To love living in the North East?

[DrSeuss]

Following yesterday's thread about the "horrors" of living in Manchester and the North in general, what do you love most about the North East? Where do you recommend people to visit? What aspects of life do you like best here? I would nominate Durham, especially the cathedral, the fish and chips in Whitby and the architecture of Grainger Street. Anyone else?

I had cake int he Cathedral Cafe yesterday :) This is a wonderful place to live.

Kath yes yes yes mum meeting we must do something about that!

A mate took her little girl up to Fenwicks this Xmas specially just to see the window.

Warkworth, Almouth, the Northern Stage, Hamsterley Forest, people who actually talk to you in shops.

I spent the first 29 years of my life in Newcastle and have got goosebumps reading this thread. I moved away 9 years ago first to London then Manchester.

Fenwicks Window
Staggering up Northumberland street on the way to the bus from a night out!
Northumberland Coast
Alnwick
Bamburgh Castle
Grainger Street and Greys Monument (always met my mates under Greys Monument for a night out!)
Hexham/Rothbury and surrounding villages
Jesmond and Heaton studenty lifestyle
The Cluny
Madisons
Mayfair

I used to hate the Angel of the North but it now gets me all excited as i drive up the A1 as i know i am almost home!

I love living in the NE.

Durham is a beautiful city, DH and I take the DC there all the time, we love going on the row boats along the river.

Beamish, fab open air museum
Free museums, Hancock, Discovery and the one in South Shields
Lovely long clean beaches

Alnwick is lovely, Amble has a lovely market on a Sunday and THE best fish and chip shop.

My mum and dad used to take me and my sisters to see Fenwicks window at xmas, then a surprise visit to the pantomime straight after - we sussed the surprise after a couple of years but went along with it for the fun

I lived in Newcastle as a student and loved it! I would probably still be there now, but couldn't get a job, so moved away. I loved Jesmond Dene and the Hoppings and outings to Whitley Bay and South Shields in the summer. And drives up the coast toward Berwick. I still have friends there and would love to go back.

Oh Jesmond Dene! I've not been there for a few years now, must go sometime soon as they've revamped the park.

I used to live in Middlesborough and loved it. Close to the NY Moors and easy to get over to the Lakes as well. Close to the coast. Close to Newcastle for shopping. Friendly people, good nightlife. The Baltic in Newcastle is fab.

I love it up her, too. I live in Durham and love the whole area - beautiful countryside and scenery and loads to do.

When we drive through the Northumberland countryside to visit a family member, DH and I often comment on how beautiful the view is and how lucky we are that it's all on our doorstep.

I also love Beamish - had a fab time there just before Christmas

I feel like the odd one out.

Would love to move back south. But I guess thats because my family and friends I grew up with are in the south.

I think its harder as a 'newcomer' to feel settled as everybody seems so close knit, it can be a bit gard to break into groups.

Sorry to be the downer on the thread >>

Sssssh! Don't tell everyone - they'll come up and ruin it! I'm a southerner in 'boro and the NE is fab. York, Durham and Newcastle are all great cities, the countryside is beautiful and really varied as well. It's friendly here and the cost of living is brilliant. I've got a friend up this weekend and I'm trying to decide what to do with them on saturday - lots of ideas on here!

Thanks for the lovely reminders of 3 years spent living in Newcastle, everyone. I'd go back tomorrow, given the chance. I still go up to visit a friend who lives on the coast but the DC rarely want to move from the beach!

YABU. :)

Or, more politely, the NE is not for me albeit the countriside is breathtaking and the range of wildlife remarkable.

I lived in the NE for a couple of years, in a very small village. Erm... how can I put this... ?

This was a former mining village. Wintertime can see the village cut off from the outside world and there is very little to do there and one particular family name was prevalent IYSWIM. The half of the village which wasn't related to one particular family were scared of them. Which didn't help as this family were of the local ASBO/neighbours from hell/known to and hated by every police officer for miles type.

Outsiders were made to feel very unwelcome.

Besides, the weather is foul and so bloody cold!

The Lemontop Ice cream in Redcar, I've never had a proper Lemontop anywhere else I've been to places which say they sell Lemontops but they're not real Lemontop Icecreams.

SiblingRivalry, you should go to Beamish for their Haloween nights. We went last year and the DC had so much fun!

Of course YANBU. Don't know it well but I'm sure it's like everywhere else - good bits and bad bits.

I live in Whitburn, a lovely village between South Shields and Sunderland, I hate the cold but I can see the sea from my window and it's a lovely place to be !!!
I go to the shops and people say good morning, it's very friendly !

OkayGrrl, that'll be Pacito's? Love it. One of their kids goes to the school where I teach. doesn't bring us any freebies, though!
Summerbird, I also used to hate that Angel but it grew on me. I always wave to my uncle as I pass by. His ashes were scattered at its feet as he was born in a house on that hill, long before the Angel or the M1 were thought of.
I was actually born in Reading to parents from Gateshead and Chester-le-Street, grew up in cheshire and came to Durham to go to Uni, where I met my Southern Husband. That was 20 years ago and here we are still with no plans to ever leave.

I live in Cheshire but aiming to move back to Durham within the coming year or so. I would add cheese scones at Vennels and Crook Hall, especially at Halloween. Oh, and climbing the tower of the Cathedral. And sleeping in the castle. Can't wait to return. Oh! Just remembered cheese savoury stotties by the river.

YANBU.

Everything that's already been mentioned, plus
I also love Saltwell Park. It's just around the corner and a great place for free days out with DS.

Those who wax lyrical about County Durham have obviously forgotten what Crook's like.

ooh the hoppings and fenwicks window, we didnt get for the window this year, may have to aim for the hoppings though, loved the green festival though, my eldest 2 were born in the rvi and we lived next door for a while

Valhalla

You could also be describing almost every village on the Romney Marsh in Kent, and you don't get much more South than that.

I live in Chester le Street and the NE is great. There's so much to do and lovely countryside. We like visiting the Cathedral and their coffee shop for hot chocolate

There are some rough parts, but you get that anywhere really.

Spiky- a Castle girl? Mary's girl married to Trev's man here.