Earlier this week, 32 parks in the North East were named among the best in the UK with Green Flag awards. Some were commended for being havens of peace, others for their sports facilities and spaces for kids and families. From a seaside park with a miniature steam train to a Northumberland beauty spot said to be haunted by a mythical beast, here are four of the best parks in the North East that Chronicle writers love.
Bolam Lake Country Park, near Belsay
Daniel Hall, rural tourism reporter, says: "Bolam Lake has been a favourite of mine for many years. My family brought me here when I was tiny, there were school trips here, and when I first learned to drive it was a fun and easy enough trip from the West End of Newcastle. The beauty of it is that there's been very little change to it in that time; the few that have been made are the addition of a wildlife-watching hide, and a wooden living room by the Low House Wood Car Park. The park is small and you could walk around the lake in 15 minutes if you charge around. However, that's missing the point of coming here. Instead, switch off, enjoy the peace and quiet, and clear your head. Just keep an eye out for the Beast of Bolam Lake, a legendary Yeti-like creature that's said to roam the woods."
Gosforth Central Park
Georgia Cuthbertson, reporter, says: "My favourite park is my local one, Gosforth Central Park. I don’t usually go walking without a destination in mind so I usually miss out on the wonderful parks the city has to offer. But my local does get me out and about with being close to Gosforth Central which makes it easy to pop down and enjoy the sunshine. Recently the markets and events that have been on at Gosforth Central have made those trips even more lively. Perfect small day out for families and furbabies too."
Saltwell Park, Gateshead
Barbara Hodgson, what's on reporter, says: "Where do I start when it comes to listing what I like about this absolute treasure of a park? It has everything to suit whatever your mood is when you visit. If you want to escape the summer day crowds who flock to the kids' play areas and the lake with its swans, geese and ducks, there's an expanse of space to explore. You can always find a quiet spot away from it all, with a walk through the green and shaded dene, listening to the birdsong, or finding the odd bench in its furthest reaches which most people don't even notice. I like both the formal and informal - its Victorian style with the promenade walk past the flower beds, pavilions and Saltwell Towers itself, which looks like a fairytale palace from the outside although the cafe interior is more down to earth - and its left-to-nature areas. The Swedish Buzzing Garden is a favourite. I love it in all seasons. Flower beds are replanted in spring and summer; the mature trees are stunning in autumn and it all looks beautiful in the snow. We're lucky to have it."
Owen Younger, live news reporter, adds: "There are few places from my childhood that still resonate with me today as much as Saltwell Park does, I think that is because of the varied memories it has given me. Whether it was playing in the park as a young child, kicking a football around with mates on the huge field the summer we left school, or taking in the fireworks displays every year, there is a lot to pull from. When the weather is being accommodating, the green space is one of the most tranquil you can find in the area, and is ideal for families, dog walkers, meeting up with friends, and everything else in between. The Japanese Garden, a gift from Komatsu City in 2009, is a personal highlight, and has such a different feel from the rest of the park, and I will still never turn down a treat from the ever-present ice cream van, so what's not to love!"
South Marine Park, South Shields
Daniel Holland, local democracy reporter, says: "If you asked me to close my eyes and think of my childhood, I'm pretty sure my mind would take me back to any one of the countless sunny days spent at South Marine Park in South Shields. Ice cream cone from Minchella's in hand, eagerly waiting for the miniature steam train which runs around the lake to pull into the station. And there is something deeply comforting about the fact that, every time I'm there now, this Victorian seafront attraction still appears more or less exactly as it does in my memory of 30 years ago. The ice cream tastes as perfect as ever, the 'toot toot' as the train comes around the bend elicits that same sense of joy it always did, and I'm still deeply tempted to jump in a pedalo and fail pathetically in an attempt to power it across the water at full speed."
