Grainger Market

Following the quick visit to Central Arcade, continue down along Grainger Street until you arrive at the Grainger Market entrance to your right.

Whether you have just started your day or have just arrived at Newcastle, Grainger Street is a great place to grab a few bites for a meal.

Grainger Market is a covered market that has been in operation for nearly 200 years now. It was in fact once the largest covered market in England. Today, you can find a whole range of shops, from ready-made food, fresh fruits and poultry to daily essentials.

Have a walk down the aisles and take the opportunity to grab breakfast or lunch, particularly Geordie food. Otherwise, Acropolis Greek street food is also a highly popular option in the market.

Theatre Royal

Then, exit back to Grainger Street (note that there are several different exits so do try to recall where you entered from).

Head along Market Street to arrive at Grey Street, which is a beautifully cleaned-up street. You will see a grand and beautiful facade of the Newcastle Theatre Royal.

For nearly 200 years, this theatre has played host to numerous musicals, concerts as well as ballets. Why not take a step in to buy a ticket for a performance? Or you can also check their schedules to see what performances they have during your stay.

High Bridge, Bigg Market and Cloth Market

Continue along Grey Street for a while, then turn right shortly into High Bridge Street. This is one of the few cobbled streets in Newcastle and is known for bars and nightlife, especially during nights when Newcastle United or England are playing their football matches. Particularly, a side street Old George Yard houses the Old George Inn – a popular pub.

You will soon emerge with Cloth Market Street to your left and Bigg Market to your right.

Cloth Market was one of the key medieval markets in the 13th century supplying provisions such as cloth. But in the 17th century it was transformed to Flesh Market, a butcher market. Then when the butcher market moved to Grey Street nearby, it was reverted back to a Cloth Market. This is actually one of the more photogenic streets in the city centre!

Bigg Market to your right was also a main marketplace, named after ‘bigg’, a type of barley that was widely sold here. Take a look around this area for some of the older buildings, which today houses many pubs and bars.

Then head round to the main entrance located along the small street St Nicholas Churchyard. Entry to the cathedral is free of charge, although you will need to pay a fee to climb the 162 steps up the Lantern Tower (whenever it opens). To do so, you will need to prebook a Lantern Tower tour, which operates only a few days in a year.

Vampire Rabbit and Bewick statue

When you head out of Newcastle Cathedral, try to spot a Vampire Rabbit staring down at you. Its significance is not clear, but some say it was meant to scare grave robbers, or just to represent spring.

To its right is the statue of Thomas Bewick, a natural history author best known for the book A History of British Birds.

Newcastle Castle

Following that, head round to Newcastle Castle, located adjacent to the cathedral. The castle played a crucial part in the development of the city and is also how the city got its name.

Brief Background

The site was originally part of a defensive Roman fort, before the eldest son of William the Conqueror (Robert Curthose) built a wooden castle on the site in 1080. Then a stone castle was built in 1172 under Henry II to defend the area against the Scots. Its military importance stimulated trade and thus led to Newcastle’s development as a major port.

Following the English Civil War after the Scottish Army besieged Newcastle, the castle was used as a prison. Then during the later years, its premises started housing a settlement of individual houses.

Today, the Newcastle Castle is a tourist attraction and museum where you can visit to understand its history and explore. There are two main parts – specifically the Black Gate and the Castle Keep.

Black Gate

Firstly, you should head to the Black Gate, which is the tower closer to the Newcastle Cathedral. This is because the tickets can only be purchased here (if not online). The Black Gate, as the name suggests, used to be a stone fortification at the castle’s northern entrance. Today, it houses a gift shop (where the ticketing counter is) as well as a museum about the history of the castle.

Then make sure to roam about the surrounding compounds and have a look at the remains of what used to be underground prison cells.

Castle Keep

Do not forget that there is a second part to the Newcastle Castle, so make sure to walk under the train viaducts to get to the Castle Keep. The Castle Keep was built in the late 12th century and served as a key stronghold in its defence against the Scots, before being used as a prison and administrative centre.

I found this the more interesting of the two towers, featuring a chapel, a Great Hall as well as a rooftop panoramic view of Newcastle! Take note though, that there are numerous spiral steps, some uneven grounds, some steep and some narrow.

Is the Newcastle Castle worth a visit? 

If you ask me, I found £12.50 fairly expensive – although you do get an annual ticket for unlimited visits in the next one year. But this is beneficial mostly only for those who live in the UK. Having said that, I did enjoy exploring the Castle Keep and looking at the great views at the rooftop.

If you enjoy medieval castles or getting to know more about the history of the city and the castle, I’d say go for it. Otherwise, if you are not into history at all, then you can explore its compounds without entering both towers.

Dog Leap Stairs

After that, head to Dog Leap Stairs starting from between the two towers. This flight of stairs will take you downhill to Side Street which then leads you to the Quayside. Otherwise, if you do not want to take the stairs, you can also walk down the sloped Side Street from near the Newcastle Cathedral.

Then follow the Side Street down towards the River Tyne, turning at Sandhill Street. I found this to be quite a lovely part of the walk, especially with the nice architecture surrounded by towering bridges above you.

Bessie Surtees house

From Side Street, turn right to Sandhill Street where you will then see the Bessie Surtees house (daughter of a Newcastle banker). You can see a historical plaque that points to you the window from which she eloped with John Scott (from a poor family). It turned out that John Scott then later became the Lord Chancellor of England!

Walk down along Sandhill Street until you reach Close Street when you should see a few hotels to your left. Then choose one of the pathways that lead you to the riverfront.

Seven Bridges over River Tyne

Once you are at River Tyne, you will be greeted by an impressive display of seven different bridges running across the River Tyne, and within just a short span of 1 mile / 1.6 km!

The trio of bridges to the right are generally less impressive in their designs compared to the four to the left. You can head down the riverfront pathway to get closer to the trio. Specifically from the furthest to the nearest are the Redheugh Bridge, the King Edward VII Bridge and the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge.

High Level Bridge

Then, make a U-turn and head the opposite way towards the other four bridges. The very first you’ll arrive at, is the High Level Bridge – the oldest bridge out of the seven. The bridge was opened in 1849 to pedestrians, vehicles as well as railways in a double-deck structure, making it the world’s first road and rail bridge!

Get your pictures now, and this walking route will give you the opportunity to cross the bridge later.

Swing Bridge

Unlike the High Level Bridge that connects roads from the city centre, the Swing Bridge is a pedestrian and road bridge that connects at the Quayside level. Therefore you can easily cross it if you want.

The Swing Bridge is so called because of its ability to rotate, or ‘swing’ around to allow ships to pass. It doesn’t get to swing as often now though.

Tyne Bridge

Arguably, the Tyne Bridge is the most iconic and symbolic bridge of Newcastle out of the seven. It is not coincidental that it looks similar to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, as they were designed and built by the same group of people. This is another bridge that connects roads at the city centre level.

While you are here, it may also be a logical time to have a break and have lunch or tea in the vicinity. For example, Dobson and Parnell is one restaurant that is frequently being recommended. Though take note that they open only from Thursdays to Sundays for lunch, and Wednesdays to Saturdays for dinner (subject to change). This is a more upmarket choice but there are other options available in the area.

Gateshead Millennium Bridge

Finally, the last of the seven bridges is the Gateshead Millennium Bridge. This is a pedestrian-and-cyclist-only bridge that was opened to the public in 2001. The award-winning bridge is the world’s first tilting bridge, and when it does so, allows ships to pass.

The walk across on this bridge is very lovely, as it gives you full view not only of the Tyne Bridge (see cover photo), but also the Glasshouse International Centre for Music and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art.

Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art

If you are not in a rush for time and are interested in art, why not head to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art once you have crossed the Gateshead Millennium Bridge?

This is an international art gallery housed in a converted flour mill. It showcases innovative art from all around the world, and also has viewing platforms where you can get great views of the River Tyne with its bridges. What’s more, entrance is free!

Then, walk past the Glasshouse International Centre for Music and walk uphill along Bottle Bank Road to the left of Hilton Newcastle Gateshead Hotel. Shortly after, you will arrive at the Gateshead Railway Quarter and the Central Pub. Walk to the right of the Central Pub along Half Moon Lane before turning right into Wellington Street.

From here, head straight into the High Level Bridge.

High Level Bridge

Having seen the High Level Bridge from the waterfront earlier, you now get to walk across the bridge itself. I suggest to walk on the right side because that will give you the better views.

The bridge only measures 408 metres / 1,338 feet so the walk will not take very long. Once you emerge from the other side of the bridge, you can view some information panels to the left to understand about its history, construction and repairs over the years.

You will also find yourself back at Newcastle Castle!

George Stephenson Monument

From opposite of Newcastle Castle, turn into Westgate Road and you will shortly arrive at the George Stephenson Monument. George Stephenson is often known as the ‘Father of Railways’ because of his contributions to the first passenger steam locomotive! Further, he was also the inventor of the safety lamps for miners. All of his work has significantly contributed to Newcastle’s industrial developments.

The monument features George Stephenson of course, standing on a pedestal with four other men at its corners. Each of the four men depicts a part of George’s contributions – a miner with a safety lamp, blacksmith with an anvil, engine model with a locomotive engineer as well as a fish-bellied rail with a plate-layer.

Fun fact: His son Robert Stephenson then went on to be one of the designers for the High Level Bridge – the world’s first road and rail bridge!

Tyne Theatre and Opera House

From the George Stephenson Monument, you may be able to take a peek at the Newcastle Central Station. But continue along Westgate Road for another 300 metres / 5 minutes and you will arrive at the Victorian Tyne Theatre and Opera House.

Built in 1867, the theatre was also once used as a cinema. It is presently being run by a non-profit trust. I managed to catch a Cinderella pantomime while I was there to experience its interior. You can check its website for available guided tours or performances.

Town Walls, Blackfriars and Chinatown

Then, walk along the Town Walls. These are the West Walls, one of the two most extensively surviving sections of the medieval defensive walls. You can choose to walk round the exterior of the town walls, or head to Chinatown along Stowell Street.

Do take a walk along Dispensary Lane as well, for what what’s left (not much) of the Blackfriars Priory. Also you can head to Blackfriars Restaurant (mentioned in the ‘Food’ section above) for dinner with a traditional Northeastern touch.

St James’ Park and return

From the Chinatown Archway, you can take a peek at St James’ Park, the football home stadium for Newcastle United. You may want to make a quick detour to the stadium if you are not planning to head there for matches or stadium tours on another day.

Finally, end the day with a return to Grey’s monument by following Gallowgate Street and Blackett Street. If you have time, you can check out the Eldon Square shopping mall, or the Northumberland shopping street. Otherwise, maybe join in some of the nightlife activities around the city centre?

Start the day perhaps with a visit to Greggs, a Geordie breakfast at Grainger Market or an English breakfast at a Wetherspoon’s. Then make a choice between the Discovery Museum or the Great North Museum: Hancock.

Discovery Museum

If you choose to go for the Discovery Museum, then head west of the Newcastle city centre. This is a science and local history museum and so is the perfect place to get to know more about the history of Newcastle and the Tyneside area, along with their scientific, maritime and industrial developments. It also features the Turbinia, the first steam-powered ship and once the fastest in the world.

This is the best place for families – both young and old – to experience the evolution of Newcastle from its Roman times until present day. It also covers Newcastle’s role in shipbuilding and trade along with the military history of the north.

Entry is free, and you can generally spend over 2 hours for a complete visit.

Great North Museum: Hancock

But if you choose the Great North Museum: Hancock, head north of the city centre. The Great North Museum is one of natural history and ancient civilisations, named after John and Albany Hancock (Newcastle naturalists who founded the museum). It features a diverse collection of exhibits including a T-rex skeleton, live animal displays, Egyptian mummies as well as Roman artefacts. You can also find out more about the Hadrian’s Wall that used to border the Roman empire, and is a great starting point if you intend to hike or explore sections of the wall.

Generally, you will take around 2 hours to explore the museum.

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to visit both museums due to the closures during the festive period. So I am not able to give you first hand opinion of both museums. Which to choose then, will probably depend on your interests – science and history vs animal and history.

You could also decide to visit both, though you have to spend less time on one of the afternoon options below.

After lunch in the city (perhaps at Grainger Market again?) choose between one of the three following options:

Option 1: Angel and the North and Durham

Angel of the North

In brief, the Angel of the North is a steel sculpture in Gateshead, designed by Antony Gormley to look like a large human with wings. It measures 20 metres / 66 feet in height and 54 metres / 177 feet in wingspan.

It was built to honour the region’s industrial and mining past, as well as a guardian angel signifying protection and hope. It has since become an iconic landmark, particularly along the main motorway that leads to Newcastle.

You can easily reach the steel sculpture by taking a 20-minute bus ‘Angel 21‘ from the Newcastle city centre.

Durham

You don’t need too long at the Angel of the North, so you can take the bus ‘Angel 21’ further south to the town of Durham. The journey generally takes around 30 minutes from the Angel of the North.

At Durham, you can visit the Durham Cathedral, Durham Castle (now partly a university) and/or enjoy a leisurely walk along the River Wear.

Finally, you can take a 20-minute journey on the Transpennine Express or LNER trains from the Durham station back to Newcastle Central. You can also take bus ‘Angel 21’ again, but that will be around an hour’s journey.

Option 2: Ouseburn and Victoria Tunnels

Ouseburn was once an industrial area of Newcastle but is now converted very much into a cultural hub. Many of the former factory buildings have now been transformed into art galleries, breweries as well as music venues.

Here, you can visit the art galleries or breweries, take a heritage walking tour to understand about Ouseburn’s regeneration and of course take an award-winning tour down the Victoria Tunnels. The Victoria Tunnels were built in 1842 as a coal mining waggonway before being used as a WWII air-raid shelter.

You can book the heritage walking tours, tunnel tours as well as the brewery tours here.

From the city centre, you can either take a 1 mile / 1.6 km walk, or a 5-minute bus ride (a number of bus services available – check Google Maps) to reach Ouseburn.

Option 3: St James’ Park stadium tour or matchday

Lastly, you can also choose to visit the Newcastle United Football Club for a stadium tour or even watch a match if there is one during your stay!

Nightlife

As I have said above, Newcastle is also known for its vibrant nightlife! I am not a big fan of nightlife activities, but below are some of the main areas in Newcastle you can go to to experience a Geordie night.

Check out the more upmarket pubs and bars along Collingwood Street or Quayside (such as Pitcher & Piano or the Bridge Tavern). Or if you are tighter on budget, then the Bigg Market area may be more for you. Expect Bigg Market to be rowdier though.

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