Anybody live in/near Tynemouth or Goathland?

[AnnieAreYouOkAreYouOkAnnie]

There's a remote possibility we may consider moving from London to Up North, and I know there are some beautiful places there.
Would you recommend it as a place to raise your young children?
(With the added 'attraction' of the inlaws grandparents living nearby in Middlesbrough.)

Thanks for your opinions.

[SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore]

Goathland? do you mean gateshead? i live in teesside near mboro.

there are some nice places and some bad places. same as everywhere. i definately wouldnt recommend mboro. v high crime rate and drugs problem. but areas of newcastle are nice and durham is lovely.

[AnnieAreYouOkAreYouOkAnnie]

No, I do mean Goathland! North Yorkshire, north of Pickering I think.
I know what you mean about Boro, but some of the seaside villages around there, and around Newcastle are lovely.
I've only visited though, so I was wondering what it would be like to live there.

[SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore]

ah right! never heard of it! ive heard of pickering though thats meant to be nice! which seaside villages do you mean? i live in a seaside town and i wouldnt recommend my town but i suppose there are good schools here and the people are friendly but there arent enough facilities/shops for my liking! im trying to get dh to move to newcastle but he wont

redcar is nice and whitby?

[AnnieAreYouOkAreYouOkAnnie]

Well, Tynemouth was my favourite, and then Goathland (which isn't sea-side I know), but the closer to Newcastle I think the better, I don't know if I could let go of the big smoke completely! I always thought if we did move up there, we'd move to Newcastle, but the idea of sea-side is becoming more appealing.
I've been to Redcar, a lovely beach, but not much else to do?
Whitby is lovely too.
All the people are friendly Up North!! Much more me-like (I'm Irish) than the southerners!!
I suppose I'm really looking for somewhere that the children would love to grow up (they are 2 and 3)
Thanks seashells!

[SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore]

whitby is great. you are right about redcar though not a lot else to do but the beach!

we have a small lesuire center, a couple of parks, a sports center, goodness knows how many dance schools and karate schools and trampoling clubs. so there is enough for dcs to do but hardly any shops, supermarkets or night life.

[AnnieAreYouOkAreYouOkAnnie]

Are you in Whitby then? You don't have to say if you don't want to. It is lovely there.

It sounds lovely for the DCs.

Do you know anything about Tynemouth?

Ta!

[SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore]

no not whitby! we are quite famous for our canoeing lately, you van get to panama by canoe or so it would seem that and our mayor is monkey !

dd1 is in whitby today, fishing apparently, but id rather live in whitby than here much nicer there. im in hartlepool btw just incase you dont watch the news and dont have a clue what canoes im on about!

[SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore]

tynemouth, no i dont know anything about tynemouth i tend to stay in and around teesside! but i know pickering is lovely we used to go camping there and id love to live in whitby but i think the house prices would be out of our price region as would durhams but they are both lovely places.

[littlelambmakesfour]

Oh come to Durham - lovely city,lots of green spaces, riverbanks, you can walk everywhere and great schools! Mine love it 2,11,13,15. 15mins to Newcastle on train... We moved back from London 11 years ago mainly for grandparents just south of Middlesbrough and wouldn't move back (though I loved Hampstead where we were before.)

[popsycal]

tynemouth fab

[popsycal]

good schools on the coast too
wirth considering monkseaton afew miles up the coast too

[TheMadHouse]

OK - I am originally from Redcar and lived down south for 12 years, but have returned back to the area with my children.

I now live in a village between Redcar and Whitby.

Goathland is lovley - You would get snowed in maybe. Very small village and you would have to travel for most things, but there are some lovley pleaces to visit nearby. We chose to live on the baten track adn visit loads of places.

Saltburn is a great beach for the children, valley gardens, small train, surfing, pier, childrens centre, lovley toddlers, leuisre centre etc

Although from Redcar it isnt were I would want to live, although fine to visit mum and bro and SIL

Whitby is 20 mins for us and it great in the summer, but awful in the winter. DH worked there for 4 years and it is a strange, but wonderful place.

Where would you be working, as that would really depend on living.

Stocksley is lovley, Saltburn is a good area.

[AnnieAreYouOkAreYouOkAnnie]

Thanks everyone, it's really got me thinking.

Seashells, I know where you mean! I like the look of those lovely houses on the beach-front - do they all have secret passages to next door???

I've never been to Durham, must pay it a visit next time I'm up there. It sounds really nice, littlelamb. I do love it here in London too, but I worry about them growing up here, there are pros and cons of course.

Thanks popsycal, it sounds promising.

TheMadHouse, you know the area really well then. Thanks for all your thoughts.
I don't know where/if I would be working yet, as I say it's all very much a pipe-dream just yet (if that's the right phrase!)
I think I would rather be closer to a city than snowed in though! Shame as it's such a lovely place.

Thanks all.

[Laugs]

Tynemouth is really lovely. Only 25 mins on the metro from Newcastle. Schools are good I think. I do have little fantasises about living there myself and going for walks on the beach every evening...

It depends how bothered you are about being close to a city though. I can imagine after London you might feel a bit out in the sticks in Tynemouth. It's only a village really, though has some nice shops and there are more in nearby Whitley Bay. And if you wanted to get a taxi back from Newcastle after a night out, that would be about £20, which might put you off if you're used to being able to pop into town.

What kind of job would you be looking to do? It's definitely a comfortable commute into the city.

Not sure about things to do in Tynemouth with little kids, but there is loads going on in Newcastle.

[popsycal]

monkseaton is more child friendky than tynemouth...

[AnnieAreYouOkAreYouOkAnnie]

Thanks Laugs, and pops,

Am heading up that direction in the morn, so I will try and visit a few more places.
Thanks for all your thoughts.

[thornrose]

I was born in Loftus, a village between Saltburn and Whitby and lived in that area for over 20 years (since moved to London), I totally agree with all of Madhouse comments.
If you've ever watched Heartbeat then that's mainly filmed around Goathland!

[Eaglebird]

Tynemouth's really nice.
Whitley Bay town centre is good, but the seafront area's run down & grotty in places so wouldn't recommend it. (Apologies to anyone from Whitley Bay).
I like Cullercoats too - lovely beach.

If you do move up to the Newcastle area, try to buy a place within walking distance of a Metro station as it's such a handy way to get around.
If you fancy a suburb of Newcastle, Gosforth & Jesmond are nice (but quite expensive). These have several Metro stations in the area, so it's easy to get into town (10 minutes) or go to the coast (about 20-25 minutes). Good schools in the area too; and good local shopping, bars, restaurants, etc.
Heaton's a pretty good area too.

I'm not clued up on places to live south of the Tyne, so hopefully someone else will come along and fill you in.

[popsycal]

they are regenerating w bay sea frobnt at the moment
millions of pounds

[fifisboys]

Tynemouth is lovely, beach is fantastic, a nice selection of shops in the town, quite a good night out!! Schools are good iirc, nice parks nearby etc..
Whitley bay is not so nice, well the town centre anyway.
About 20-25 mins from Metro into Newcastle or 10-15 mins by car.
Jesmond/Gosforth very expensive
Heaton - Mainly students, not so good for families

[Eaglebird]

Ooh Popsycal, are they going to knock down the Spanish City?

[popsycal]

they are keeping thedome part but totally gutting and redoing the rest

the whole front of the playhouse is currentky off anbd you can look at the stage as you walk past

leisure pool also being gutted and redone at the minute
old chatty shop already sorted
lovely new play park behind spanish city
skate park just opened

[Eaglebird]

That's great. I have fond memories of Whitley Bay from when I was little. I'm currently on maternity leave, and have been down the coast with DS quite a bit these past few months, and always thought it was a shame Whitley Bay had got so rundown. Glad it's getting done up.

[spudcounter]

If you've got little ones, come and visit Hexham..it's fab. Good community feel, good schools, geen spaces, 30 mins commute into Newca\stle, cheaper. Great at Xmas for little ones..santa comes around the streets in his sleigh; kids go sledging down the huge hill nest to the 7th century abbey. Really lovely..ask me more if you want...

[spudcounter]

..oh and low crime rate..very little graffiti, old stone houses (turn of the century)...