Middlesbrough and the Northeast whats good?

[Icepinkeskimo]

I am going to Middlesbrough for a work related trip. I have extended it by a week to do some exploring however my friends (London) are rattling their pearls and think I have lost the plot.
Telling me to avoid Redcar as the car will be nicked and all sorts of ridiculous things.

So now I am on a mission, i know the north east coast is beautiful and the people are great.

Any suggestions would be really welcome.

Thanks in Advance

Visit the North York Moors?

Whitley bay and the coasts around there are beautiful.
North Yorkshire- moors

Hahah your car won't be nicked in Redcar. But it's certainly not the nicest beach round here, Saltburn is lovely if you want the beach.
Roseberry topping is also a lovely walk. As is Great Ayton which is the village it's located in.
There is a lovely national trust building and gardens (Ormesby Hall) to explore in Middlesbrough itself.

Lots of lovely things round here!

Saltburn by the Sea is worth a visit, I used to live there 14 years ago and went back for a visit recently. Still lovely but lots more there to do now.

Just coming on to recommend Saltburn. There are nice walks through the valley gardens if you start at the top near the playground or bandstand. Once at the bottom, you can follow the train track to the beach. The beach is lovely and the beachside fish and chip restaurant is very popular.

Whitby and Whitley bay are also close and nice places to visit.
Other places are:
Roseberry topping
Captain cook birthplace museum
Beamish living museum
Newcastle
Also not far to York

How far are you happy to drive?

If it were me I'd drive north up to Alnmouth & Alnwick (1.5hr drive north of Middlesbrough), stay a night in that area. Go to Barter Books in Alnwick, mooch along the High Street then wander Alnmouth and the Beach.

Drive down the coast stopping at Whitley Bay / Cullercoats / Tynemouth and enjoy the cafe culture of WB, the beach at Cullercoats and the market at Tynemouth Station (weekend). Stay a night. Maybe even go climb St Mary's Lighthouse.

Then come inland for a night and stay in Newcastle. Go see a show at the Theatre Royal, explore the markets, wander along the Quayside.

Then down into Durham City centre for a night, visiting the Cathedral and Castle.

Then hit any of the recommended beaches on the drive back down home.

Runswick Bay
Cinder Track from Whitby to Robin Hood’s Bay
Sutton Bank - stunning views of Gormire Lake.
Great Ayton - walk to Captain Cooks Monument

I live in Saltburn, it is indeed a lovely place. Quirky and quaint at the same time. Some really nice cafes and bars, it gets busy and parking can be challenging on weekends, parking is free apart from in Sainsbury’s car park.
Further up the coast between Saltburn and Whitby is Sandsend, smaller than Saltburn with a nice long beach and a cafes,pubs but not many shops at all.
Whitby is steeped in history, busy though with visitors, we park in the Co-op car park near the railway station. 2 hrs for £2.00 but better to put a fiver in for fours hours.
More inland we have Great Ayton, Ormesby Hall, Stewart Park, Roseberry Topping, (it’s a steep walk up to it so bear that in mind.) Yorkshire moors, NYorkshire Moors Railway,
Redcar has its problems, the closure of the Steelworks hit the population of the town hard throwing many out of work, however a regeneration project at the site of the steelworks so things are looking up.

These suggestions are great, thank you so much. I keep looking at these places they look fantastic!
What about food? I know about the legend that is the parmo, so I will give that a go for sure. Definitely have some fish and chips because you can't go to the seaside and not have some great fish and chips.
I have already made a booking at a b&b near a place called Kielder which is a bit further afield but want to see it as it looks wild and beautiful.

Blanchland is a very pretty tiny village with a great pub/ restaurant, en route to Northumberland if you can be arsed to drive there. Allendale is nice too.
Further south - Harrogate for the day?

Go to Central Park in boro for your parmo but book ahead

Kielder is quite a long way north of Middlesbrough, it’s near Hexham Northumberland, 3 miles from the border of Scotland. .
Beautiful scenery.
Food wise: obviously fish and chips. However Sunday roasts are a big thing up here. You’ll find a good selection of eateries, Italian, Chinese, Thai, Indian as well as the usual pub grub.
I’m not a fan of a Parmo myself but they are really popular: a flattened chicken breast, or pork fillet covered in breadcrumbs placed into a dish
, covered in bechamel sauce, with grated cheese on top, a LOT of grated cheese and baked until the cheese melts.
Heart attack on a plate,
Don’t let me put you off though.

Food wise go to have a lemon top at the beach.

Inland a bit from Middlesbrough Raby Castle is good if you like a stately home and you could eat at the Michelin starred Raby Hunt. Or go to Barnard Castle and visit the Bowes Museum/go to the castle/walk along the Tees. Or go to Richmond, visit the castle, go to the Georgian Theatre (the tours backstage are fab) and eat at the station and do the walk to Easby Abbey. Kiplin Hall (south of Darlington) is a lovely small stately home with lovely grounds to stroll round.

We live in Stockton and went on holiday to Kielder, whereas everywhere else in this thread would be a day/half day trip!

In Middlesbrough, we have MIMA - Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art - and Dorman Museum. In Stockton, there is Preston Park - park with riverside walks and the house has all kinds of exhibitions, plus there's a recreation of a Victorian street of shops. Beamish outdoor museum, 40 miles north of Middlesbrough, is well worth a visit - you'll need a day for that.

You've definitely not lost the plot!
I'm trying to think of things that haven't been mentioned.....
A trip into Durham - follow signs off the A1 puts you straight into the multi-story car park by the river.
The chippy next to Spanish City at Whitley Bay is great if you go there. You can walk out to the lighthouse at Whitley Bay when the tide is down.
Angel of the North
Train to Newcastle for the day

If you do go to keilder, see if they have a stargazing event on at the observatory.

Holy Island for a day trip, Alnwick and Bamburgh Castle nearby. Check tide times.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

If you do go to keilder, see if they have a stargazing event on at the observatory.

I did check it's fully booked on the night I'm staying over. Good excuse to go back there though! Thanks got the recommendation

I live on the Durham coast and that's beautiful for walking. The hartlepool historic quay is a nice place to visit as is hartlepool marina. I echo all of the other places mentioned.
If you're interested in history the Heugh battery museum is a good place too. It might only be open weekends at the moment?
Belsay hall and gardens are worth a visit when you're that way. It's a NT site.

www.heughbattery.co.uk/

Belsay Hall is EH not NT. Agree it's well worth a visit though. As are the Alnwick Castle gardens which I think are more impressive than the castle (although if you go to the castle with DC do the broomstick flying lessons, I can't remember the last time I laughed so much).

I might be thinking of beningborough halm and gardens? But love Belsay. Fountains abbey is great too.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/beningbrough-hall-gallery-and-gardens

Beningbrough hall!

I need sleep 🙈