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North Shields lies on
the north bank of the River Tyne eight miles east of Newcastle.
The town takes its name from the 'shielings' or fisherman's
huts that stood on the riverbank.
Set high above the river gorge,
North Shields was renowned in the 18th and 19th centuries
for fishing and shipbuilding.
The famous North Shields Fish
Quay has recently been rejuveninated and here visitors can
enjoy some of the best fish and chips in the country whilst
watching the river traffic pass by. A festival is held on
the quay every Spring Bank Holiday to celebrate the importance
of the fishing industry to North Shield's history.
Clifford's Fort on the North
Shields Fish Quay was built in the 1672 as a coastal defence
against the Dutch and later played a role in the Napoleonic
Wars. The Shields Ferry, which operates from here, links
the town with South Shields on the opposite bank of the River
Tyne.
An extensive regeneration scheme
has also revitalised North Shield's redundant docks. Its
centrepiece, the Royal Quays, boasts a marina, outlet
shopping centre and the Wet
'n' Wild indoor water park.
An
international ferry terminal located at the Royal Quays
is the gateway to several overseas destinations including
Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands.
North Shields is linked to Newcastle
by the Tyne & Wear Metro.
One of town's highlights is the
Stephenson
Railway Museum. This commemorates local railway pioneers
George and Robert Stephenson and is home to George Stephenson's
'Billy', a forerunner of the famous 'Rocket', as well as many
other engines from the great age of steam. The museum is
also the northern terminus of the North Tyneside Steam Railway,
a 2-mile standard-gauge preserved railway, and visitors can
take a delightful ride on a real steam train.
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North
Shields
