Winter Walks

Winter Walks

Winter might not be everyone’s favourite season to enjoy a walk out, but we love it. Maybe not in horizontal sleet and storm force winds but on a crisp winter’s day, you can’t beat it. We’re not talking about full on hikes here but just enough to get out, get some fresh air and really enjoy the season.

St Mary’s Lighthouse to Seaton Sluice

You can either start this walk at the main car park at St Mary’s Lighthouse or further along at the one just down from the Delaval Arms. Starting at the main car park gives you the option of either walking along the headland or along the path that passes the nature reserve. In a relatively small space, you will fill all kinds of habitats and wildlife, spotting seabirds, partridges, curlew, rabbits and many more.

You’ll reach the alternative smaller car park and look out to see if the wee little van of the Little Brew Coffee Co. is parked up on the verge and enjoy a warming brew. Keep on the path that follows the headland past the Caravan Club site, and you’ll enjoy some gorgeous views of the coastline. Another great opportunity to spot seabirds

You’ll eventually find yourself entering the village Seaton Sluice. See if you can discover some of the fabulous wood carving statues by local artist Tom Newstead. If you’re in need of sustenance there’s some fab places to eat in the village, the Kings Arms is always one of our favourites.

If you’re up for continuing the walk after a good feed, why not continue on through into Hollywell Dene and hopefully see some winter and early spring flowers.

Royal Quays to Tynemouth

There’s something about being by the River Tyne that we love. I think a lot of it is to do with the regions strong connection to the ship building industry. A fair few of my family worked in the shipyards and grew up living just up from the Tyne.

So, it’s apt to start this winter walk following the River along from the Royal Quays and onto North Shields Fish Quay. Sadly, the fish industry has declined sharply since it’s heyday but there’s certainly been a fair few developments along the Quay and monuments and businesses that celebrate the Fish Quay’s rich history as a lively fishing port.

To find out more about the history and heritage of the Fish Quay, pay a visit to the Old Low Lights Heritage Centre. It really is such a great facility to learn about the story of North Shields.

There’s certainly plenty of places to choose from for a bite to eat, for traditional fish and chips, The Waterfront remains a Fish Quay stalwart and Dodgins Yard is great for seafood. One of our favourites is the Low Lights Tavern whose Sunday lunches are legendary!

Continue along towards the Mouth of the Tyne and walk under the watchful gaze of a local hero, Lord Cuthbert Collingwood. An instrumental figure at the Battle of Trafalgar whose monument watches over the river.

Head up the bank towards Tynemouth Priory and Castle and if you’re old enough to remember, picture Supergran whizzing down the path! Tynemouth of course become Chisleton, the home town of Supergran in the 1980’s!

Enjoy the view from the top of the bank and enjoy a well deserved drink of whatever you fancy in the village.

South Gosforth to the Ouseburn

This is one of our absolute favourite winter walks. An urban walk but full of moments of calm and tranquility along the way. We usually start the walk from South Gosforth Metro station. Head down onto Haddricks Mill Road (you’ll walk past the Millstone Pub) and then left down Castle’s Farm Road and from there you can enter Jesmond Dene!

Jesmond Dene is a fab place to enjoy snowdrops, and they really do brighten up even the darkest of winter days.  You can really take your time walking through the Dene and just taking in the sights and sounds of the season. We always enjoy having a picnic lunch in a quiet spot.

You can continue through the Dene and into Heaton Park coming out onto Warwick Street, Lucy’s Dad always love’s popping into Sid’s Corner shop for a samosa to enjoy on the last stretch of the walk.

Now you can begin heading down towards the Ouseburn. The joy of this walk is that you can kind of make the route up as you go and change which path’s you take. We usually find ourselves coming out right by the fabulous Ouseburn Farm and head to the Free Trade Inn to enjoy that spectacular view of the bridges over the Tyne.

If you give one of these walks a go, we hope you enjoy it. They're not meant to be detailed map studying hikes but more a gentle amble where you can really switch off. 

Paul & Lucy xx