Heading from Haymarket or Jesmond stations, you want to hop on a train for St James, which should take you to our first stop, Whitley Bay. Of course there is the gorgeous sea front, where if you head down Station Road and Esplanade, you can walk all the way along the coast along the promenade. There is also a skatepark about ten metres from the beach! Park View is also home to a pottery painting studio called Hotpotz and a range of shops, bars, and restaurants for a lovely day out.
Hopping back the same direction, our next stop is Tynemouth. Now, I know that Tynemouth is not underrated, however, there are some secrets that I think you may have missed. On Tynemouth Front Street, there is a small shop called Razzberry Bazaar. The perfect place for all your trinkets, Razzberry Bazaar has such a beautiful and unique atmosphere, selling jewellery, clothing, and many other miscellaneous items that are great for gifting. Tynemouth also has the Priory Castle, a 13th century monastery that is not only the final burial site of three kings, including Malcom III of Scotland, but was a royal castle retained by Henry VIII in the 16th century. An afternoon wandering the eight-hundred year old walls cannot be beaten in my eyes.
With a bit further to go, and still heading towards St James, you can then stop off at Chillingham Road, where you can explore Jesmond Dene’s younger sibling, Heaton Park. A lovely picnic spot in the summer, Heaton Park also links onto Jesmond Dene, so, for those looking for a reconnection with nature after a harsh night out, there is plenty to go around just off the metro line. Also an underrated spot, Pizzaholic on Chillingham Road serves 32-inch pizzas, so if you’re throwing a house party – or recovering from one – it’s definitely the place to go!
My last stop on the metro before heading back up to town is Byker, as just a short walk from the station is Ouseburn Valley. Ouseburn is an ex-industrial area that has been converted into a plethora of bars and restaurants, many of which host live music. For the live band lovers, the Cluny hosts lots of up-and-coming artists, whereas Cobalt Studios aid local artists to express their art through many different forms, some of which being DJ sets and club nights. For a more wholesome experience, there is also a free farm in Ouseburn, so if exam season stress is starting to creep up on you, get out and go and pet some rabbits!
