Having checked out of The Maldron Hotel at Eldon Square, it was time to jump in the jalopy and head to our home for the next three nights: INNSiDE by Meliá on the Quayside.
This was possibly the least arduous journey The Man and I had ever done – it was just under a mile long! There is a limited amount of parking at the hotel, though more is available close by.
We parked the car, leaving check-in until the afternoon, and headed out for our first adventure of the day: a visit to Ouseburn and its cultural quarter to look around The Biscuit Factory.
Foodie as it sounds, The Biscuit Factory is actually an independent art gallery, café and private-hire venue that showcases artists working across a range of disciplines from around the UK. We whiled away a good couple of hours admiring ceramics, sculptures, jewellery and paintings before we set off to Ernest Café Bar for a hot drink.
The short walk from The Biscuit Factory to Ernest Café Bar took us down streets lined with colourful graffiti/street art; after all, Ouseburn’s Cultural Quarter is achingly hip, don’cha know! The vibe was relaxed and chilled, with really friendly service. Wooden floors matched the wooden benches and long seats.
We grabbed a padded banquette seat to rest on, though there were snazzy, brightly coloured metal chairs as well. Background music thrummed at a sociable level and the dimmed lighting soon had us unwinding as we sipped our drinks: hot choc for me, black coffee for The Man.
As well as hot drinks, Ernest do a fab range of their own homemade sodas: lemon, almond and basil; ginger, mint and lime; passionfruit, Earl Grey and lemon; and cucumber, apple and basil. Looking around, I spotted something rather interesting: a huge collection of Star Wars figures and posters, just another quirk of Ernest’s.
Fans of live music can indulge at Ernest, or at The Cluny (a former flax mill), and foodies will love the street food venues dotted around Ouseburn.
Families with younger members can meet pigs, goats and sheep at Ouseburn Farm, a free community attraction, and those young minds can get fired up at Seven Stories. This national centre for books boasts storytelling sessions and interactive exhibitions.
History buffs will geek out at Victoria Tunnel, a preserved 19th-century coal wagonway that later served as a Second World War air-raid shelter.
There’s certainly plenty to do in this creative corner of Newcastle, that’s for sure!
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