I love where I live. I’m close to the coast and also the city, so if I want to escape or immerse yourself in the hustle and bustle, or chill out with a gorgeous coastal walk. I’m lucky enough that I can jump on a Metro and find myself in either destination within half an hour.
I get the Metro almost daily, whether it be going to work, for meetings or visiting friends. It’s such a convenient way for me to travel. When Metro got in touch with me and asked me if I’d like to document my day out using the Metro, I jumped at the chance. There are so many wonderful places in the North East that I love and want to show you all. For this day, I chose Tynemouth.
Tynemouth is a gorgeous place and boasts a lot of amazing features. Tynemouth Priory, Tynemouth Market and a wonderful chocolatier called Gareth James.
Just as you step off the Metro, you’re slap bang in the middle of the infamous Tynemouth Market. Filled with wonderful trinkets, food stalls and bits and bobs, it’s easy to get lost in the treasure trove of findings. My Mum and I had a wander, reminiscing the time we came here many years ago. I bought my first vinyl (still haven’t bought a record player!), a David Bowie single for just a few pounds and I was armed with my camera when I first started up photography.
Our next stop was lunch, we visited Allards to grab a bite to eat and both ended up getting the same meal – and drink. My mum and I opted for a fruity Old Mout cider and a burger. The presentation of the drinks at Allards was wonderful and the chips give a new definition to chunky! It was a lovely meal and we’d happily eat there again. Although, you are spoiled for choice for food when it comes to Tynemouth. There’s Lola Jeans, Riley’s Fish Shack and Longsands Kitchen for a lovely meal. I love Dil and the Bear for an afternoon coffee or a spot for lunch.
After a brisk walk and some outfit photos, we came to the Priory. A gorgeous building that sits right next to the beach. It is over 2000 years old and it has original beginnings as an Anglo-Saxon settlement. The gun battery built underground into the cliffs was designed to defend the Tyne in the First and Second World Wars. A historical piece of land, just on our doorstep. It’s also hosting the Tynemouth Food Festival on Sat 25 – Sun 26 Nov, so jump on the Metro and indulge in some food if you’re free on that weekend!
Tynemouth also boasts some cute and quirky shops, including Raspberry Bazarr. I could have spent hours in there taking photos of all of the cute little bits and trinkets, I’ll include some of my favourite photos. The outside is beautiful too, full of plants and flowers.
By around 4 pm, it was time for a coffee and afternoon treat. My family are big chocolate lovers, we eat more than we care to admit and I love having chocolate with my coffee. We were told we MUST visit Gareth James Chocolatier when we were there, and obviously as soon as I found out about it, it was top of my list. It’s a gorgeous shop, with lots of different flavours. I tried a brownie, which was gooey beyond belief and paired it with a mocha. Imagine my delight when I found out that my mocha contained actual melted chocolate. I think it was the best coffee I’d ever had! My Mam opted for a sticky toffee cake and cappuccino and that went down a treat too. A definite must-visit if you ever come to Tynemouth. With plenty of bits to take away.
One more place we wanted to visit before we headed home was the Green Ginger Arcade. Full of little stores, we picked up some sweets from the sweet shop, homemade fudge and jams before we headed home – I told you we liked sweet things!
Now it was time to tap back into the Metro and head home. I love how easy and convenient it is to use the Metro. Simply tapping in and out whilst topping up my pass once a month is so simple. It cuts the time of waiting for a machine to become free and I tell you, has saved me from missing many a Metro. If you commute or travel on Metro regularly then the MetroSaver is the ticket for you. I like paying for mine for the month, so I know I have it and don’t have to worry about paying for tickets later. There’s also the Pop PAYG, it is cheaper than adult Single and DaySaver tickets. In fact, it’s 20p cheaper than cash single tickets and 30p cheaper than cash DaySaver tickets. You can travel as many times as you like in a day, and you’ll never pay more than the daily cap (£2.60 for one zone, £3.70 for two zones, or £4.70 for all zones). And with an under 16 PAYG card travel on the Tyne and Wear Metro costs just 60p for a child’s single and £1.10 for a Child All-day Ticket.
To top up my POP card, I simply tap it on the orange sensor at any machine, select my ticket and pay. It’s really that simple! I love that I have the North East at my fingertips with Metro, I can escape the business and take a quiet stroll down the beach, or enjoy a day full of shopping in Newcastle city centre.
Metro also has many offers for places to visit around the North East. Next on my list is to try Hinnies in Whitley Bay, with their offer of a 3-course lunch and fizz for just £18 with a valid Metro ticket or pass. There’s a load more, including Blue Reef Aquarium and ice skating at the Centre for Life. Check them out here: https://www.nexus.org.uk/metro/offers
Visit https://www.nexus.org.uk/metro for more.
A huge thank you to Tyne and Wear Metro for collaborating with me on this post.
I LOVE Tynemouth! Back before we got a car we used to go there on the Metro almost every weekend, it’s the best day out .. you’ve actually reminded me that we haven’t been for AGES! We’re definitely due another visit!
I love Tynemouth too! Where do you usually visit when you go there? I’d love to have some suggestions for next time!