As we gradually make it through this awful virus, it's only natural that we're thinking of all the things we miss and all we want to do when we're able. Having gone from travelling every weekend to not travelling for thirteen weeks, I'm finding that it's the little things I miss the most: sitting on a quiet beach; eating fish and chips on the sea-front; visiting a museum. I've tried to condense the places I want to visit down to five, but expect a part two when I continue thinking of more!
1. South Shields
South Shields is a place I must admit, I wasn't particularly excited about. From things I'd read and seen, it didn't seem like the nicest of places and so I had low expectations... How wrong I was! When we visited last year, we took the Metro and stopped off at Tyne Dock on the way for a meal at Man vs Food which was just a short walk from the Metro stop. When we got to South Shields we booked a taxi and asked him to take us to whichever bit of beach he'd recommend and I'm so glad we did this! He took us to a lovely quiet (in comparison to the rest of the beach) part, Long Beach, where there was a bar (although this was extremely busy) and a stall selling ice cream and drinks. We were just happy to find a nice bit of sand to sit and relax! I must admit we were incredibly underprepared with no blanket to sit on so next time Iād take a little bag with a blanket and a couple of small towels so we can properly enjoy ourselves and get as sandy as we like! That does, however, remind me of a small tip: When we went to Scarborough we did the same thing and forgot a blanket, so we picked up a table cloth from Poundland... It was obviously cheap and worked so much better as the vinyl sort of material meant the sand poured right off so we could pack it up again with no issues.
ā¢ Hotel suggestions: Crowne Plaza Newcastle, Hilton Gateshead, Hotel Indigo Newcastle
ā¢ Getting There: Metro, car, bus
2. Beamish
Sticking with the North East, somewhere I absolutely love to go and would like to go back to is Beamish. A living museum between Durham and Newcastle, Beamish is home to a variety of settings from different eras including the 1820s, 1900s and 1940s with more to come! Each area includes some functional shops and food outlets and Iād recommend a trip to the 1900ās Town for the sweet shop (which smells amazing!) and the 1900ās Pit Village for Davyās Fried Fish ship - although the queues here are generally very long and you can expect wait times of up to an hour... the chips are just that good! If the weatherās nice take a seat in the bandstand in 1900ās Town or take the tram to the 1940ās Farm where you can sometimes catch the county fair. I suggest splitting your trip up if you can and visiting one area per trip as that allows you to make the most of your ticket (which is valid for a year) and also explore everything properly.
ā¢ Hotel Suggestions: Crowne Plaza Newcastle, Hilton Gateshead, Hotel Indigo Newcastle, Radisson Blu Durham
ā¢ Getting There: Car, bus
3. Blackpool
Itās no secret that I absolutely adore Blackpool. Itās my favourite place so thereās no surprise that I want to go back there when lockdownās over. To some people, Blackpool can be a bit rough around the edges but if you really look at the good parts, it's fantastic! There's so much to do in Blackpool so really this could be a whole "Top Five Friday" on its own but I'll try my best to keep it short. When you think of Blackpool you more than likely think of either the beach or the Pleasure Beach, and you'd be right to as both are excellent - I really suggest spending as long as you can in Blackpool to really make the most of your trip. You could spend the day at the Pleasure Beach (Kas would tell you to try the fish and chips at the entrance, he's always wanting them) followed by an evening at the beach when it's quieter and you can see a lovely sunset over the Irish Sea; other things to do include Sealife, Blackpool Zoo, Madame Tussauds, Blackpool Dungeon, Sandcastle Water Park or just a day in the many arcades along the Promenade. If you aren't ready to travel until later in the year, don't fret. Blackpool is just as lovely in the Autumn months as the well-established Illuminations get under way.
ā¢ Hotel Suggestions: Boulevard Hotel (new), Big Blue Hotel
ā¢ Getting There: Train, car
4. Leeds
I'm actually surprised at myself for putting Leeds on the list. It's somewhere that I've been so so many times now and one of the longest trips I make to see Kas regularly. That being said, there is a lot to love about Leeds and I think it's the familiarity that I miss and want to go back for. There's a lot to do in Leeds and an excellent rail network surrounding the area too, meaning that if you get sick of the hustle and bustle you can easily hop on a train and go somewhere else; Harrogate, York, Wakefield and Scarborough are all within a couple of hours. In Leeds itself, shoppers would be in awe at the huge Trinity Shopping Centre whereas those who aren't so keen on city life could head to Roundhay Park and Tropical World and television lovers could opt for the Emmerdale Studio Tour. There's all the usual things to do that you could expect; bowling at Roxy Lanes, mini-golf at Junkyard Golf Club or films at Everyman Cinema. One thing I really enjoy about Leeds is the river; I've mentioned the River Taxi so many times in various posts now but it really is something worth checking out. It's a short trip from Leeds Station to Leeds Dock but for only Ā£1 per person it's incredible value for money and makes for a great experience, especially in the evening. I think I feel at my happiest when I'm near some form of water so sitting in the gardens at Brewery Place is very relaxing to me as well as soaking up the views from one of Leeds' many bridges at night. All of that being said, the thing I miss most about Leeds has to be the food - there's so much choice! Kas and I particularly love Almost Famous (try the This is Leeds burger!) and we even love Red Hot Buffet which gives a huge variety, although perhaps not for the more sophisticated palate.
ā¢ Hotel Suggestions: DoubleTree, Radisson Blu, Jurys Inn
ā¢ Getting There: Train, car, coachĀ
5. Carlisle/Cumbria
This one may particularly surprise readers as I'm actually from Carlisle. "Why, after months of being at home, do you want to stay at home for longer?", you may ask. Well... It's simple really. I want to show Kas everything we have to offer! Kas has been here a couple of times but, as is the norm for the North, the weather's been rubbish. If we end up getting any of our Summer this year, there's so much I want to be able to show Kas in and around Carlisle & Cumbria. In Carlisle itself we're lucky to have a fantastic castle (the very place Mary Queen of Scots was held for a while) and cathedral. The castle is a great day out and easy to get to, being right next to the shopping area/City Centre - although I would say it's quite expensive at Ā£7.90 per adult. The cathedral, on the other hand, is free. Although it isn't enough for a full day out, it's a nice place to have a quick browse and make sure you look up at the incredible ceiling! One thing I'd really like to do is travel along the Cumbrian Coast train line. Spanning from Carlisle to Barrow (and on to Lancaster) there are many fantastic stops along the way including St Bees, a lovely coastal village where I spent many summers as a child. Other places I'd like to show Kas are Allonby, a small village and beach with fantastic fish and chips and Silloth, a small Victorian town with a walk-way alongside the sea. Of course there's then the obvious, our stunning Lake District. I have taken Kas to my favourite part, Glenridding, before and I'd recommend absolutely everyone takes a trip there as it is a stunning little village and sitting at the lake makes for a peaceful and pleasant day out. I would, however, like to also show him Windermere and the town of Keswick where we have driven through previously. There's far too much to say about the Lake District and Cumbria, so I'll more than likely dedicate a post of its own in the coming weeks.
ā¢Ā Hotel Suggestions: The Old Wool House (apartments), North Lakes Hotel
ā¢ Getting There: Train, car, coach, plane (!)
