Relocating to Newcastle

Thank you ayse. Although there were buses when we first moved here we don't have any public transport in our village now, but could do a three mile walk to the nearest bus stop in the next parish. Any public transport will seem
good to us! Are there many cycle lanes in Newcastle?

Gosforth has a village feel to it, at least it did last time I was there. There use to be a wonderful Chinese restaurant with superb food inside the old local cinema. In Heaton, there are quite a number of small food outlets. My favourite is near Heaton Park. They sell organic meat and beer. They were featured on one of The Hairy Biker programmes.

Having lived in both the SE and the West Midlands I can say that the traffic most of the time is not as horrendous as some other parts of the country. Public transport is relatively good although some of the locals complain. They haven’t had to wait for buses in Bristol or London that never come.

I’ve found the NHS here particularly good. DH was referred to one of the local cataract removal centres. He had one removed after a 3 week wait and the other about 6 months later. Both the Freeman and Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) are excellent in my opinion. Dentists are something else although our local GPs surgery is very good.

I hope you enjoy living in Newcastle.

DH and I have been studying Newcastle with the aid of OS maps, Rightmove and Streetview and are gaining an idea of the layout. The one thing I haven't been able to find is an A to Z map of the streets which really help me to learn my way about because I'm not brilliant with maps on my very slow phone. Although we are used to an old fashioned rural way of life, everyone here tells us that it's a lovely town with friendly people and that we will soon feel at home. We are looking foreward to exploring especially Heaton, Longbenton and Gosforth during our first few days visiting from the 12th.

I’ve just got parked on top of John Lewis in Newcastle - virtually no traffic and hit all the green lights! It’ll be a different story when I head out and up Gosforth High Street to collect DD2’s Little Dog later though!!

Galaxy

I agree about the traffic, I work in Newcastle and live outside the city, it is horrendous to get into the city and move around it by car.

My friend has to travel via Benton Lane/Benton Road on a regular basis, she will often get off the bus and walk due to delays during peak periods.

Fantastic city but the traffic system leaves a lot to be desired!

M0nica

I did go to university there, and throughly enjoyed myself there. Met DH there, although we were three years out of university, before we got together as a couple.

My mind must have been flitting around the country when I typed that!

I did go to university there, and throughly enjoyed myself there. Met DH there, although we were three years out of university, before we got together as a couple.

M0nica

Allira Newcastle upon Tyne is in North EAST England, not the north west. Roughly 60 miles south of the border between England and Scotland

Yes, of course it is, DD went there for an interview for a university place but chose to go to the South-west instead!

Even when I typed that I had a map of the UK in my mind's eye with Newcastle in the correct place. Duh!!

Allira Newcastle upon Tyne is in North EAST England, not the north west. Roughly 60 miles south of the border between England and Scotland

At the moment the Tyne Bridge is undergoing maintenance and an under/over road leading to it is in danger of collapse and has been closed! The Western Bypass is undergoing roadworks and I’d like to get my hands on the ‘genius’ who decided 2 of the 3 being worked on at the same time!! The under/over danger is down to years of little if any maintenance.

I can only agree that at the moment getting in and out of The Toon is horrendous. However, in the leafy suburbs around the Freeman there shouldn’t be any problems - bus or Metro-wise - getting right into the City Centre.

OP’s move may be a while off too.

We live to the west of Newcastle and gave up driving in to work - we got the train instead. For a day out, the train along the Tyne Valley to Carlisle is worthwhile as the scenery is glorious.

That aside, it's been a beautiful warm, sunny day in the region. When we moved here our neighbours in Surrey asked if we would find it cold. It's a little cooler usually but since I spent the winters cuddled up to the fire down south anyway, it didn't make much difference!

I agree about the traffic, I work in Newcastle and live outside the city, it is horrendous to get into the city and move around it by car.

I'm presuming this is Newcastle in the north-west as I can't remember there being a Newcastle in sunny Devon where it rains six days out of seven.

(Not really, folks, that's just what the postcards would have you believe.)

I’m pleased you’ve had more replies supporting Newcastle.
Good areas to follow up, but prices in Gosforth and Jesmond can be eye-watering and in big demand, as is anything within walking distance of the Freeman. Still, I expect you’re scrolling through Rightmove etc and can see for yourself? A map helps to show where Jesmond morphs from Gosforth into Heaton and back round to Benton. All buzzing with their own cultures and within easy reach of the City Centre and only a few miles to the Coast.

It certainly is a good drying day in Newcastle today Dee1012 lots of sun and a bit of a balmy breeze

I'm an incomer to Newcastle too but I can honestly say it is the friendliest place I have ever lived. Also, it's big enough to have good facilities but small enough not to be overwhelming.
Personally, I think Jesmond is too full of students - which is fine if you are a student but not so good if you want a quiet life. Gosforth is good for families and retirees too. It has good transport links (bus and Metro) and is under 3 miles to the city centre. It's also easy to get to the Freeman Hospital.
Wherever you choose I hope you enjoy living in this vibrant city with so much to offer

I live in Newcastle and today is certainly a great 'drying day'.

I've been here over 25 years now, lovely people and lots to do in and around the area.

Parts of Heaton are also really nice.

The only drawback can be the traffic - especially around rush-hour but it can be very, very slow.
Best of luck.

How old is DD? What sort of support do they need?

A family emigrated from our village recently and all the stuff they could not sell, much in very nice condition, was put on the village Facebook and went in minutes!

I lived in Newcastle for many years, as a child and adult.
It's a super city, friendly and lively, near the seaside and small enough to get out into the countryside easily.

What I remember is the cold! The washing in mid-winter was sometimes frozen stiff, literally, so you could stand it up!!
However, there's plenty of sun and wind throughout the year for drying the washing.

To be near to Freeman's Hospital, consider South and East Jesmond ( perhaps not West Jesmond, which is studenty and noisy) and Gosforth - both are safe areas with a good range of houses and prices.

Good luck with your move ☺️.

We are also on the move - for us eastwards - to Cambridgeshire. As I write this I am awaiting the delivery of a skip

As well as auctions, there are charities that take furniture and household goods - the best known is Emmaus, a charity for the homeless, who run furniture shops and also use donations to funish and provide household goods for those who obtain accommodation - but then lack even a bed to put in it.

Thanks for getting back to reply Chickabiddy.

I hope it all goes well for you.

Here in Scotland most older flats and houses have pullies to dry washing.
I have one in the kitchen and yesterday some visitors/volunteers from Australia asked me what it was! 😂

I think we are more aware of the weather here in the North than those further south but you can have bitter winds. I lived in Norwich at one time and my In-laws were in Suffolk.

Thank you for all your replies, I'm still finding my way around Gransnet so I'm slow at replying. I should have explained that my DH is from Rochdale hence the fear of the weather up North being wet the further you go. I'm from East Anglian farm worker stock and am used to living on dry sand.

We are still at the stage of clearing our very cluttered house, nowhere to buy yet. It will probably be somewhere near the Freeman Hospital. Our house is a three bed semi, but has loads of storage space which is now proving to be a mixed blessing. Apart from it acting as a repository for all our family relics, I have aquired a huge stash of equipment and fleece by helping to run a local fibre craft group. It's hard to let any of it go.

Thank you Madeleine45 for your suggestions of exploring from a B&B and using paper furniture cut outs to plan use of space. We will certainly be doing both. And Grammaretto we have never been to an auction, but it might be a good solution for some of our excess stuff as the charity shops are getting fed up with us.

I think the move is a ‘done deal’ Madeleine45 to support family, but a lot of your post makes sense. Like most big cities there are good and not so good areas to live - some greatly overpriced too.

East coast is definitely drier. The wind here will definitely dry your clothes.

I live in North Yorkshire and dry all my washing outside. Of course on occasions it is too wet to put out, but I never have a major problem with it, and am rewarded by lovely sweet smelling washing, all dried for "nowt" which is another plus!!

i have moved many times both here and abroad, so can understand how hard you are finding it at the moment. So you do not explain whether you already have a place to move to or are at the looking stage. My suggestion is that in either case you should go to Newcastle and stay b/b in the area you plan to eventually stay in. It will let you just have a general look round, find out things like where the libraries and doctors etc are. Look at the public transport , speak to the owner of the b/b , who will no doubt have plenty to tell you.

If you go, looking at it as a business trip, not a holiday, but being able to find out as much as possible, and also a chance to make contact with any hobby groups, so rotary club, wi, choirs tennis groups etc etc. Again this will be reassuring and helpful to know and you will find people very helpful and welcoming. If you do that then, you are looking at the reality, rather than your imagined worries. It will become a reality to you and that will help you to make a start.

Once you have a property bought or in the process of buying in Newcastle, then I recommend that you draw a plan of the house to scale and then cut out pieces of paper to scale for your furniture. It is a fiddly job but very worth while. Double check that you have got the measurments correct. Then place your paper furniture into the rooms in the new house. You will see immediately things that will or wont fit, and then others that you can try moving around to fit in. Much easier to move bits of paper than furniture!! So after a few days trying this and that, you will then see what will definitely not go into the new place and can organise to sell it before you move, saving you space and cost . If you begin to do this, it also helps you mentally to accept that you are actually moving.

Good luck and think if you go with an open mind you will be very happy.