If you drive into Newcastle on the A189, take the turn off at the Town Moor and follow the road down Barrack Road and then past St. James (the home of the Magpies, Newcastle United FC) and park somewhere in the vicinity of Terrace Place or Strawberry Place you are within a couple of hundred feet of the lovely Leazes Park. It is an immense Victorian park with solid iron fences painted Black, Pavillions, Bandstand and a Boating Lake. It is right next to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (known in these parts as the RVI) one of three very good Hospitals in the area although it's situation in the centre of an extremely busy city is wholly unsuited for being an A&E and the road leading upto it is constantly congested. The old part of the RVI is an imposing and typically Victorian edifice with a beautiful mansard roof. In the centre of a city which can be noisy, dirty and hectic Leazes park is a perfect little oasis. Although I have lived in this city all of my life (I am a proper Geordie if you didn't already know) I only became very fond of this park when I used to meet up with my Sister in town as she was at University here. Whether in Spring, Summer, Autumn or the depths of Winter, it is still very beautiful and nothing can make you feel at peace like a walk in a park. I’ve been there under Grey skies and Blue, Rain, Sun, Hail and Thunder and it is still just as magical. Today I was lucky as it was a warm balmy day and after doing a little shopping at the big department store 'Fenwicks' (which incidently I worked there many moons ago) I took myself out of the city centre and walked the 5 minutes or so to Leazes Park. Past streets of Edwardian grandeur and Georgian splendour, past the ugly football ground of St. James, the big brick building of Newcastle Breweries with the familiar Blue Star logo and the ugly 1960s wing of the RVI and into the Park.....
The birds were singing, the sun was shining and it was warm, very warm! People were playing basketball on the courts whilst I walked on the circular path up to the boating lake. On this lake live Geese, Swans, Ducks, Gulls, Moorhens and Coots. Whether it be people with prams, people jogging, walkers taking a stroll, visitors or students from the University or the old Polytechnic where my Dad went to as a mature student back in the 1970's (now the university of Northumbria) it seems in the nice weather everyone comes to congregate here. I sat down for a breather and enjoyed watching someone feeding the Swans who were bad tempered today and hissing, fighting and flapping as the Bread hit the water. I sat for half an hour just relaxing in the Sunshine then it was time to go. If you ever visit Newcastle then I insist you must come to the Park and enjoy it just as much as I do. Infact give me a holla and I will be your personal guide for the day. I will treat you to a French Salad sandwich and a knickerbockerglory in Mark Toneys on the magnificent Grey Street.....
