We set off from Bedford…..the car resembled a jigsaw – 2 cases, a mobility scooter, two over night bags, a bag of pillows, two camera bags, two laptop bags, a picnic cool box, a box of Diet Coke, 12 small & 6 big bottles of water, a large jar of coffee /flask/ mugs in a bag…and everything else as well as the kitchen sink!!!!….somehow it all fitted in with no gap unused…We picked Dad up and off the 3 of us went…on our holiday.
We trundled up the A1 with the accompaniment of Smooth Radio and John and I singing along, while Dad turned his hearing aid off !!!!!! Stopping at a rest area just short of Scotch Corner for the loos, coffee and the sandwiches we’d brought with us. We arrived at The Leonardo Hotel in Newcastle, mid-afternoon. Having off loaded Dad and the overnight bags, John and I found a convenient 24 hour multi story carpark a short stroll away.
We were quickly booked into the hotel by a very helpful receptionist. We had two superior double rooms on the 7th floor, next to each other… The rooms were nice enough with a small table and one chair, kettle mugs, coffee and a nice clean bathroom. I am pleased we had opted for superior rooms because we wouldn’t have wanted anything less…..but for £71.50 per room per night, I think it was good value for a hotel in the heart of the city of Newcastle, a stones throw …or 10 minute walk from the Central station .
We decided to eat in the bar, where they serve meals in the evening. Unfortunately just as we sat at a small table, to study the menu, a coach party arrived. We joined the end of the queue which was being serviced by one rather grumpy member of the bar staff. We ordered fish and chips for Dad and minute steak and chips for John and myself. We feared a long wait but surprisingly enough it arrived quite quickly. The food was palatable enough, and the ice creams to follow yummy. However it was relatively expensive for the quality and ambience so we hatched a plan to eat else where the following night.
Having had what seemed like a long day we decided to go to bed early. The bed was comfortable, and there was a selection of firm and soft pillows.
After a good nights sleep, John headed to the station for a day out on the trains with his camera. Dad and I had a more leisurely start. We meandered across to the carpark to get our extra thick coats, it was not only drizzling but it was also very cold.
Having dressed in more appropriate attire we walked up to the station arriving wet and ready for a sit down…..thank goodness for Greggs….a bacon butty and a strong Americano coffee each, soon warmed us up.
We had decided to take a circular route on the Metro and get off where we fancied…2x all day one zone tickets were around £9.00.
The metro runs regularly every few minutes and we were soon speeding our way out of the underground and enjoying the views of the open countryside.
After several stops we disembarked at Whitley Bay. A lovely old station, which is presently being renovated. The beautiful mosaics in its entrance set the scene for this delightful station.
We decided not to go further as it was still rainy. So we hopped back on the metro after using the toilets and exploring the station.
Two Stops further on we disembarked again at Tynemouth. Another beautiful station from a bygone era. The station platform area is huge. Today it is home to several shops with a big market every Saturday and Sunday.
Off we went again. This time the metro hugs the estuary, which we caught several glimpses of. We changed trains at Monument and headed back to Central Station Newcastle.
I used the convenience of Marks & Spencer’s, Sainsbury’s and Greggs to get sandwiches, sausage rolls and yummies for lunch and we passed John his goodies over the platform barrier as he had an afternoon of train chasing planned.
We took a taxi back to the hotel to avoid anymore inclement weather. Lunch was eaten in Johns and mine room, prior to having an afternoon rest, readying ourselves for our evening supper.
