U.K. and Ireland - Newcastle / Durham Questions

I’ll be spending next weekend in Newcastle and will be planning to get down to Durham to see the Cathedral during my trip. I’m coming into LHR from Germany on BA and connecting on a BA domestic flight up to NCL. I plan on using trains and the light rail to get around Newcastle/Durham.

So, the question I didn’t want to have to ask: I’ve got 3 hours to connect in Heathrow to my NCL flight. My flight arrives around noon and leaves at around 3 PM. It should all be T5. Given the recent horror stories of UK immigration, will that be enough time to connect? Is immigration any faster for passengers connecting than for people getting off in London? I assume that BA will accommodate me if I were to miss my connection due to immigration problems. (US passport holder, btw)

Next, any suggestions for good places to eat in Newcastle and Durham? I like trying out local beers and would certainly like to try some local brews in the area. Any noteworthy pubs?

Next, I take it getting train service down to Durham and back is a fairly easy process? Is the castle and cathedral within walking distance from the Durham train station?

Any more must see or do tips? Thanks.

I live near Newcastle and fly regularly on BA with connections at T5.

You should be ok for T5 immigration connections-wise. Things have calmed down quite a bit now.

There are no light rail in Durham. But it is a very compact "city", so you should be able to get around ok on foot, it is a little bit hilly.

It is incredibly easy to get to Durham on the train from Newcastle, and if you take one of the East Coast or XCountry trains, you'll be in Durham before you have had a chance to take your coat off.

Can't comment on the food/drinks as have not been out for meals/drinks in Newcastle for quite some time, though there plenty of good places in Tynemouth, which is easily reachable by Metro light rail from Newcastle. The added bonus of Tynemouth is the priory ruin on the coast.

I’ll be spending next weekend in Newcastle and will be planning to get down to Durham to see the Cathedral during my trip. I’m coming into LHR from Germany on BA and connecting on a BA domestic flight up to NCL. I plan on using trains and the light rail to get around Newcastle/Durham.

So, the question I didn’t want to have to ask: I’ve got 3 hours to connect in Heathrow to my NCL flight. My flight arrives around noon and leaves at around 3 PM. It should all be T5. Given the recent horror stories of UK immigration, will that be enough time to connect? Is immigration any faster for passengers connecting than for people getting off in London? I assume that BA will accommodate me if I were to miss my connection due to immigration problems. (US passport holder, btw)

Next, any suggestions for good places to eat in Newcastle and Durham? I like trying out local beers and would certainly like to try some local brews in the area. Any noteworthy pubs?

Next, I take it getting train service down to Durham and back is a fairly easy process? Is the castle and cathedral within walking distance from the Durham train station?

Any more must see or do tips? Thanks.

I live in Newcastle. Can't give you much information about Durham, but I can give you plenty of eating suggestions in Newcastle if you let me know your budget and tastes.

The most famous local brew is Newcastle Brown Ale, but I wouldn't bother because a) its an acquired taste and b) you can get it anywhere in the US.

There are some excellent local breweries making bitter. The ones that spring to mind are Big Lamp, Mordue, Hexamshire, Wylam - each of which have a handful of beers on the go. I may think of some more soon.

Pubs - depending on what you want:

There are several excellent, lively real ale pubs clustered in the Ouseburn Valley, a small tributary of the River Tyne, which is a short (10-15 minute) walk east of the city centre. All have what I'd call a good vibe.

* The Tyne (you guessed it, near the river) - underneath a bridge. Feels quite bohemian.
* The Cluny - decent (but not outstanding) food. Lots of imported beer as well as local stuff. Music venue.
* The Free Trade - a bit spartan, but with outstanding view of the Tyne Bridges
* Cumberland Arms - 'folky', usually some form of music or comedy on upstairs a weekend. Sometimes both.

The pubs in the city centre tend to be less interesting (to me, at least). Mostly chain pubs, high-density soulless places, or drab, stinky pubs where embittered old men go to hide from their wives. There are a few notable exceptions:

* The Strawberry - a stone's throw from the football ground.
* Trent House - near the University and very studenty, but welcomes all-comers.

-

Trains

Very easy to get around Newcastle by Metro, and to Durham on the train. No need to book in advance - just turn up and go.

Thank you.

As I understand it, The Tyne pub (as noted by mad_rich) is one of the tap pubs for the Wylam brewery.

If you're down that way - and depending what mood you're in - I love the bar in the Hotel du Vin. I just found it so relaxing - very quiet late afternoon on a Saturday and it's a bit far out for the crowds. Good selection of local beers in there, too!

Where are you staying? You probably know this but you can get the Metro (light rail) from the airport to many places in the City and beyond. Have they upgraded the ticket machines to take notes & cards yet? If not, make sure you have a few pound coins.

This (http://www.castlekeep-newcastle.org.uk/) might be worth a look.

The Central Arcade (near the Monument) is a nice piece of old architecture.

People in Newcastle like a drink, so the place can be quite lively of an evening, especially at the weekend. Dress code is minimal (i.e they don't wear very much - if you want to blend in, leave your coat at home). The Bigg Market used to attract a rather more boisterous crowd than other parts but it's been a while.

That said, I always found folk up there far more good natured and less clique than you'd find on a night out in London.

Where are you staying? You probably know this but you can get the Metro (light rail) from the airport to many places in the City and beyond. Have they upgraded the ticket machines to take notes & cards yet? If not, make sure you have a few pound coins.


Staying at the airport Doubletree. I've had generally better sleep quality at airport hotels than at noisier places in the downtown areas and the close proximity to the light rail makes it a win-win. Does the Metro offer a day travel card, or is it strictly pay-as-you-go?

You can get an all-day ticket on the Metro for £5 (or £4.20 after 0930). It's also valid on the train to Sunderland and the Shields ferry, but you probably won't use those.
http://www.nexus.org.uk/metro/tickets

For £6.80, you can get a Day Rover ticket, which includes the above + buses.
http://www.networkonetickets.co.uk/day-rover. (Quite handy if you want to visit the Quayside and don't fancy walking back up the hill into town ;) )

Buy either from the machine in the airport (or any Metro machine). The Day Rovers can also be bought onboard a bus.

Neither will cover you for travel to Durham.

Staying at the airport Doubletree. I've had generally better sleep quality at airport hotels than at noisier places in the downtown areas and the close proximity to the light rail makes it a win-win. Does the Metro offer a day travel card, or is it strictly pay-as-you-go?

My folks stayed at the Doubletree a few weeks back and were suitably impressed. One 'quirk' - they have two categories of room for sale, but the reality is all rooms are identical with the 'deluxe' having robes, slippers and bottled water provided.

If you're on for a little bit of a walk maybe one morning, there's a large village called Ponteland around a mile and a half from the airport, including what could be considered a classic English pub, the Diamond (http://www.thediamondinn.co.uk/).

They still serve Exhibition on draft - not sure how to describe it, but was the working man's pint back in the day.

(Disclosure - It used to be my local - and I detest Exhibition.)

Cross over airport access road outside the hotel, and I think you then walk for a few metres along the side of the exit from the petrol station. This then becomes a footpath which you follow and eventually this picks up the main road.

Cross over by the roundabout and keep heading along the side of the main road. Avoid the Badger pub - it's a "food pub", and not a very good one at that. Keep going and you'll soon be into a residential area. The road drops down and bears left - keep going. The Diamond Inn is by the traffic lights.

Most of this is easy to spot on google maps, but the petrol station has been added since the maps were last updated! You can also get there by bus from the road that runs between the Doubletree and the Premier Inn, but that's probably pushing it a bit! As Ponteland is in Northumberland, I'm not sure if the metro & bus pass would cover you.

Cross over by the roundabout and keep heading along the side of the main road. Avoid the Badger pub - it's a "food pub", and not a very good one at that.

I quite like the Badger pub for meals, just a bit on the pricey side.

If you want somewhere for food, try

- Jesmond Dene House, a bit to the north of the City centre but quite close to Ilford Road Metro (I'd say just about walk able in fact): http://www.jesmonddenehouse.co.uk/
- the restaurant at the top of the BALTIC Art Gallery in town is good with a great view
- Fisherman's Lodge in Jesmond also used to be excellent, but I think it has changed owners since I used to frequent it (2000-2003): http://www.fishermanslodge.co.uk/
- Cafe 21 on the Quayside is an old favourite: http://www.cafetwentyone.co.uk/
- Intermezzo at the Tyneside Cinema (Pilgrim St.) is good for an espresso if you want a break from shopping
- Likewise, Cafe Royal just round the corner from the Monument does a good pit stop lunch

Enjoy Newcastle, I had 4 very happy years there and loved every minute of it.

Wow, all of about 5 minutes to enter the UK from getting off the plane. In fairness, the line to enter the UK and stay in London was a bit longer than my transfer to a domestic UK flight line.