Here is a selection of some nice places to walk that are accessible by public transport from Newcastle. If you have any other places you would like to share, please talk to a member of the committee and we will add it!
Hadrians Wall
Get the train to Haltwhistle and then walk along the beautiful Hadrians wall past the felled Sycamore at Sycamore gap to regain the train at either Haydon Bridge or Bardon Mill
Red Kite trail
Transport links – Bus from Eldon Square – X45 or Red Kite Ranger 47 get off at Lockhaugh Road or Winlaton Mill which takes about 30mins.
The whole walk is about 18km but can just explore the paths and make it any length. A great place to spot Red Kites as well as other wild life. Especially song birds as well getting good views of the Derwent river valley.
It also connects to the national cycle network.
Suggested start point: Landswood Wear GB, Noel Terrace, and, Winlaton Mill, Tyne NE21
Route: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/716429
More info at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/media/3852/Red-Kite-Trail/pdf/New-Red-Kite-Trail-Guide.pdf
Prudhoe
Prudhoe is a lovely town the route above is a suggestion of a nice 10km walk through woods and fields on the north side of the river Tyne which can be extended to take in part of Hadrians wall. It does require about 500m of road walking but it is a very nice place to walk. In addition to this Prudhoe castle is a nice old castle to look at up on the hill in the town and check out the bridge over the Tyne
To get to Prudhoe either take the train to Carlisle from Newcastle central and get off at Prudhoe station (25mins) or get the 10b Tyne valley bus from Eldon Square (50mins)
South Shields Pier to Sunderland Pier
Transport links – metro to South Shields then home from Sunderland.
About 11km along coast paths going past some nice beaches to Roker pier and lighthouse. Roker beach is a good place to look for seaglass.
Simonside hills from Rothbury – Highly recommended
Transport links – X14 from Haymarket to Rothbury (1hr 30)
There are lots of great routes to do from Rothbury including going up the Simonside hills which have great views north to the Cheviots as well as being able to explore Harwood forest.
Coast path Blyth to Whitley Bay/Tynemouth
Transport links – 308, 309, X8 bus from Haymarket to Blyth and then bus or metro back from Whitley bay or Tynemouth.
About 10miles along the coast nice views of the coast and beach as well as seeing some sea defences from WWII.
A walk report can be found here: https://walksattheweekend.wordpress.com/2018/12/24/walking-the-coast-blyth-to-tynemouth/
Castleside
Transport links – take X45, 47 or X71 bus from Eldon Square to Consett then change for the X5 or X15 to Church Street Castleside 1hr 30 total.
Some nice walks up onto the moors joining up with sections of the Waskerly way. Access to Muggleswick common. Nice mix of river valleys, farmland and moorland as well some nice views of the reservoirs.
Allenheads
Transport links – either get the train or the 685, 74 or 684 buses to Hexham from Central station or Eldon Square bus station. Then take the 688 bus to Allenheads. 2hr30mins.
Allenheads is located in the middle of the North Pennines and has lots of great walks from it over wild moorland as well as making use of the network of gravel tracks.
Coast path Amble
Take the X20 bus from Haymarket to Amble (1hr 30) either central or one of the stops to the south. Get back on the bus near Ashington or Blyth or Lynemouth.
Nice scenic coastal walk along Druridge bay with a large empty beach and nice sand dunes with lots of lovely flowers, mushrooms and birdlife. As well as some nice lakes just inland if you want to add variety to the walk.
Walks south of Newcastle
- Seaham (Em’s personal favourite!!)
Seaham is accessible by train from Newcastle Central Station, with trains usually leaving once per hour. The journey is around 30 mins, and takes in some beautiful coastline. Seaham is also a nice little town for food, drinks and sea swimming. Once you arrive at Seaham station, it’s around a half hour walk to Nose’s Point. From there, you can access some of the most stunning (and quietest, visitors-wise) coastline in the North East. The high cliffs are amazing to see, and you can also check out Blast Beach, an ethereal spot which was used to stand in for out of space in the Alien films.
Once you’re at Nose’s Point, there are a few fun routes to take (NB: I do a lot of my trail running and training down here too, and there are two great, challenging races held each summer). Here are some options:
- Walk up to Beacon Hill, one of the highest points of the North East coastline, complete with a trig to bag and stunning views
- Walk along to the Old Pit Cage at Easington Colliery, which is a monument to County Durham’s mining heritage (and the genuine old pit cage- my Grandad used it to get to work for 27 years!). Again, this spot has amazing views
- Walk around Hawthorne Dene, the second largest Dene in the North-East. Denes, a special kind of forest, are very closely associated with the North East, especially County Durham. It’s a cool thing to see while you are studying here, and this one has the added bonus of being combined with beautiful coastal views
- If you’re in the mood for a long (and challenging- the undulation is a killer!) route, you could walk or even run the route of Durham Coastal Half Marathon. The route is easy to follow, as it is marked on several way markers. The route finishes at Crimdon Dene Holiday Park, which offers stunning views of Crimdon Dene Beach, as well as a café for some snacks. Once you’re at the beach, you can return to Newcastle by taking the 24 bus (Arriva) to Horden, then getting the train back up to town from Horden Station
Note- if you’re in the mood for a night away, camping is available at “The Barn”, Easington Colliery, for £30 a night. This offers the opportunity of seeing a sunrise over the coastline (this has to be one of the best spots in the country!).
- Durham
If you’re in the mood for a more gentle stroll, take the train from Newcastle to Durham. Once in Durham, you’ll find miles of footpaths, which follow the River Wear. They offer stunning views of the Cathedral, and the various types of tree mean this route is especially pretty on an autumn day. Durham is also a great place for food or drink afterwards (if you’re a morning person, it has some especially great brunch/coffee spots for warming up after a walk!).
- Castle Eden Dene
This is another opportunity to see a Dene, a uniquely North East experience. Simply take the X1 (Go NorthEast) to Peterlee Bus Station Stand D, which should take around an hour. After that, it is a twenty minute walk to the Dene. Once there, you can follow various marked footpaths around the Dene. There is a total of 12 miles of footpaths available for you to follow. Autumn is an especially pretty time to visit here, because of the beautiful colours and many, many conkers!
- Roseberry Topping
Roseberry Topping is, to use the North East terms, a “wee fell” in North Yorkshire. It’s a National Trust site, and has become famous because it resembles a (much, much smaller!) version of the Matterhorn. You can take the train from Newcastle to Great Ayton, a village near Roseberry Topping (this takes a couple of hours, but is a scenic journey featuring some of the best of the North East coast). Once you arrive at Great Ayton, you can walk along the Cleveland Way (a well sign-posted national trail) for around 4 miles to reach Roseberry Topping. Once there, the climb up won’t take very long, and you will be rewarded with stunning views of the North Yorkshire Moors. It is also possible to add in a circular walk (starting at Roseberry Topping) to Captain Cook’s Monument, which also has beautiful views. However, please remember that the circular is 7.2 miles, so would make for quite a long day when combined with the walk to and from Great Ayton.
- Crimdon Beach
This is another beautiful, quiet beach. It is accessible from town by taking the (hourly) train to Horden, followed by the 24 bus to Crimdon Holiday Park Entrance. The beach runs from the Holiday Park (which has free public toilets and a café), to the edge of Hartlepool. One nice walk is to walk from the car park at the Holiday Park, to the outskirts of Old Hartlepool and back. Whilst not a very challenging walk, the beach is stunning, and includes views of a cool derelict peer (especially worth a look if you enjoy photography!). It also tends to be quite a quiet beach, so makes a great sport for a “plodge” (the North Eastism for dipping your feet in the sea!) or a swim.
- Elephant Trees
For this walk, take one of the very regular trains from Newcastle to Durham. Once in Durham, take the 51 bus (towards Stanhope) from Bus Station Stand K, and get off at Wolsingham Market Place . The whole journey should take around 1 hour. Once in Wolsingham, there is an 8.8 mile circular route which takes in some of the local fells, as well as The Elephant Trees. A good route description was published by The Ramblers in June 2024 (https://www.ramblers.org.uk/go-walking/group-walks/wolsingham-elephant-trees). The Elephant Trees are high up on Pikeston Fell, and are a beloved local landmark in the Durham area. They were named because their shape once resembled a giant elephant, however a few trees have sadly since blown down (I’ll let you be the judge of the current resemblance…). The whole walk offers stunning views of the Weardale area, as well as the opportunity to really get away from it all, on top of a beautiful, remote fell.
Fun places to visit
Big water nature reserve (45 bus from Haymarket to Sandy Lane industrial estate then 10minute walk) – lots of birds and a nice lake with reeds.
Havannah nature reserve (44 bus from Haymarket to Coach lane – Lola street, Hazelrigg) – nice selection of footpaths with protected species such as newts as well as lowland heath habitat.
Northumberlandia (X9 or X21 X22 bus from Haymarket to fisher lane, Arcott manor, Cramlington) Northumberlandia is a unique piece of public art set in a 46 acre community park with free public access and 4 miles of footpaths on and around the landform.
Rising Sun Country Park – Metro to Palmersville
Weetslade country park (X8 bus from Haymarket to Killingworth way, Burradon) nice collection of paths around a hill with nice views over the city of Newcastle as well as north into Northumberland.
There are also trains to parts of the North York moors and buses and/or trains to parts of the coast further north into Northumberland and the Scottish borders.
Stay Safe
Have fun walking!!!!
If you have any other suggestions to add to this page please contact the committee.
Newcastle University Fellwalking Society 