13th August 2019
Newcastle upon Tyne, commonly known as Newcastle, a city in Tyne and Wear on the north bank of the River Tyne, opposite its twin city Gateshead. Previously part of the County of Northumberland. The city developed around Pons Aelius, a Roman settlement and was named after the castle built in 1080 by Robert the brother of William the Conqueror. The city became a centre for the wool trade and later a port for the coal mining industry. The shipyards lower down the river during the Industrial Revolution became amongst the largest shipbuilding and ship repairing centres in the world.
Cruise ships berth at the Port of Tyne some way from Newcastle City centre.
Further down river at Tynemouth is the Collingwood Monument celebrating the life and achievements of Admiral Lord Collingwood. Collingwood was Nelson's second in command at the Battle of Trafalgar and was aboard the Royal Sovereign and took command of the fleet on the death of Nelson.
A warm sunny day awaited us with temperatures almost in the 20’s
Maiden call for us and Queen Victoria, just one of those places we needed to visit but seemed just too far by car, so much easier by ship!
Early morning sail in through the breakwaters at the entrance to the River Tyne, looks much too insignificant and narrow to be our destination, but this is it. We must be quite a spectacle, lots of locals have come out to view our arrival, even the fish processors have come out of the fish market to wave!
A quick pirouette and then to our berth at the Port of Tyne.
We took our time to get ourselves going while the rush for excursions cleared and the queue for the shuttle bus reduced, it didn’t help that the shuttle bus was taken out of service to bring local travel agents to the ship for their visit!
Took advantage to have morning coffee before going ashore. As luck would have it a shuttle bus was laid on which had two stops, the first at the local outlet shopping centre and the second at Tynemouth Metro Station. This being our destination for the day the bus ride saved a lot of trouble walking to the local Metro station and the ride to Tynemouth.
Tynemouth seems a very pleasant seaside town full of updated Victorian luxury properties with added retirement homes and smart coffee shops, and nice beaches, quite a revelation.
However our purpose of visiting was to visit the Collingwood Monument. Had a little trouble finding the right route as the most obvious way was blocked by some very smart private gardens between the road and the riverfront footpath. Luckily a nice chap gave us the gate code to shortcut through the tennis club grounds which saved us too much of a diversion.
The magnificent monument is in a lovely position overlooking the river mouth. Included as part of the monument are four of the cannons from the Royal Sovereign used at Trafalgar, quite a close family history connection here.
River mouth
After some time spent here a short walk through the riverside park took us back to catch the shuttle back to the ship. Time for something to eat, getting a bit peckish. Todays lunch included Mexican chicken enchiladas and beef fajitas, lucky we managed to get to lunch today.
Many remains of old shipbuilding in evidence near our berth, abandoned dry docks/shipbuilding docks and old waterfront warehouses etc. One lone pub in the middle of devastation seems all that’s left in use.
Time to relax before sailaway, in this we were accompanied by large crowds all along the riverfront watching and waving as we departed.
Leaving the river just outside the breakwater were a few dolphins, then away north. Travel distance overnight 108 nm.
This evening dinner in the buffet
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