Things to do in Newcastle

Most cities get to be immortalised by the likes of Lonely Planet with a review of all their latest and greatest attractions. I thought I'd do my part for Newcastle with a list of my own creation. With a bit of luck, I might be able to lure a few visitors out of the nightclubs in the Big Market and get them looking at the actual gems NC has to offer.

Butterfly Cabinet, Heaton

Often still referred to as the Bell and Herb, this cafe offers some of the best food you'll ever eat in one of the coolest places you'll ever eat it in. Well, as long as you're prepared to wait for a table that is. This place seems to hit the spot for just about everybody, from young families to local bands so if you get there late at night be prepared for a very different experience than the Saturday morning breakfast crowd are likely to have. The cafe is also vegetarian friendly, without getting all weird about it.

Jesmond Dean
Whether you're after a peaceful afternoon stroll or you've taken a fancy to watching small children get bowled over by manic dogs, this beautiful park will surely meet your expectations. Plus, with Jesmond Old Cemetery barely a five minute walk away there's a ready opportunity to get your creep on and do some eerie graveyard exploring.  With or without the side-trip the park is definitely worth a visit if you've got a sunny afternoon and a picnic basket to spare or perhaps just a nasty hangover to nurse. Just as nature was always meant to be used. 

Quayside Markets
No longer as interesting as it was in the 50s (when I'm told you could buy monkeys and snakes here!) but still well worth an hour out of your Sunday morning. Once you get past the half a dozen stalls selling underwear and fake flowers, this market suddenly becomes quite charming. Start at Fresh and Frothy for a coffee to warm your hands for the rest of the walk. Then make your way all the way to the other end and pay a visit to the hilarious David Nash, whose stall will either excite your senses or scandalise your sensibilities. Either way is, of course, fine by me. 
(Tip: If markets are your thing, Tynemouth and the Tynemouth Markets make a nice daytrip)

Bacchus
I originally attended this bar on the dubious recommendation of an old guy on the train but it turns out old guys on the train know their stuff. Consistently voted the number one beer bar in Newcastle, this place is truly wonderful for those after a simple drink in stylish surrounds.

St James Stadium
Look at me doing my part to make friends here by still referring to it as St James! Despite all the naming rights controversies that seem to dominate any news story about football in Newcastle, a game at St James is still worth your time. After all, Newcastle has some of the most passionate supporters in the country. Be careful, though. As I'm writing this at the same time as there's a Newcastle/Sunderland game in progress, I'm fully aware of how important it is to stay as far from the stadium as possible right now. Beer and fights all round!

It's beginning to look a lot like winter

I'm told by locals on a near daily basis that this has been an incredibly mild winter. Terms like "sunbathing weather" are thrown around with the casual nonchalance that only true hardweather boys possess. But what these crazy northerners are forgetting is that the rest of us (sane) folks are not used to this kind of climate. Whilst I was sadly deprived of the White Christmas I've dreamt of since childhood, I can no longer deny that winter is well and truly here. Snow has fallen, melted and fallen again, matches are regularly postponed for weather, the sun doesn't rise til it's almost time for it to set again and the walk down the hill to the bus stop becomes more and more treacherous every day. Black ice, as it turns out, is very likely to be the cause of my early demise. 

A wariness of spending too much money before I've received some decent sized paycheques means there will be no fancy skiing holidays for me. A trip to Edinburgh was the highlight of the new year so far but with southern England buried in snow and sitting at a comfortable negative seven degrees; it looks like I won't be doing much tourism for a while. So the question becomes: what is the humble traveller to do when leaving the house comes with oversized coats, frostbite and horizontal sleet flying in your face?

Winter can still be a grand old time of year for those of us who are sensibly unwilling to risk pneumonia. The humble thrills enjoyed back home can still bring comfort abroad. Restaurants, movies, bars and cafes are just as enjoyable. Museums, galleries and shops are still open and whilst good television seems to have gone on hiatus lately, a night in watching one of the many award ceremonies that kick off during February is just as fun here as back home. One of the difficulties modern travellers face is getting over the belief that you have to be doing something every day in order to justify your trip. Sometimes simply enjoying yourself is more than enough.

Stranger Danger

It almost goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway:
You meet the strangest individuals inside backpacker hostels that you'll ever encounter in your life. Seriously. 


Some of the freakiest and scariest events of my life have occurred in hostels, as have some of the funniest and most incredible. It's a balance. All these events create fantastic stories to travel home with, but the highlight of these tales are always the wacky characters everyone believes you must be exaggerating. These people may drive you crazy at the time, but they usually hold the starring role in what will likely be your favourite memories of the trip.

I once encountered a family who were so worried about me travelling alone that they tried to send their eldest son along after me to accompany wherever I was going each day. Annoying? Yes. It was cringeworthy to try and convince them (politely) that I was safe. But going out to dinner with this family and watching them try to hold entire conversations with the waiter in a language they didn't speak was hysterical.

In a hostel, people like this are just part of the deal. I've encountered a guy who came sprinting into the hostel after midnight with angry local thieves giving chase. I met a girl who spent well over an hour trying to convince me it was daylight outside at 1am. One crazy old couple carried their mountain bikes everywhere (including inside) and just yesterday I played Drinking Monopoly (after we gave up on Drinking Risk) with a guy who threw the most impressive loser's tantrum I've ever seen and then managed to fall out of bed whilst attempting to convince us he was sober enough to go clubbing. That's a story I'll be telling for a while. (sorry mate)

These people and their counterparts in hostels all over the globe are a large part of what makes travel fun. They're also what makes travel scary and awkward, but like I said: it's a balance.