Moving to Newcastle - location advice needed

[SleepEatPoopRepeat]

We are looking to move to Newcastle from London, with a 3 year old and a newborn due later this year. Any advice on where to start looking to live. Few criteria-

• want to be out of the City Centre
• good schools
• community, village feel
• good mum network with you many kids
• must have a walkable pub or two (only criteria from other half)
• ideally I would like to live near a gym
• budget is open

Thank you for any help given!

I don't have kids so I'm not going to be amazing advising on schools. Sorry...

But you could consider tynemouth if you want to be out of the city.

Ponteland

Whitley Bay has good schools. Easy journey on the metro into centre of Newcastle. I believe the town centre has lots of decent independent businesses-cafes/shops/restaurants now. The beach, there's soft play places for little ones, Waves pool is good for kids too.
North Tyneside still has fixed catchment areas so you may want to look into that for schools.

Somewhere like Low Fell might work, it depends how far out you want to be.

It depends on budget. Gosforth and Jesmond are good, as are parts of Heaton, High Heaton, Benton (not Longbenton -careful with estate agent flannel), Cochrane Park (although it can be a bit soulless). Jesmond Dene is lovely green space running between Heaton and Jesmond. All the above areas are less than 3 miles to the City Centre (some parts of Jesmond very near) but none feel like the centre. You can walk or cycle, with decent buses and sometimes metro, depending on location. North Tyneside and the coast is nice but you’ll end up driving to town and spending hours on the Coast Road stuck in traffic.

@Langsdestiny

Somewhere like Low Fell might work, it depends how far out you want to be.

Honesty just don't. I moved from London and live near low fell. Thinking it had a high street like I'm used to in London. The pubs are a bit dodgy in my experience. One or two ok cafes, a little Co op and that's pretty much it.

I'm probably being harsh. But I think having experience of the move you're doing I'd be surprised if it gives you what you need. In all honesty I think there are very few areas in the Newcastle area which give many of the things you get used to in London. I'm going to move to a different area of Newcastle when our fixed rate mortgage expires.

Ponteland is a good call. Gosforth can feel more out of the city than it is too.

I know two people who moved from London to Newcastle. They both moved to Jesmond and are very happy there.

Thanks all. Jesmond and gosforth are still too central for us - need to move out slightly further. Thanks

Dinnington. Seems to be the pinnacle of my cousins’ expectations! One lives in Chapel Park, but his cousin lives in Dinnington and the family seem to think it’s amazing.

My mum’s mates lived in Matfen, beautiful teeny village.

Have you considered Hexham?

Have a look at houses in Ponteland - it ticks a lot of your list. Houses are overpriced down the coast I think and often with little outside space. What’s your ideal budget?

Dinnington
Whitley bay
Cullercoats
High Heaton
Great Park
Wideopen
Forest Hall
Cramlington
Seaton sluice

Not sure on schools but some places to look into!

Monkseaton and West monkseaton

I'd look at Northumberland. Cramlington or Morpeth. Well out of the way of the city, but easy driving distance and good bus routes to Newcastle. Decent shops in the town centre without being too busy like a city.

Have a look over the river as well, parts of Gateshead can be quite 'rural' on the outskirts while being quiet central to Newcastle.
Have a look at South Tyneside as well, villages such as East Boldon, Cleadon, Whitburn etc
If you like coastal these aren't far from the coast.

Heddon on the Wall?

Corbridge
Ponteland / darras hall

Really depends on how much £££ you are willing to spend as some areas are much pricier than others.

Do you need to travel into Newcastle city centre often? If so, look at areas within walking distance of a metro station.

Driving in from somewhere like Hexham is a pita.

Whitley Bay (and adjoining Cullercoats) are fab and on the metro line. Great to be walking distance to lovely beaches too.

If budget allows Tynemouth is the perfect place- I dream of living there.

Whitley Bay or Tynemouth, definitely. Lovely community feel to both and lots of gorgeous places to eat and drink. And most importantly, the sea!

If you want to be closer to Newcastle I agree with the PP who suggested over the river. Some beautiful, villagey bits over there. If you want to stay north of the Tyne, Ponteland or Woolsington.

Whitley Bay or Tynemouth tick all your boxes OP.

Definitely NOT Cramlington. Without a doubt, Whitley Bay, Cullercoats, Tynemouth or Monkseaton (all coastal). Amazing schools, cafe culture, nice bars, beach scene, on the Metro line if you need to go into Newcastle.

Whitley bay or tynemouth
Ponteland
Morpeth

When you say budget is open, how open is open?

Depends if you want to be in the city or if you’re thinking of something more rural. I can only think of Jesmond and Tynemouth as offering anything even vaguely London like in terms of cafes and bars etc. I really don’t think a distant suburb would give you what you’re after. There are however lovely country towns and villages around if you want that.

I live in North Shields, just a couple of streets from Tynemouth boundary and my kids go to high school in cullercoats. The schools are brilliant, plenty of baby groups, the coast is fabulous. Transport links to Newcastle are easy, using metro, and to south Tyneside using the ferry.
Whitley bay is defining seeing a revival, I’d choose houses closer to park road than Whitley bay metro though (This can still be a bit rough) but it’s improved ten fold in last few years so maybe the new up and coming part and could pay off.
There’s no denying it isn’t London when it comes to arts and culture-or certainly free arts and culture , but ime nowhere else in England is.
It does have great schools, fab universities, great cafe culture and a choice of cheap and free museums, events programmes to suit most, great nightlife, impressive architecture and access to both coast and country.
However, it’s a big move and I’d personally want to do an in person recky to make sure I chose correctly for me . I lived in parts of Gateshead before here and was never settled there. Im initially from elsewhere in England and moved here years ago. Hth.