John Andrews, managed to gain acceptance in the area’s gentrified circles and serve in a local law enforcement unit, despite being the most notorious smuggler in the area. The fact that Andrews managed to combine the conflicting and contradictory attributes of respectability and law-breaking demonstrates the curious middle ground smuggling occupied. The Saltburn Smuggles Heritage Centre is well worth a visit, and is housed in some old fishermen’s cottages next door to the ancient Ship Inn. The choice is yours! Britain’s oldest water cliff lift can also be found in Saltburn, connecting the pier – one of few on the East Coast, with the town.
I sense readers are already getting ideas for a break to the North East – but hold hard my friends – there is more to be considered!
Tyne and Wear, including Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, Sunderland, Tynemouth and South Shields is our next area to discover, and driving up the A1 it is of course The Angel of the North that will greet us. Known locally as The Gateshead Flasher (no comment) Antony Gormley’s idea is now being copied all over the place – but this original takes some beating. The wingspan of over 160 feet (actually 54 meters, but I am of the old school), it is built to withstand winds of over 100 mph – which is just as well in this neck of the woods.
When it comes to any city, the heart has to be the people. It may have some great buildings and tourist attractions, but the people are the heart that makes the city tick. Like most northerners, me included, we like to ask a lot of questions to get to know you. If we like what we see, you have a friend for life – or as long as your stay anyway. Newcastle is famed for more than its football team, and the river is still an artery, well and thoughtfully modernised in parts, that can not only show the history via its bridges, but has remnants of the past that help tell of the hardships endured by the working populace. This was heavy engineering and ship building country, and the legacy is held proud and strong. More can be discovered in the Discovery Museum, and the new Great North Museum offers eleven galleries packed with treasures from all over the world.
Millionaires were made here, and one, William Armstrong later 1st Baron Armstrong, made so many innovations in his business and private life, that I have gone into some detail about him in the next section.
Sunderland, they’re the ones who were red and white stripes when playing football, and should never be uttered in the same sentence as the black and white of Newcastle United, has the award winning (yes, I know, yet another award) Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, and the National Glass Centre, which can be found on Liberty Way and admission is free.
Many operators for excursions head for the coast north of the cities, which leads me nicely into Northumberland, an area of such natural beauty both inland and coastal that superlatives abound.
With Hadriens Wall, and the Cheviot hills to the small fishing villages, the whole area is history, which is not too surprising when you consider it was not only the northerly limit of the Roman Empire, but for hundreds of years was the area the English and Scots argued over. This goes a long way to explain the number of castles and fortifications to be found, including the ever so impressive Bamburgh Castle, the photogenic coastal fortress set above golden sands by the sea, and still the home of the Armstrong’s. This is one of those families that helped change Britain, mainly through the exploits of William George Armstrong, later Lord Armstrong. More details can be found on http://www.victorianweb.org/technology/engineers/armstrong.html , and it is well worth the look. Besides being a brilliant engineer, he was a great philanthropist too, and led an amazing life.
Whilst in Bamburgh, the RNLI Grace Darling Museum is simply a must visit attraction. Some readers will be aware I am a Life Governor of the RNLI, and will promote anything to do with this most worthy of organisations whenever I am able. This museum, reopened a couple of years ago in a new building, recalls the heroic efforts of Grace and her father to row in a gale from their Longstone Lighthouse to help rescue people from the SS Forfarshire, a stranded paddle steamer in 1838. They managed to save five souls who they returned to the lighthouse, as the seas were too rough to head for shore. Sadly, Grace died four years later from tuberculosis, aged only 26. Grace is buried with her parents in a modest plot in St Aidan’s churchyard, where a cenotaph tells of her exploits.
Golden sands are a strong feature of the North East coast, from great swaths of endless miles to cosy coves, whilst the North Sea can offer the full gambit of tides and weather options!
The coastal journey northward will take you through some lovely seaside towns and villages, much sought after these days by commuters to the cities. Warkworth, Alnmouth (with its haunted Old Schooner Inn), and Dunstanburgh will lead you to Seahouses. From here it is possible to take a boat trip to see the Farne Islands, which are open to visitors from April to September. If you wish to show off to your fellow travellers, the prominent white streak on the cliff facing the mainland is often thought by visitors to be bird droppings: although many parts of the islands do exhibit this colouring, in this case it is the result of chalk deposits from the many years of spent calcium carbide from the lighthouse being thrown down the cliff; this calcium carbide was used to generate acetylene which was used as fuel for the light before electricity came.
This group of between 15 and 20 isles – dependant on the tide, is home to over 100,000 breeding seabirds, including 55,000 puffins (don’t believe me? Count them for yourself!) Once the birds leave the grey seals arrive (isn’t nature wonderful? All this multiuse of one little group of isles?) There are two licensed boat operators to the Isles, and both have booking offices in Seahouses by the harbour. http://www.seahouses.org/visitinfo.php is the place to search out more information, including some great fish and chip shops and restaurants.
Let’s not forget Holy Island, where the Lindisfarne Gospels were written in the seventh century. Remember to check the tides before you cross the tidal causeway, or you – and your group – could be spending longer than planned on the island.
Just inland from Alnmouth is Alnwick, and when you think of Alnwick, you have to think of Alnwick Castle, home of the Percy’s, the Dukes of Northumberland, for 700 years.
Now when it comes to business acumen, you have to hand it to the present Duke and Duchess, who have done so much to ensure the future of their lineage and family heritage through innovation and invention. Events occur throughout the year – from pop concerts (well, Jules Holland and his Orchestra) to performances of plays and dances, to workshops, where you can learn to make anything from medieval roof tiles to soap! Add to this Alnwick Garden, just a few minutes’ walk from the Castle, where a contemporary theme covers gardens, architecture and special features are all themed around water. The brainchild of the Duchess, this has been built on what ten years ago was waste land, and would you believe it – has won a handful of awards too!
Alnwick town itself is not to be missed, and a happy hour or two can be spent wandering around, or taking afternoon tea in one of the hotels or tea shops.
Alnwick Garden is not alone in producing something special in this part of the world, and many specialist groups visit the plethora of historic houses and gardens on offer. One such is the seventeenth century Whalton Manor House, which has beautiful rose gardens, herbaceous borders lawns and a laburnum grove, together with an Italianate summerhouse where you can sit and take in the tranquillity. Howick Hall Gardens and Arboretum has rare trees and shrubs from around the world, woodland walks, and as it was once owned by Earl Grey, who inspired the tea named after him, it would be rude to leave without trying some.
And there’s more! Mindrum Garden, Belsay Hall, Chesters Walled Garden, Chillingham Castle, Cragside Country Park, Kirkley Hall Gardens, and Wallington Gardens... need I go on?
Now we all know of Hadrians Wall (I hope), and the Roman Army Museum in Greenhead is a great place to get an introduction not only to the wall, but to the Roman way of life.
All you have read so far is only skimming the surface, and I haven’t even mentioned Berwick upon Tweed, Otterburn, Hexham, Morpeth, and a dozen or so other towns and villages - all different, all welcoming, and all unique.
www.groupsnortheastengland.com is the place to go! By the time you read this it should have gone through its revamp – or may be poised to do so, but it has a wealth of information, including information on coach parking.
When it comes to accommodation for groups, what do you fancy? Traditional, commercial, grand, castles, city centre, countryside, seaside, value for money, or ‘special’? The amazing thing is that it is all available, and not bad prices either!
OK, you get what you pay for – on the whole – but the North East offers so much, especially over weekends, that you may be able to stay in a higher standard of hotel than your group normally enjoys. Most of the major chains have a presence, Barcelo, Holiday Inn, Copthorne, Hilton, Marriott, Macdonald, Britannia, De Vere and Best Western to name but some, and together with a complete range of individually owned and managed hotels you are really spoilt for choice.
Many of these hotels are very special, with golf courses attached, spas, and even Medieval Banquets to whet your appetite. A word or warning though – standards in two and three star hotel can vary, so stick with what you know, what has been recommended by a trustworthy source or wholesaler who has done a personal inspection.
Some of the chain hotels are well geared for groups, and some even specialise in taking care of your party. The Moat House in Seaton Burn, operating under the Holiday Inn brand but still owned and managed by Moat House, has been popular for decades, although the new kid on the block, I hear nothing but good reports about the newly built Hilton at Newcastle/Gateshead. A personal favourite is the Best Western Walworth Castle, and the Marriott Royal County in Durham is a firm favourite with many. Macdonld Guisborough Hall is very special – as are the bar prices, and Peel Hotels have the Caledonian Hotel in Jesmond, near to Newcastle’s centre. Peel Hotels are a group that those in the know are very aware of, and have built up a reputation looking after groups of all sizes.
The De Vere Slaley Hall is one of those drop dead great places to stay, and by the ring road Novotel have a very busy property worth a look. These are of course a whole host of Premier Inns and Travelodges, and despite what I said earlier about two and three star, don’t rule out the privately owned hotels, as their individuality can be beneficial to any tours success – just do the home work first.
A word now about Blue Badge Guides, and for that matter Green Badge Guides. The green ones, in case you didn’t know, can advise and lead walking groups.
In my past I didn’t use Blue Badge Guides unless it was a private tour, or VIP group, and I knew I could rely on the expertise of a regular tour driver who know the area. I suppose it all comes down to the type and style of your planned tour, and just how much information you think your group would wish to hear. The advantages are clear, for not only will they know the area like the back of their hand, and the history and folklore that goes with it, but they will know which tea and coffee stops are the best, the best pub for lunch with the quickest turnaround, and all the timings needed too.
When it comes to cost, at first glance guides may seem expensive, but it has to be remembered that they normally have to pay their own tax and national insurance, and divided amongst your group it is fair – especially as they can make the difference between a successful and not so successful day out.
Shopping is a favourite pastime with all groups, and most will be aware of the MetroCentre in Gateshead, but there is so much more on offer. From high street shopping in one of the regions cities, to retail parks like Royal quays and Dalton Park, to the elegant high Street in Yarm and the as mentioned cobbled streets of Durham, you will still find some hidden gem or specialist shop at almost every corner. OK, maybe a slight exaggeration, but only a little one!
The road and rail connections to the area are more than good, and although the cities can be busy the other roads are quieter than in most parts of England, and your coach can return to the days of true touring, and not just following the flow of traffic. DFDS still operate from the area to Holland, and the region has two international airports.
I know every region will tell you that ‘there is so much to see and do’, but in the case of The North East of England it is more than true as you could operate a weekly series year all year with a different theme on each departure.
