Newcastle-upon-Tyne City.... Ouseburn Valley... Whitburn... South Shields...

Friday 29 September 2017

Great day out exploring the Newcastle city centre, the seven bridges over the River Tyne and down to Whitburn, Souter Lighthouse and South Shields.

Loved all the buildings in Newcastle, the colour of the stone and the architecture.  First thing was a bit wet and dreary but the afternoon cleared up and became quite lovely.

As stated on wikipedia the statue of Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC (13 March 1764 – 17 July 1845), known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 22 November 1830 to 16 July 1834.

A member of the Whig Party, he backed significant reform of the British government and was among the primary architects of the Reform Act 1832. His government also saw the abolition of slavery in the British Empire. In addition to his political achievements, he has come to be associated with Earl Grey tea, named after him.

This is a little like the Strand Arcade in Sydney....

I loved the facing on the building on the left hand side. From 1897 it was Amos Atkinson shoe shop, although ornate white plaster looks Tudor apparently it was added in 1953 to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

The property on the right is Bessie Surtees House its the name of two merchants' houses on Newcastle's Sandhill that were built in the 16th and 17th centuries. The buildings are a fine and rare example of Jacobean domestic architecture. An exhibition detailing the history of the buildings can be found on the first floor. The site is also home to the North East regional branch of English Heritage. It is a Grade I listed building. The house is best known as the scene of the elopement of Bess...

The seven bridges over the River Tyne: Gateshead Millennium Bridge; Tyne Bridge; Swing Bridge; High Level Bridge; Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge; King Edward VII Bridge; Redheugh Bridge...

The large arch bridge is called the Tyne Bridge

The Sage Gateshead... music venue...

This bridge tilts at various times each day... as stated on wikipedia...Six 45 cm (18 in) diameter hydraulic rams (three on each side, each powered by a 55 kW electric motor) rotate the bridge back on large bearings to allow small ships and boats (up to 25 m (82 ft) tall) to pass underneath. The bridge takes as little as 4.5 minutes to rotate through the full 40° from closed to open, depending on wind speed. Its appearance during this manoeuvre has led to it being nicknamed the "Blinking Eye Bridge". The design is so energy efficient it costs just £3.96 each time it opens.

Gateshead Millennium Bridge

here's a picture off Wikipedia of it when its tilted

Swing Bridge in the foreground and the High Level Bridge above
The blue bridge hidden is the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge

Tyne Bridge with City view

View of King Street... with the original wooden signage of the Steam shipping company and a view of the Church of Saint Willibrord and with All Saints.

A little Tropical Oasis next to the Tyne River....

High Level Bridge

Loved the oriental style turrets of this building... its the former Ouseburn School...

The old Baltic Flour Mill is now the home for the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art...

Souter Lighthouse... loved the red and white style of it...

Loved the foghorn too!!! Looks like the Batman symbol...

Southshields Lighthouse...

Tynemouth Pier Lighthouse...

View of the Tynemouth Priory and Castle ...

Herd Groyne Lighthouse...

Such a fabulous couple of days with Gillian and David.... shame we live so far apart!!! Thank you so much again for showing us around your beautiful part of the country.