# Newcastle Park & Ride ?



## 97721 (Feb 15, 2006)

My partner has been accepted for the Great North Run in September. We have just booked a CL at Stannington and would like to find a suitable parking place on the west side of Newcastle convenient for the start at Haymarket.

Having spoken to the City Council Parking Dept. they do not appear to have any specific Park & Ride locations suitable for motorhomes. Callerton Parkway was suggested as the most suitable (close to the airport) although care would be needed (i.e. parking "sensibly"!) and special dispensation would be required from the wardens.

Does anyone have any experience of motorhome parking in this area?

Thanks in anticipation

PilgrimPhil


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

You would be better of parking at the South Shields end as you can park on the grass near the beach all the way along but you might have to get there early (08:00ish) you can then get a bus to Newcastle they run all morning every few mins. That way when you get to the end you could alway have a rest in the M/H on the coast and watch the slower runners finishing as where you would be parked is in the last mile or so of the run.

Richard...


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## 94639 (May 1, 2005)

Hi Pilgrim Phil

I have run the GNR several times, have never used the van, but from my experience of the event you will not get anywhere near the start in a car let alone a motorhome. There is a campsite on the coast road at South Shields, details below. My advice would be to stay there overnight and travel in on the Metro on Sunday morning. The site itself is just a few hundred yards from the finish line.

Sandhaven Caravan Park 
Sea Road
South Shields 
Tyne and Wear 
NE33 2LD
Tel: 0191 454 5594 

Good luck to your partner in the run, it is a great occasion, one she will remember for the rest of her life. The Geordies will cheer her on every step of the way from Town Moor to the seafront at South Shields.


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## clayton9 (Aug 16, 2006)

i can second that its a fantastic site right neer the beech....


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Park n ride*

Hi

For Newcastle, although possibly not really suitable for you, I would park at the Metro Centre and get the train/Metro into Newcastle City.

Russell


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## 97721 (Feb 15, 2006)

Thanks for those responses.

I suppose my concern about parking/being based at the South Shields end would be trying to get away from the area after the race. I thought it would be easier to jump on the Metro back to the Start where it would be "quieter". 

We have plenty of time to sort this out and will probably do a "dummy run" on the Saturday before the Sunday race

Thanks again

PilgrimPhil


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## 97291 (Jan 15, 2006)

PilgrimPhil,

You have a PM

Vince


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## 97721 (Feb 15, 2006)

Hi Sharbul/Vince

Just responded to your PM - thanks


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

> I suppose my concern about parking/being based at the South Shields end would be trying to get away from the area after the race. I thought it would be easier to jump on the Metro back to the Start where it would be "quieter".


 You would not have too much problem geting away as you can drive from the entrance to the grass car park as it exits on the roundabout the other side of the run you can then go to Sunderland no problem. I do it when ever I have done the run.

Richard...


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## 97721 (Feb 15, 2006)

Just a short postscript to this thread.

Kim, my partner, completed the Great North Run on Sunday in a time of 2 hrs 31 mins 29 secs. She has raised just under £200 for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. She throughly enjoyed it, and, as has been remarked upon in this thread, the Geordie crowd were superb in their encouragement etc.

A special thanks to Vince & Julie (aka Sharbul) for their very generous hospitality in inviting us to park up for two nights on their property and for ferrying us to & from Heworth Metro station.

Our plan of using the Metro to get to the start at Haymarket and coming back from South Shields worked well, although there were the inevitable queues at South Shields. 

In a lapse of judgement (fuelled by a pint and being surrounded by successful runners/walkers) I may have just agreed to participate next year!! So watch this space!

PilgrimPhil


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## 94639 (May 1, 2005)

Go for it Phil, you will really enjoy it.

Congratulations to Kim


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## 97721 (Feb 15, 2006)

My unguarded comment about taking part came about when one of our friends, rather than running, actually "power" walked the 13+ miles in 3 hrs 10 minutes which was probably quicker than some of the runners!! I facetiously stated that "I could do that"!!

Unfortunately, I had quite a few witnesses, so I may not get out of this one!

PilgrimPhil


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

I am glad you enjoyed the run, and I hope you enjoy taking part next year. I have done it 6 time myself and it is a good day out. Just remember you will need plenty of preparation, best start this week.


Richard...


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## 108717 (Dec 12, 2007)

A quick tip for those going next year. If you are running late or don't want to risk the traffic, park near the North Shields side of the North Shields ferry. Get down by the Fish Quay somewhere if possible but avoid North Shields town centre (Motorhome equals stuff to sell down the pub....I lived there for a while). Walk up to town centre (warning - steep hill) and get metro to Newcastle. Once finished cross on the ferry back to where you started. There is free unlimited parking if you look around

If anyone has experience of the ferry on these days (passenger only) please feel free to correct me. I lived in this area for a long time and you never knew much about the GNR so parking shouldn't be an issue but the ferry might be another story. 

Perhaps being first on the ferry might be an incentive to run faster!


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