5 Beautiful Places To Walk In The North East This Spring

Sticking to a healthy diet doesnt mean you have to avoid dining out and say no to plans......You CAN have your cake and it it too. 1 3

Spring is one of my favourite times of year.

You can’t beat the feeling that Spring puts in the air, especially after what feels like a long, cold winter!

Spring walking feels great – finally some warmth in the air, it’s lighter outside and there’s plenty of colour replacing the damp greys and browns of Winter.

And if you enjoy a walk, brushing cobwebs off your walking boots is like a love affair renewed.

Now, everyone has their favourite local walks, but sometimes it’s fun to explore somewhere different while the sun’s out.

So I’ve decided to share with you 5 beautiful places to walk this Spring in the North East of England, which have features than come alive in Spring.

Whether if be woodlands carpeted with Bluebells, wildflowers along river valleys, moorland peaks, coastal paths, or National Parks… There’s a walk to suit every mood.

Here’s The Top 5 Walks
I’ve Picked For You:

Plessey Woods Country Park, Northumberland

Plessey Woods is located between Bedlington and Cramlington, not far from Morpeth.

You get no less than 100 acres of woodland, meadow and riverside to explore at leisure.

Look carefully and you might even catch a glimpse of the woodland animals like red squirrels, deer and fox, in their natural habitat between the towering trees.

A full circuit of the woods is about one and a half miles, and includes ares which include steps steps and grassy inclines for those of us who like to be a bit more adventurous.

If you want to make a full day of it, picnic areas with tables are throughout the park, and there’s even a cafe to grab a coffee or tea, (if coffee’s not your thing).

It’s perfect for a family day out.

Northumberlandia, Northumberland

Here lies one of the North Easts new attractions, opened by Princess Anne in 2012 – The Lady of The North.

So, if you fancy a date with The Lady of The North, Northumberlandia is a country park and landscape culture in the form of a woman, it’s creators claim that it’s the largest land sculpture in female form in the world.

This park is located next to Cramlington in Northumberland, only a few minutes from the A1.

So, if you feel like exploring something a little different, this is the place to go.

Souter Lighthouse, South Shields

Souter Lighthouse at South Shields is a great place to admire the amazing rock formations.

Visitors are advised to start their walk in South Shields and make their way from the seafront along the coast.

The route takes you to the top of the cliffs to begin with and then down on to the beach around Marsden. And when you get to the lighthouse itself, there are plenty of picnic tables with sea views.

If you’re into History, it’s perfect for you to explore the decommissioned lighthouse.

The famous foghorns of the lighthouse can still be heard. And despite the name, it’s not at Souter Point at all but Lizard Point – the name was changed to Souter, which is actually a mile away, to avoid confusion with Lizard Lighthouse in Cornwall.

Hamsterley Forest, County Durham

Hamsterley Forest is wedged between Teesdale and Weardale in the heart of beautiful Durham Dales and is around 10 miles of Bishop Auckland.

You won’t be short of things to do, there’s a cafe, cycle hire, picnic sites, adventure playground (perfect for the kids and grandchildren!), forest drive, walking and horse riding routes.

The forest is also a magnet for mountain bikers from all over the North of England, attracted by a wide range of cycling experiences, from the training loop and top quality off-road cycle trails, to the high octane four-cross and downhill mountain bike course – so if you’re into cycling, this is the perfect place for you.

If you’d like to have an adventure day out, there are many organised activities for you to check out.

And for number 5…

Newcastle Quayside

If you’re more of a city person, a walk along the Quayside in Newcastle takes in wonderful historic and modern sights.

You can either explore it alone, or join in the heritage walk with a group of people and find out more about the history of the area.

You can see the famous Bessie Surtees house which is a fine 16th and 17th century Jacobean architecture in an area which was known as Sandhill.

And of course you can see the famous bridges across the river including the Tyne Bridge, the Swing Bridge and the Millennium Bridge, then enjoy a bite to eat in the city after.

So, there you have it! 5 different places to walk in the North East that suit everyone.

Get outside as much as you can this Spring, walking is a great way to keep active and mobile – it doesn’t have to be a hard hike. Enjoy a gentle stroll, and enjoy what the North East has to offer.

And if you take any pictures while you’re out and about, be sure to share them with us over on Facebook – we’d love to feature them on our page 🙂

For ideas on how to live a more active and healthy lifestyle, click here to get your copy of Paul’s book, The Healthy Habit: www.thehealthyhabitbook.com

And you’ll discover plenty of tips to help you build healthy habits, you can actually stick to, with ease!

About
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Paul Gough

Paul Gough is an internationally known Physio and Founder of The North East’s Leading Specialist Private Physiotherapy Practice for People in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s, who want to keep healthy and active.

You might know Paul as an expert Columnist who writes weekly health articles for TWO of the North East's biggest daily Newspapers, The Northern Echo And The Hartlepool Mail, he is a regular Speaker at Industry Seminars around the globe and a Radio Personality, often heard on the BBC. Paul has been an expert guest on dozens of Radio shows and regularly interviewed in newspapers, magazines and trade journals all over the world, including the Guardian.

Paul’s background included working extensively in the Premier League with a Top Professional Football Team, and since quitting his job in Professional Football in 2007, his Physio Practice has become the fastest growing in the UK and biggest in the North East. So successful, that companies like BUPA, ASDA, The Vela Group And Coast & Country, repeatedly retain his Physio company's services to keep healthy their own staff and workforce. Paul Gough Physio Rooms is now a large multi-physio, multi clinic speciality practice in Darlington, Durham, Guisborough and Hartlepool.