Newcastle has a diverse set of options for a day visit, so it is not to be taken lightly.
NORTHUMBRIAN COAST
The coast at Tynemouth is fantastic and the resort of Whitley Bay has attracted millions since way before the days when I ran a Northern Soul night in the Rex Hotel back in the seventies (Stuart writing. I was the breakfast show DJ on Metro for a while, and it is where Jean and I met).
LINDISFARNE
Lindisfarne is a trek, but possible by car hire. (60 miles, just over an hour). BUT *** You must factor in the safe crossing times. It is accessible via a causeway that is underwater when the tide is in.
ROMAN NEWCASTLE
A great option is Roman England. The largest surviving Romon monument is Hadrian’s Wall, which was started in Wallsend. The emperor built the wall from East to West. It runs from Wallsend along the Tyne-Solway Gap north of their Roman fort. That original fort was somewhere between the current post-Norman Castle and the Cathedral. The wall marked the line between the conquered Roman Britain and the unconquered Caledonian (Scotland) north. It stretched over seventy miles to Bowness-on-Solway in Cumbria to the west of Carlisle.
If you wish to do the walk today it normally starts in the quiet little Northumberland town of Corbridge some 29 miles (27 minutes by car) away which some cruisers may visit for its vast Roman remains. Trains leave from Eldon Square in Newcastle and takes just under an hour.
THE CITY
The city is an obvious call, and you should make your lunch stop the Cafe 16 in the Cathedral near the castle, see the film. It also has wonderful cakes and a great Vegan lunch selection.
The conquering Romans also built the first bridge over the River Tyne in the mid-2nd century, and gave it the family name of the Emperor Hadrian, Aelius; ‘Bridge of Aelius’ or ‘Pons Aelius’. Walk up from the Tyne and you will find the castle and the beautiful Cathedral built in 1350 after the previous church was burnt down in 1216. It was given cathedral status in 1882, then known as St Nicholas Church. He is the patron saint of sailors and boats – they didn’t have cruise ships back then. The tower contains 14 bells, and the church houses a marble monument to locally born Admiral Lord Collingwood, who took over command at the battle of Trafalgar after the death of Admiral Lord Nelson.
FIONA SAMPLE MBE
Importantly, the Cathedral is in keeping with its community and houses Cafe 16, a modern-day hub for the Northumbrian people and a very forward-thinking project, the Oswin Project. This has much to do with the pioneering efforts of the Reverend Fiona Sample MBE who is the current CEO of the Oswin Project. Jean met with Fiona Sample, who was awarded an MBE, Member of the Order of the British Empire, earlier in 2023.
Many ships visit Newcastle including Marella, Ambassador, the SAGA ships, the Aurora and Arcadia. Find the chat sites for these ships on our home page.
Aurora Ship Tour Britannia Ship Tour SAGA SoA Ship Tour Arcadia Ship Tour
Did you know that the town of Newcastle in Australia, its’ namesake, produces more coal than all the mines in the UK ever did together?
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