Newcastle Quayside Bridges | A Walking Challenge
Thanks to our writer Alyssa for this fab post and photos. It shares how you can cross the River Tyne via 7 different bridges in one day. A lovely alternative walk / adventure to try with a few places to stop en-route too. This post was published in July 2023. Over to Alyssa...... The sun comes out and suddenly my Facebook and Instagram become covered in people wandering along the famous Newcastle Upon Tyne Quayside creating a buzz among the nearby beer gardens. Does anyone ever look at the typical beer garden photos and think - I wonder what the view is like from up there? The beer garden under the sage in this photo is usually swarming, I keep meaning to check it out - something for the summer bucket list! I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve crossed over the Redheugh Bridge on my commute to work - you can see all 6 of the other Quaysides bridges from there and regardless of how many times you see that view, it never gets old. Right after we’d completed the 12 lighthouses in 1-day challenge , my other half (Damon) suggested we should walk over all 7 of the Quayside bridges in 1 day, to which of course I responded with YES - Let’s do it! It turns out you can only walk over 5/7 of these bridges, but we opted to get trains over the 2 un-walkable bridges. This challenge was a lot of fun, so if you’re up for a challenge (and you’re not frightened of heights) I'd heartily encourage you to give it a go and gain a different perspective of this much-loved part of the Quayside which connects Newcastle Upon Tyne to Gateshead. Recommended Kit List - Backpacks - you’ll enjoy your day much more having the ability to flap your arms about unburdened. ALL the snacks - a hangry walker is a grumpy walker. We all really enjoyed snacking on strawberry laces. If it’s a hot day like it was when we took the challenge on, I’d recommend avoiding salty snacks otherwise you’ll be drinking more and there’s not always an opportunity to use the toilet. We picked up some nectarines and strawberries from one of the fruit markets outside the Grainger market and they made for a great pick-me-up on one of the many benches we sat on along the way. Comfortable walking shoes - you’ll be walking about 5 - 6 miles, flip-flops aren’t going to cut it this time. Small 1st aid kit - most likely ailments on this walk: hay fever, nettle stings & blisters. Plenty to drink - I’d recommend at least one water bottle per person. We did pop into a pub and a Tescos Express along the way so there’s no need to overpack. Lunch - I’d recommend starting after something to eat, puts everyone in a much better mood. Appropriate clothing (weather-depending) - If you start mid-afternoon on a nice sunny day as we did, you’ll likely just need an extra layer for the end of the walk (I’d recommend a thin fleece) That sit-down on the Millenium Bridge will be the best seat you’ve had all day! We sat and had nectarines and watched the color changes of the bridge as the sun went down. Sunlotion - Don’t ruin a good walk by being uncomfortable and burnt. Power Packs - imagine making it over 6 bridges and your phone dying before you reach the 7th. I always take way too many photos and despite leaving with a fully charged phone, I still needed a boost as the walk was nearing its end. Picnic blanket - we didn’t take ours but I remember thinking one would have been nice a few times. Clipboard/Pens - if you’re doing any nature scavenger hunts. This walk would be perfect for the ‘Big Butterfly count’ - https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/ A padlock for the High rise bridge - I didn’t realise this was even a thing on this bridge until we were face to face with hundreds of padlocks. Lush idea! Maybe another idea for the summer bucket list… This challenge incorporates quite a few stairs, but adjustments can be made/ route can be altered slightly if needed to make for step-free access. I believe this challenge can be wheelchair and pram friendly, you will just need additional time. I’ll add on to the route where relevant. Now where to start - Continue reading below if you want to cover all 7 bridges or skip to bridge 3 (Redheugh Bridge) if you only want to cover the 5 walkable bridges. The King Edward VII & the Queen Elizabeth II bridges below are rail travel only. Starting point: Central Station There’s something about this station that makes me want to go for an adventure, I love seeing the excitable people greeting their loved ones at the gates here. For the first leg of our Journey, we took an LNER* train from Central Station to Durham*. The girls were VERY excited to be going on a ‘big train’! This journey ensures you travel over the King Edward VII Bridge. *It’s worth noting this part of your journey will be cheaper if you book it online in advance. It would also be a good idea to check your route with google maps to double check your train definitely goes over the King Edward VII Bridge. You could even grab lunch in Durham if you’ve got the time, we love the fish & chips at Bells. I’ve been a frequent visitor here since I was a kid with my Granny, it's lush to keep the tradition going with my girls. If you’re just making a quick loop around, I'd recommend taking the underpass when changing platforms back to Newcastle, there are both stairs and lifts at this station. Both ways take around 10-15 mins so if you plan your connection efficiently you could round trip it in less than an hour. Construction of this bridge started in 1902 and was completed in 1906; It is now a grade 2 listed structure, costing around £500,000 to complete. The King Edward VII Bridge was built to aid the congestion of the High-Level bridge when train traffic increased and the number of reversing trains continuing their journey North became intolerable.It was opened by both King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra on 10th July 1906. I recently found out the bridge does not look like the original blueprints had intended, foundational issues on the Gateshead side meant the Red Sandstone supports were unable to be mirrored right the way across, and instead, stone arches were used. The next journey we made was on a Northern Rail train between Central Station and Heworth. This train service uses passenger assistance should you have any accessibility needs, more information can be found here: Access Info This may seem like a silly journey but there is a method in the madness. Taking this journey will allow you to travel over the top of the High-level bridge. We did walk over the High-Level bridge as well (it is 2-tiered) so you could choose to skip traveling overhead if you’re not that bothered about traveling over both tiers. Getting to Heworth via Northern rail doesn’t take very long at all, I think we were only on this train for around 5 minutes; When you get off the Northern train at Heworth you are greeted by a lovely bench, which is perfect for 4 people to sit and eat your lunch on. To exit the station you can either use the nearby ramp or stairs. When you get to the top you will see the entrance to Heworth Metro Station head over in that direction and turn right after bus stop F into the metro station . Pass through the gates and then head down towards platform 2 to Newcastle . If you're really lucky, the driver might even wave! The journey from Heworth to Central Station via Metro will take you over the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge (Blue Metro Bridge). It was a bit of a shame our metro windows were so dirty. W e found taking the images from a side angle rather than front-facing will give you better photos. Queen Elizabeth II Bridge (Blue Metro Bridge) was built in 2 sections which met in the middle in 1978 costing a whopping £4.9 in construction costs. It was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 06/11/1981 and it was then a further 9 days before regular Metro service began on this bridge. The bridge wasn’t always blue, it was originally white; in 2006 Nexus Metro commissioned artist Nayan Kulkarni to install artwork on the bridge. The bridge is now 2 tones of blue and at night time we can see it lit up and changing colours. This bridge connects tunnels between Jesmond and Gateshead Stadium, the bridge over the tyne being the only open-air part of the metro tracks between these 2 stations. Moving onto our next bridge Redheugh Bridge (Pronounced Red-Huff), S tart here if you are skipping the train bridges. To get to this bridge from Central Station, come out of the station and turn left. Walk up towards the Centre of Life, past St Mary’s Cathedral. Pass through times square keeping right, here you will need to cross the road, I would advise you not to cross opposite the express shop but instead walk a little further down and cross at the crossing opposite St James Gate. By crossing slightly further down you ensure you only need to cross the road once rather than at the daunting-looking traffic lights at the top of this road. After you cross at the St James gate, follow the road round to the right and up towards the traffic lights where you will curve left. You can't miss the big ‘Redheugh Bridge’ sign and then it's one straight path over the bridge. Looking down as we crossed this bridge we saw bunnies in the car park below. It’s also worth noting there are no benches to rest on on this bridge (Much to Aurora’s disappointment, the kid loves a good bench). I would advise sticking to the left if you can where you’ll be the furthest away from the traffic and closest to the lovely view. Remember pedestrians share this walkway with cyclists so take care to listen for bells. We got really lucky and were able to see an LNER train passing over the King Edward VII Bridge, the train was almost the same length as the bridge itself, it was definitely a view with a wow factor. Construction Started on this bridge in 1980 and it was completed in 1983, costing a whopping 15 million pounds. Diana, Princess of Wales opened this bridge on the 18th of May 1983, there is a sign in the middle of the bridge with some info for you to read but it has sadly been graffitied on. The bridge is a continuation of the 189 roads, allowing traffic over 4 lanes alongside a Pedestrians and Cyclists path. The Redheugh bridge we see today is actually the 3rd Redheugh, the first was opened in 1871 but sadly saw faults in 1885 which would cost more than a new bridge to repair. The second Redheugh was opened in August 1901 but by the 1960’s design flaws meant heavy speed restrictions and weight limits needed to be imposed thus causing the bridge to be a hindrance to traffic. It became more economical to build a new bridge as a result - the bridge we see today! This bridge seemed to go on and on totaling 897 meters in length and the girls were driving us slightly bonkers with Dory’s ‘Just keep swimming’ tune towards the end. I would highly recommend removing any hats on this bridge, if you don’t the wind will (it is very susceptible to high winds), especially when the double-decker buses pass by with speeds up to 50mph. When you finally reach the end of this bridge, you will see a set of stairs on the left. There is also an accessible ramp that loops around slightly further afield. This area is in dire need of a good litter pick so be mindful of your footing here. Continue following the curve of these stairs and continue straight under the bridge. You will then pass a house on the right . Head slightly further up the road and you’ll see a road with a lovely descent on the right. After walking for about 5 minutes, you will come to an excellent place to sit/ picnic. This spot is also the turning point to head down towards the Quayside. You will see 2 paths, take the one on the right and follow the path down. The view coming out of this clearing is amazing! This part of the walk was one of my favorite parts, purely for the fresh perspective, seeing those bridges from underneath really does leave you in awe, especially if you’re into architecture. Be mindful this path can be a little bumpy due to tree roots. You’ll see loads of wildlife like butterflies and bee’s along this path too, perfect if you're taking part in the ‘ Big Butterfly count ’ which takes place between July 14th & 6th August’. We spotted peacock butterflies, Holly blue, and Six-spot burnets. Once you've passed under the RedHeugh you will see a bench - cross the road at this point and follow that path round to the right. From this path, you will cross under the King Edward VII Bridge and the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. Don’t forget to turn around, the views the other way are great too! Keep walking past the Pipewellgate car park and arch on the right, at the end of this path there was another bench and a tree absolutely swarming with Lady Bird Pupa! Definitely worth checking out! Turn right after the bench and then take a left to join the path outside of the Gateshead Sea Cadets Corps. You will see the High-level bridge up ahead. If you’re lucky you might get to see a train pass over the top of the High-Level Bridge. You will then pass the ‘Rise and Fall archway sculpture’ on the right.
