THE RIVER TYNE FROM BOTH SIDES - FULL DAY

THE WAY TO GO - BY CAR
The timed itinerary below is based on travelling times by car.

THE WAY TO GO - BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT
A public transport alternative appears in italics.

To reach individual attractions you will need a combination of Metro, local buses and some walking. Please bear in mind that the following timings are based on car travel. If using public transport then the amount of time available for each visitor attraction will be influenced by bus/Metro timetables.

Please check www.nexus.org.uk for up to date information on journey times, or call Traveline on 0870 608 2 608.

Metro Hopper and Metro DaySaver tickets are available for unlimited Metro travel and Day Rover tickets for unlimited bus and Metro travel.

9.30am dep NewcastleGateshead
Car Route: A167 north-A1058 east-Tynemouth

Public Transport route: Metro from Haymarket, Monument,
Central Station or Gateshead to Tynemouth.

10.00am arr Tynemouth/Cullercoats/Whitley Bay

12.30pm dep Tynemouth/Cullercoats/Whitley Bay
Car Route: A193 west-North Shields-A187- via Royal Quays
Shopping Outlet-A19/Tyne Tunnel south - on exit from Tyne Tunnel take A185 east - Tyne Dock - South Shields - follow brown tourist signs through town centre for Arbeia Roman fort

Public Transport route: Tynemouth Metro to North Shields
Metro. Walk to Shields Ferry on the north bank of River Tyne.
A frequent service links North and South Shields. Disembark and walk to South Shields town centre for museum/art gallery (10 minutes) OR walk to Arbeia Roman fort (20-30 minutes).

1.00pm arr South Shields
Arbeia Roman Fort OR South Shields Museum and Art Gallery

2.30pm dep South Shields
Car Route: return to A185-A19/Tyne Tunnel north-on exit
from Tyne Tunnel take A187 riverside route and follow brown
tourist signs to Segedunum, Wallsend.

Public Transport Route: Return to Shields Ferry and then to
North Shields Metro. Take Metro to Wallsend Metro and Bus
Station. Walk to Segedunum Roman fort (3 minutes)

3.00pm arr Segendunum Roman Fort, Wallsend

5.00pm dep Segendunum Roman Fort
Car Route: A186 north-A1058 west - NewcastleGateshead city centre.

Public Transport Route: Return to Wallsend Metro and Bus
Station. Take Metro to NewcastleGateshead.

WHAT YOU WILL FIND ALONG THE WAY.......

Plenty of healthy fresh air, great Roman history and a chance to go "plodgin'".........!

Tynemouth is such a pretty village and is one of the most historic settlements in North Tyneside. Magnesian limestone cliffs provide the perfect setting for the romantic ruins of Tynemouth Priory and Castle. King Edward III considered this fortress to be one of the strongest in the north of England and who would argue with that when gazing from the headland to the beach below.

The car park beyond the castle complex gives great views of the mouth of the River Tyne and across to the town of South Shields. Seats just beyond the car park provide terrific vantage points to sit and watch the river traffic whilst a short walk away is the statue of local hero Admiral Lord Collingwood (1748-1810). Born in Newcastle, Collingwood earned his place in naval history when he took command of the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 following Lord Nelson's death in action. The four cannons surrounding the base of the statute were taken from Collingwood's ship the "Royal Sovereign".

Near Collingwood's statue is the Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade Watch House. This is the world's oldest volunteer life brigade and the museum has some fascinating displays. Check out the collection of ornate ships figureheads.

Tynemouth village has cafes and quaint individual shops but if it's bracing sea air you are looking for then keep to the coastal road which leads north from Tynemouth Priory and Castle and enjoy one of the best beach views in the north of England. Look out for people "plodgin'" in the waves - a local term for paddling. Go on - join in!

Further north at Cullercoats is St George's church, its tall spire providing a terrific landmark for mariners. The Percy family, Dukes of Northumberland, were major landowners in this area for generations and the church was built in 1882 as a memorial to his father by the 6th Duke of Northumberland. Near St George's church the maritime theme is continued at the Blue Reef Aquarium where more than 30 displays bring all the drama of the North Sea to life. Adults and kids will love it.

Whitley Bay is a great place for family entertainments, good beaches and lovely promenade walks with views over the ocean.

After exploring these gems north of the River Tyne the journey switches south of the river and uses the A19 Tyne Tunnel to get there. En-route is the Royal Quays shopping outlet at North Shields. Who could resist those famous brand names at brilliant discounted prices!

The Tyne Tunnel leads to South Shields and a town with a long history. Begin your exploration high up on The Lawe area where a 2,000 year old site can claim to be the beginnings of the town. Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum is regarded as the best example of a Roman military supply base in Great Britain and the site has been extensively excavated. Accurate reconstructions of the fort gateway, commanding officer's house and barrack block help bring the site alive.

South Shields and the wider South Tyneside area is linked in many people's minds with the author Catherine Cookson (1906-1998). South Shields Museum and Art Gallery is the place to learn about her early life and the surroundings which inspired her to write the 90+ novels which brought her worldwide fame. But South Shields is more than just the story of Catherine Cookson. The walk-through museum displays also offer a fascinating insight into the area's natural and industrial development over the centuries.

Just opposite the museum entrance in Ocean Road is the statue of a "Man and His Donkey" which recalls the poignant story of John Kirkpatrick who was born in 1892 in South Shields but died many hundreds of miles away in the battlefields of Gallipolli during the First World War. Kirkpatrick served as a stretcher bearer and used his donkey, Murphy, to transport more than 300 wounded soldiers to safety. Murphy survived the war but Kirkpatrick was mortally wounded at the age of 22.

For the car driver, brown tourist signs lead from South Shields town centre to Milldam and the Customs House. Here is an opportunity to get really close to the River Tyne and admire the recent regeneration of what was once a rundown area. It's also a great place for lunch or an evening theatre or cinema trip. The sculpture of a merchant seaman in the car park of the Customs House is a gritty reminder of the sacrifice made by local men during the Second World War.

Leave South Shields on the A185 and near Jarrow Slake look for the entrance to a light industrial estate. Follow the brown tourist signs to find great bargains at the Barbour Factory Shop. Ever wondered why Barbour wax jackets have tartan linings? Because the business was founded by John Barbour from Ayrshire in Scotland who moved to the north east of England in 1870 and brought the Scottish tartan as his trademark.

Bede's World and St Paul's church are close by. (See "Tyne and Wear's International Connections" itinerary for more information).

But this journey continues through the Tyne Tunnel to the north bank of the River Tyne. The tunnel was opened in the 1960's and provides the only crossing of the River Tyne for vehicles east of the bridges in NewcastleGateshead.

On emerging from the tunnel onto the north bank follow A187 riverside route and brown tourist signs for Segedunum Roman Fort at Wallsend.

The River Tyne is one of the three major rivers of north east England and has long been associated with the region's economic life. In the 19th and 20th centuries it performed as an open air workshop with world famous shipyards and engineering works lining both banks. Whilst it is still a working river today that industrial activity is much reduced from its heyday. What a difference this landscape is now compared to the river landscape in the middle of NewcastleGateshead where industrial creativity has long since given way to artistic creativity in the form of The Sage Gateshead, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge.

Allow plenty of time to explore all that Segedunum has to offer. Take a ride to the top of the observation tower for a fantastic bird's-eye view of the remains of the Roman fort then stroll through the excavated ruins. Reconstructions include a full scale Roman bath house and a stretch of Hadrian's Wall whilst the brilliant site museum makes full use of 21st century technology to bring history alive.

From Segedunum it is an easy journey to return to NewcastleGateshead. Spend the evening reflecting on the day's journey over a glass of wine and delicious meal at one of the many restaurant choices with river views on Newcastle Quayside and Gateshead Quays. Or check out the current listings for events at local theatres and music venues. A perfect end to a perfect day.