Monday 30th January
21K – OS Sheet 88 – Gateshead – Derwenthaugh Marina (NZ 203 633) to S Shields Herd Beach (NZ 370680)
Ebbing tide – 1.5knots – 4/5 hours
Straight out of “Northern England and IofM” – 50 GREAT sea kayak voyages – The Tyne 40
Well we had such a GREAT day, I have decided to have the privilege of writing the report.
A year in the waiting and Eric selected another January date, with an ebbing tide for 10.15, giving us plenty of time for the shuttle.
After a disappointment of no paddling on the Sunday, we all gathered after our busy weekends at the Gateshead Travelodge and walked 500 metres to TGI Fridays, the most expensive American Burger chain in the world with beer (well they did not really sell beer, just lager and Guinness) at £5.75 a pint!! However, it was a very convivial and enjoyable catch up for everyone and a good night was had by all, before we re-camped in the Travelodge, meeting at 8am in the morning.
I like this “Urban wild camping” without even booking a room – as my paddling and cycling mate Martin did not fancy a bivi at the access ramp, as we often do when out with the DofE students.
Unfortunately – school boy error – the shuttle headed to South Shields (Herd Beach car park) during the rush hour, which delayed our start, but after returning for Martin – lost in translation with his Google maps – we launched in bright sunshine and blue skies, eager to explore the Tyne and its urban corridors.
The day was not a disappointment, as the light breeze and tide helps us cruise the kilometres.
I paddled the same stretch 40 years previously and it had little resemblance, from those days of busy shipping, warehousing, docks and filthy water.
Points that amazed me were:
The presence of wildlife – birds
The architecture – new and old
The bridges – new and old – including an old tram bridge, railway and vehicle bridge and of course the iconic Millennium bridge
The Traffic – cars, trams, trains
The lack of planning – with much of the Victorian buildings long since gone and some extraordinary Scandinavian style housing, randomly appearing on the skyline or waters edge
The Dunston Coal Staithes – its size and history of the wooden jetty – 500metres long, listed structure, was the biggest wooden structure in Europe, shipping 140,000 tons of coal out in 1920. Built in 1890 by the NE Railway Co and working until the end of the 1970’s
The size of the modern day industrial facilities built on the banks
The amount of decay and removal in the old riverside building and jetties
The number of small marinas, tucked away off the Tyne, creating safe moorings
The colossal size of the cargo boats and ferries
Passing places like Hebburn, Jarrow, Royal Docks, North Shields, Tyne Dock
Redundant building, old slipways and neglect, after the heavy industry left the shores of the Tyne
The historic presence of decay and pollution, which was not too obvious
The lack of flotsam and jetsam, other than wood
Returning to the new housing scattered on both banks – housing both residents and holiday lets – you would not credit you were in Newcastle, more like Norway, Denmark or Sweden
“Something for everyone”
Lunch was eaten on the water or the new floating mooring in the centre of Newcastle – directly opposite the Sage Building (or monstrosity) in bright sunshine and with a blue-sky background.
The fire brigade was in training, in a rib and we sat next to an old RLNI life boat and opposite HMS Trumpeter, a patrol boat, with a backcloth of the different collection of bridges upstream. The single malt slipped down a treat in our noisy urban lunch stop.
After the city the river quietened down and we returned to a rural environment – deep water, empty banks with woodland, occasional dog walkers and cyclists and the Kittiwake roosting shelter on the southern bank – quiet, peaceful and a steady tidal flow, helped by the breeze.
Until we crept up upon the industrial development above the main port, which was WIDE and spacious. We had checked with the Port Authority (my new best friend Keith) that we were passing through and confirmed the website showed there was NO major shipping movements, during our passing period.
We tightened up the group management, so we looked like a professional peloton and quietly paddled past the massive cargo and ferry boats quietly moored up, dwarfing us in the kayaks.
Suddenly, as we were all starting to feel weary, we were in Tynemouth and the salty sea, heading to the beach, with a gentle surf and the carpark blotted from view by the falling SUN, blinding our route to a very sandy beach – Herd Beach.
We would have to save Collingwood Monument (a mate of nelsons and the site of many a Vera drama and murder) to another day – see the chapter called “The Tyne-Tees Coast” and expect further LCC trips to follow.
My thanks to Eric, for reminding me and organising the event, Rhi for her local knowledge, Rob for co-Leading the trip and of course the loyal and trusting 9 LCC members, who joined us on the “Tyne Tour”. It appears a GOOD time was had by all, blessed by the January weather and the tide. Thank you all for your company on these mid-week adventures.
Mike S
Lakeland Canoe Club 