Newcastle to Whitley Bay

May 7, 2024

via the Barbour outlet in South Shields

Some unwanted items of mine have been sold on eBay and I make a few trips to the post office in the morning, which explains my later than usual train up to Newcastle.

It's mid afternoon when the 11:48 departure from Lincoln arrives in the northen city and as I want to get to the Barbour clothing outlet in South Sheields before it closes, I make my way directly to the city's metro station, which is just below the railway one. This should save me at least an hour of cycling.

A guard at the ticket barrier tells me bikes are not allowed within the city itself and says I have to make my way along the line for a few stations before I can board. What a pain.

I follow the riverside cycle path that Dave and I rode along a couple of years ago and veer away eventually to get to a metro stop. It's not as easy as it sounds and it seems to take forever.

The ticket machines don't say anything about bikes. The fare for just a few stops costs me £2.50 and the three staff manning the gates are chatting away when I push my bike through. Once down on the platform, an overhead monitor tells me the next one will be along in 10 minutes, but before it arrives, a pair of security guards come up to me and say that bikes are not allowed on trains until after 7:00. What a pain.

It's clear why when the train pulls in. It's packed. I look at Google Maps and get back on the bike and decide to simply follow the main road. What a pain.

Instead of the intended red route cycle path, I end up riding along the A194

I get to Barbour before it closes and buy a scarf and t-shirt for Debbie

It's 5:30 when I finally reach to the ferry terminal in South Shields, which is far later than expected. I'd considered staying a night south of the Tyne, but opt to keep going as it doesn't get dark till gone nine and it's not many kilometres - less than 10 - to the hotel in Whitley Bay where Dave and I stayed in a couple of years ago.

Dave and I enjoyed fish and chips in North Shields after our ferry ride and I pop into into the same restaurant and have a plate of the fresh Cod with chips and peas as my stomach needs something inside it. There's not been much chance to eat so far today.

After that, it's a case of cruising along the north bank of the wide estuary as the sun hides behind clouds, bursting through for just a few seconds every now and again.

I get to South Shields at 5:30 and catch the passenger ferry soon after to North Shields

The receptionist in the Royal Hotel quotes me £75, which I reckon is a bit much for a single, so I decide to pop along the promenade to see what the nearby Premier Inn costs. It's full and the women there says it would be a lot more than £75 if they did have a room. As she puts it: it's a budget hotel without budget prices. There's another hotel nearby but it is all locked up so I return to the Royal.

The Eurovision song contest is on TV and I subject myself to that for a while. It's been a strange day.

Today's ride: 28 km (17 miles)
Total: 240 km (149 miles)

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