The Top 10 of 2018

Can you believe it? The start of another brand new year. Before I throw myself head first into 2019 with a ton of resolutions and a diary of adventure plans I thought I'd keep with tradition and share my 10 most read blog posts of 2018. I love looking back over the last 12 months to see which of our adventures got the most page views and I'm over the moon that some of my favourite adventures of the year are the blog posts that you all seemed to enjoy the most too!

If you fancy re-reading any of the posts just click on the titles - enjoy!

1. The Best Breakfasts in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Durham - 4 October 2018

Not only is this my most read blog post of the year, it has also become the most successful blog post of all time and I can understand why - there really is nothing better than heading out to breakfast with your loved ones and we have some delicious spots in the North East to enjoy a hearty start to the day. I shared some of my favourite places for breakfast in the area and there are some real gems to discover!

2. Why Whitley Bay is my Ultimate Seaside Destination - 24 August 2018

I think you can really tell when something is written straight from the heart so it's no surprise to me that this blog post about our love for Whitley Bay was read and shared thousands of times. I've had a real love affair with Whitley Bay in 2018 and it's become my happy place - my little seaside haven where I run to when things get tough and I need a break from life and some fresh sea air. If you're yet to fall in love with the North Tyneside seaside town then you really should give this post a read.

3. A Day Trip to Hexham - 28 March 2018

I can't believe that 2018 was our first trip to Hexham! Finally visiting was one of those brilliant moments where you discover somewhere truly wonderful on your doorstep and immediately want to tell everyone about it. We admired the breathtaking Abbey, wandered the pretty streets with no plans and, of course, sniffed out some good cake!

4. Walking Hadrian's Wall in Winter - Discovering Sycamore Gap - 18 January 2018

I love that some of my most popular blog posts of the year have been walking guides, it's a fact that I particularly enjoy sharing with my indoor loving husband who grumbles every time I mention it. We finally made it out to Hadrian's Wall at the beginning of the year and my little guide to walking to Sycamore Gap was very popular, if you fancy doing the walk for yourself you'll find everything you need to know here (I recommend you don't do it in Winter like we did - it's slippy!)

5. A Guide to our Northumberland Coastal Route Road Trip - 14 August 2018

With the most incredible Summer of weather we really appreciated living in such a beautiful part of the world with endless road trips along the Northumberland Coastal Route. We must have journeyed up that stretch of road most weekends and spent many hours discovering new places, walking miles of unspoilt beaches, admiring beautiful castles and sinking pints in pub gardens - we became so passionate we decided to share our new knowledge with this epic all you need to know guide to the Northumberland Coastal Route - take a look and plan your own great adventure!

6. The Great British Cupcakery - The Naughtiest Breakfast in Newcastle - 3 April 2018

I celebrated my birthday this year with breakfast at the Great British Cupcakery. I use the word "breakfast" pretty loosely as I actually indulged in a giant Geet Big Shake whilst hubby ploughed into this Nutella French Toast. We realised pretty quickly that this may well be the naughtiest breakfast in Newcastle and it seems that residents of the Toon quite like a chocolatey start to the day because this post went crazy!

7. A Newcastle Food Guide - The Chains v The Independents - 21 June 2018

I had this blog post sitting half written in my drafts for the longest time, it was something I knew I wanted to write for a while but wanted to be able to dedicate enough time to do it properly. I love a cheeky Nandos as much as the next person but with such a wonderful community of local businesses and independent restaurants here in Newcastle I wanted to share some of my favourite alternatives if you fancied eating out and supporting local. I came up with alternatives to all of your chain favourites so if you want to try somewhere new this year take a look.

8. The Opening of Spanish City, Whitley Bay - 23 July 2018

I was very lucky to be invited to the opening of Spanish City in Whitley Bay back in the Summer and I'm not ashamed to admit that when I left the coast that day I had tears in my eyes. Seeing inside the dome for the first time was a pretty emotional experience and we've been so impressed by every visit that we've made ever since. We've enjoyed live music, had one of the best afternoon teas in the region, sunk a few cheeky G&Ts and had a chippy tea with a touch of class. The history and romance of the building has truly captured my heart and if you're yet to take a look what on earth are you waiting for?

9. Northern Things my Husbands Taught Me - 13 February 2018

I have to say I am truly thankful every day that I married a man from the north, being a southerner with more of those cliched southern traits that I'd care to admit to, I love that Simon has mellowed me a little with his lovely northern ways. He's taught me how to make a proper brew, introduced me to some very strange new words and has got me ordering extra gravy and enjoying chippy teas. This one seemed to get a lot of love from those who've also married the north, it seems there's a fair few of us!

10. The Best Gin Bars in Newcastle -  23 March 2018

If you love gin then you probably need to get yourself to Newcastle because the city is overrun with gin bars and they're all pretty fabulous. It took me a while to get round them all, but I did and then I put together this handy little guide for anyone who loves gin as much as me. Enjoy, and I'll see you in Dacantus?

I'd love to take this opportunity to thank you so much for sharing our adventures in 2018 and I can't wait to discover even more beautiful places to share with you in 2019. I am currently working on my "must visit" list and have some real treats up my sleeve.

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy 2019!