My North East Story: Underland to Wonderland

If you love your North East blogs with plenty of stunning photographs and adventures then Underland to Wonderland is an absolute beauty of a blog.  Danielle is a really talented photographer and is so passionate about her little corner of the North East.   Get ready for a truly heart warming North East love story.

1. What is your North East Story

Well once upon a time a Newcastle native man moved away from the city of Newcastle to the furthest North town in England, also known as the last town in Northumberland before the Scottish Border, and met a local lady. Then after love and marriage the baby in the golden carriage arrived, born in Ashington in 1990. Me!

I have lived in the same town, Berwick Upon Tweed, for the majority of my life, moving to Heaton for my time at college and then back home again. In 2011 after some difficult personal circumstances I decided I had to get away again and so moved in with family in New York (for non ­Newcastle folk it is actually a place near North Shields, not the 'concrete jungle where dreams are made of').

A few months later my now partner and I moved into our first flat together in Blyth but due to the lack of jobs there decided to head nearer the city, where we ended up in Byker...you may of heard of it and I have to say, for us at least, it most certainly lived up to it's reputation. We moved again to be nearer our new jobs at Kingston Park and there stayed in Fawdon until our final big move back up to the beautiful Berwick in July of 2014.  I think this is where we will stay for good.

2. Why do you love living in the North East?

Multiple reasons! I personally believe that Northumberland in particular has some of the most stunning landscapes within the UK as well as having an amazing history. There is always somewhere to go and explore, there are so many amazing species of birds and wildlife to watch and photograph and with having amazing cities like Newcastle as well as small towns like Berwick and little villages like Seahouses we have the best of both worlds.

3. Where's your favourite place in the North East to relax?

How am I supposed to answer that?! :P Let's see... hmmm. Well when we lived in Blyth a favourite spot of ours for a walk and photo session was Holywell Dene which is located on the Whitley Bay side of Seaton Deleval. I think it's unknown enough that you can adventure though it without bumping into too many people (if any) unlike similar places like Jesmond Dene.

I also adore Beamish for a day out without the dog because I feel like it's set in the time period that I actually belong haha and seeing as I have always lived in coastal towns, I feel the need to also include a beach so for a beautifully clean, usually quiet, beach with views for miles head to Cheswick.

Oh and how could I forget! The best place for a relaxing holiday, Keilder!

4. Recommend some yummy food places

I am the worlds fussiest eater so am not a huge ones for restaurants and the like, however I am a self confessed ice cream addict. The best ice cream in the North of Northumberland is Doddington Dairy, located near to Wooler. As for further south, Di­Meos Delaval Ices in Whitley Bay cannot be beat for unique flavours done perfectly.

 

5. Describe your perfect day in the North East

To be honest this question has multiple possible answers because if you haven't realized by now I adore the majority of my home county. So as not to bore you with incoherent excitement about a possible future day out I'll settle on the following scenario...

Starting nice and early in my hometown we'd take Baker for a nice walk in our usual secret spot, then load up the car and head south, stopping off in Whitley Bay to grab some of Di­Meos ice cream and Cullercoats for a little visit to the beach where we actually trained Baker as a puppy.

Then on to the brilliant Beamish (dogs are allowed you know!) for an afternoon in yesteryear, picnic in tow, spending our time doing what we enjoy most ­ photo taking and video making.

... and that's the very last My North East Story of the year!  I've loved taking this journey with you all this year and hope you've enjoyed discovering some more blogs in the North East.  Who knows, maybe My North East Story will return next year!

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