Living in Hexham currently, but the landlord is selling the house. We (girlfriend + me) are now thinking of going to Newcastle. Which are the nicer areas to live in, preferably within cycling distance of public transport and good trails?

Move down the valley a bit to Wylam and become my neighbour?
Nice little village, good community, four pubs, restaurant and a train station. On the N72 so you can cycle into the toon (about 10 miles on the flat).

Looking to rent or buy? Budget?

Avoid Jesmond – too many rah students
Heaton is also full of students, but they are not as posh or annoying.
Gosforth is nice, but not cheap.
High Heaton is nice, lots of families
Kenton – near Gosforth, OK, but parts are a little dodgy
Cowgate – avoid

Just left my folks flat in Wylam. Nice enough place to live, but a bit odd, it was the old manor, which attracts some irritating retiries.

Wylam is handy for routes and train to newcastle.

Have friends in North Shields, they like it out there.

However, if I could, I would move back to Heaton. I know it's student abound, but I always liked the Heaton vibe and was comfortable there.

Stopping over in Fawdon/Kenton just now at a mates place which was empty. It's quiet enough other than my wannabe gangster builder neighbour who sings karaoke on a Friday night. Will be having a chat next Fri if it happens again.

Loathe to say it, but North Shields is getting better. You're a quick walk from the coast and I'd say Tynemouth if it were any cheaper to live there! I really miss bits of growing up there – the beach, 20 min on the Metro to Newcastle, the fish quay, Tynemouth for the food and drink. South Gosforth is pretty nice for being closer to Newcastle. The Tyne Valley villages are great. What else do you want? Night life? Pubs? Rent or buy?

I used to live in Whickham, while not in town, very close, cheaper, and pretty spot on..

Get yourself up to Northumberland – 26 mins from Alnmouth to Newcastle on the train… beaches are empty – no dual carriageways, traffic lights etc. At the loacal trails in 15mins.

Gosforth, Ponteland. Rented in heaton for a while and it was pleasant enough but Gosforth is nicer.

what Capt John said.

High heaton is nice but overpriced IMO.
We've just bought a place in Whitley bay. 30 minute cycle to town. beach, great schools, and they're spending on regen so town centre so prices will go up. stay away from esplanade and north / south parade and you'll avoid the stag dos

If you are minted go to Darras Hall, spent years living there, bizarre place to live and grow up.

Greenside, High Spen, Chopwell, Rowlands Gill – all good with great riding nearby and easy bus links into the Toon,

We've just bought a place in Whitley bay.

If you need one, I can recommend Tynemouth Tree Surgeons!

Thanks all, it's renting and as money is fairly tight around 600 pound for a 2/3 bedroom flat/house. Mind you that's around what we are paying in Hexham now, so we may need to up the price a bit I fear! Would like an area with a good vibe with some nice delis (aargh! I'm getting posh) and little restaurants and pubs of course. From what I read here Gosforth and (High) Heaton in town are the nicer areas and a bit further afield there's plenty else!

beware high heaton is pretty much all estates, built in the thirties, theres very little in way of cafes, restaurants, pubs etc. give sandyford a try…

I live in gosforth, been here 4 years now and its spot on.

High street for local shops, cafes, restaurants, and at least 4 decent pubs!!

Can be pricey though depending on where in Gosforth but you'll get something for the money your willing to spend..

You can walk into town in about 30 mins or jump on the bus or metro and be there in 10..

Used to live in Fenham and then Heaton before that, Heaton was okay but full of students, Fenham aint the best!

pascoa341 – Member
Thanks all, it's renting and as money is fairly tight around 600 pound for a 2/3 bedroom flat/house. Mind you that's around what we are paying in Hexham now, so we may need to up the price a bit I fear! Would like an area with a good vibe with some nice delis (aargh! I'm getting posh) and little restaurants and pubs of course. From what I read here Gosforth and (High) Heaton in town are the nicer areas and a bit further afield there's plenty else!

You can get a 2 bed flat in Gosforth for £600 a month – or at least i did 12 months ago. It really is a very nice place to live. There is a deli on Gosforth High Street, and one on Newlands Rd near Ilford Road metro. There are restaurants on the High Street, but the best ones are in the city centre – but as Townfox says that is only 10 minutes away.

+1 for whitely bay

Grew up there and my mum and sister still live there. Great beach, nice houses, dodgy nightlife but there are some good pubs, easy metro ride to toon 😉

but most importantly, decent bits of mtb'ing nearby! or spunk up the road to Thrunton woods etc.

or
Jesmond – I lived in Jesmond whilst a student, if you get a decent street its quite nice.

Heaton – a bit sh*t imo.

North Shields – much better than it used to be. You can get very cheap cast iron fireplaces there!

Fenham – no

Kenton – no

Gosforth – nice (my other sister used to live there)

Just don't go to: Gateshead or Byker

Heaton is overpriced because of the student attraction; it can also get noisey during during the summer and most weekends. Jesmond is quite similar to Heaton, but with posher students and an extra £200/month rent for a marginally larger house/flat.

I agree that you'll probably get the nicest choice of places for your budget in Gosforth and parts of High Heaton. High Heaton's lack of amenities is a valid observation; although it does have a Sainsbury's and is only a short walk from Chillingham and Heaton Road, both of which have some nice little shops. You'd also be close to Jesmond Dene which is really nice for walks (and some cheeky riding!) whatever the weather.

Chopwell? Some trails, about 7 miles ride to Newcastle, and cheaper than the city.

Chopwell is spot on for riding… It only takes me 15 mins to get there from Gosforth and is good for a couple of hours on a summers night..

Heaton was prob the worst place I lived, £11.00 a week rent says it all, Fenham was fine but it was proper Fenham not student Fenham – its Arthurs Hill. West Jesmond was OK but full of students. I was there pre Osbourne Road bar explosion.

Spittal Tongues – was the best place I lived, even if it does sit between a couple of large student halls. Cows outside the window and a corner shop that doubled as the bank.

I'm going back 15years and beyond.

Did think about Rowlands Gill / Chopwell area a few times when moving around.

Spittal is not bad.

Heaton Park side of Heaton is nice as well.

Walkergate is ok.

Wallsend is ok up by the coast road, but not so nice by the Metro.

Tynemouth, North Shields, Whitley Bay or do as Carbon337 says and look at Northumberland along the coast then commute.

Why leave Hexham? I moved from Hexham to Fenham about 2 months ago and I'd be back in a flash if the right move came up, but I need to share. I still do most of my riding from Hexham. In fact, just been out on Hexhamshire common tonight. It's wet.

Cruddas Park?

whitely bay

Grew up there and my mum and sister still live there. Great beach, nice houses, dodgy nightlife but there are some good pubs

You are joking, right? Beach is a bit rubbish (no surf to speak of, almost no beach at high tide), houses OK and good pubs? Perhaps 1 or 2 between Monkseaton and Cullercoats!

Just don't go to: Gateshead or Byker

*Looks out of off window at the waste ground and high flats…*

*..considers walk into Gateshead for lunch*

*..considers the overheard conversations on yesterdays walk, about wife bashing and stabbing someone*

Yep, agreed!!

Some parts of Gateshead are "up and coming" (near the Tyne for instance) but it has a long way to up and come.

Can't comment on other parts of Newcastle apart from renting a flat in Jesmond for a couple of years but +1 for Gosforth. Sounds like there's quite a STW gathering there!

Girlfiends got a cracking ground floor flat for sale in North Shields nice 7 mile commute into town, private yard, loads of storage space, high ceilings, open fire place. 20 minute walk to Tynemouth, near public transport etc..

when i moved back up 4 years ago i got a flat in leazes terrace for the first year, it was so good to be in the city. i now live in 'ryton vasey', it's so good to be out of the city.

Gateshead has some nicer parts – like Low Fell, for example, and some parts of Saltwell. That would set you up for some nice rides over to the other side of the valley and into Beamish/Silver Hills.

Lower Tyne Valley and places like Ryton and Winlaton are worth a look, too.

I grew up in the Killingworth/Camperdown/Burradon Area.

I would avoid it unless you enjoy getting into fights on a Friday/Saturday night and are partial to a bit of geordie chav culture. If you do end up anywhere near there, you can blend in by wearing a toon shirt, a cheap berghaus jacket, drinking Tennants Super and referring to Raoul Moat as a 'Legend'.

Beach is a bit rubbish (no surf to speak of, almost no beach at high tide)

I love the beach at whitley bay, bit more interesting than long sands at tynemouth (15 minute walk away) also there's two lovely smaller beaches, one at cullercoats (complete with caves) and one at tynemouth(king Edward's bay). then you've got the rocks at St Marys Lighthouse at the far end of whitley bay for exploring. and both main beaches at Tynemouth and whitley bay have got blue flags.

houses OK

don't really understand your point. beautiful victorian and edwardian terraces and semi detached houses. 1930's semi detached houses, various styles of flats and houses right on the seafront. plenty of choice, and you get a lot more for your money than gosforth / jesmond.

Cruddas Park?

Ha ha ha, is that like the posh one in Gosforth like Brunton Park and Melton Park?

I had a mate live in the flats at the bottom of Cruddas Park, right next to Scotswood road. it was a war zone in the early nineties, doubt its changed much

warton – commenting that your view on the houses was fine – but you've not mentioned the absence of good drinking dens in Whitley Bay. My brother lives in one of those Victorian terraced houses – I know they are nice – but he travels for a pint.

The Cruddas Park flats have all had / getting a makeover. I work nearby – I'd say it's definitely improved over the years.

TooTall, what your brother doesn't go to Banana Joes??? is he mad 😀

yeah fair enough, the Rockcliffe is a good pub, so is the briardene, and a travel to the tynemouth lodge in Tynemouth / shields, but thats about it

The Cruddas Park flats have all had / getting a makeover. I work nearby – I'd say it's definitely improved over the years.

I've been in them recently and I'd say it has it hell.

MtbRoutes – do you work on the business park on Armstrong Road by any chance?

A couple of the Cruddas Park flats look neater now anyway. Think they had some rather shocked/bemused students in them a year or too back due to shortages of student accomodation. Now that must have been an eye-opening/eye-watering welcome to Newcastle!!!