Newcastle - Day 4

We checked out of the hotel and put our luggage in the car. We then went for a walk down to the river as we knew the Millennium Bridge was due to be opened at 10.05am.

We had coffee and a muffin at Dobson's Coffee, then went to see the bridge open, to let a cruise boat through.

We then returned to the car and drove home.

Newcastle - Day 3

We spent the day walking and sightseeing. First we had a wander in the Lit & Phil Library which was just up the road from the hotel.

We then went for our breakfast at Cloisters Cafe at St Mary's Cathedral, followed by a visit to the cathedral itself.

We went to the Discovery Museum and had a look round.

After this we caught the 38 bus to Jesmond, getting off at the Freeman Hospital. We walked to the Ouseburn in Jesmond Dean. Where we joined the river was a waterfall and a ruined mill.

We walked down the path next to the Ouseburn and came to a petting zoo with birds and goats etc.

We carried on all the way to where it enters the River Tyne. Just before there is the City Farm, where we bought some food to feed to the pigs in their muddy pen.

At the bottom we went for a pint at the Free Trade Inn, which has great views up to the bridges on the Tyne. After this we took the car back to Dean Street car park and went back to the hotel.

In the evening we went out, first crossing the High Level Bridge to Gateshead, where we had a drink in The Central.

We had a look at an Indian restaurant near there but decided against it, so walked back over to Newcastle. We decided to go for dinner at the COOP Chicken House where we had a half chicken plus chilli wings along with potato and sweet potato fries and various sauces.

This was what was left at the end!

Newcastle - Day 2

Shirley had an appointment at the Biobank centre for scans and tests today. First we had a coffee at Doyle's of Dean Street, then drove to the centre which was only about 10 minutes away.

Scott went for a scenic drive, east to the coast at Tynemouth, then south through the Tyne Tunnel to South Shields. He then parked the car at the Baltic centre on the bank of the Tyne and went for a walk.

He went to the free car park just down from the Biobank centre and waited for Shirley to finish at about 2pm. We decided to leave the car where it was and walked up the riverside back to the centre and to the hotel for a rest.

Later we decided to go out to Jesmond, a suburb of Newcastle about 40 minutes walk away. We had a pint at the Osbourne Hotel on the main street. After this we went to the Lonsdale pub.

We wanted to have dinner at the Fat Hippo, a burger place but we hadn't booked and it was full. So we went back to the Lonsdale and had our dinner there - chicken korma and beef yorkie wrap.

We caught the Metro back to the city centre.

Newcastle - Day 1

We left Mum and Dad's at Falkirk at about 3pm and drove to Newcastle, arriving just before 6pm. We parked the car in Dean Street car park in the city centre - free after 5pm.

From there we walked to our hotel, Sleeperz, and checked in. The room was on the first floor and was fine, had everything we needed, tea, coffee, TV, wifi, even a window!

In the evening we went out, first having a pint at the Split Chimp, a craft bar just down the road from the hotel. From there we walked up to Chinatown and went for a meal in the Sky restaurant. Although it was quiet, most of the other diners were Chinese so we thought it should be good.

We had chicken with ginger and spring onion, and shredded beef with chilli sauce, it was all very good.

After eating we bought some beer and wine from Tesco and went back to the room.