North Marine Park — Attraction in South Tyneside

The hubs and I (for the posh sorts) (orrrr me n him, for those not so hung up on it being just right) stopped for a breather In the Christmas chaos, a wee reminder to find a moment for yourself. We sat and had our lunch at the Lawe Top and watched as people came and went, Delivering presents and hugs, dogs in the park delivering their own special brand of parcels... Not so pretty.. And all the while we sat there... Just being... We watched as a rainbow moved across the water

Just as we finished our lunch a couple laying flowers on one of the seats a stark reminder of how brief our time here is and how heavy the hearts of so many are.. Hollowed by the loss of those they loved. Hopefully their spirits lifted a little by sharing a moment and a bouquet with the memory of their loved one

A beautiful moment in a year that has been so crazy 🤪 even the gods are scratching their heads.

If you find yourself reading this and sharing my day, I wish you a merry Christmas, good health, an abundance of happiness, peace And a happy new year... ((fingers, eyes and legs crossed)) really don't want to tempt the fates...

The park is a ghost of its former self. If you're over 40 you'll remember just how many trees, hedgerows and flowers there used to be, creating a more enclosed woodland experience. It's good to see that in recent years more trees have been planted to replace the ones that were removed decades ago when aggressively opening the park up. It may take decades to recover what was lost . However, as with most if not all of South Tyneside's parks there is a considerable dearth of flowers and flowering plants. Overall this together with the open plan nature of the area makes the park rather drab. It wasn't too long ago that both the South and North Marine Parks were filled with beautifully arranged colourful displays. We can only hope the local authority sets this right as it reflects poorly on part of the vibrant image the town...

Me and my father went along yesterday to meet with my sister/daughter and niece/granddaughter and the new playground is great for children and of all ages and lovely landscaped areas for people to take a nice walk around with plenty of seats to stop and take in the sights and sounds while resting your legs.

Presently the older park in also still in place although not offering much for children and young people it may be a quieter option and offering good views of the sea.

Car parking is available along the sea front or, if spaces are available then...