We managed to make it to the ferry landing by ten thirty with the bikes , camera and a lock in case we wanted to stop for coffee , in high spirits and raraing to go . Despite having lived near the ferry for over twenty five years it was my first time on board . There seemed to be hundreds pf people disembarking as the ferry arrived and a crowd of us ready to head for South Shields and the other side of the river . We left the bikes on the bottom deck and sat up on the top in the sunshine , slight wind blowing .
The cycling was great , no hills , very little traffic as
we headed along the sea front , wending our way along the backs of little boatyards which were all a hive of activity , mostly men working on the boats but the occasional woman pulling on a wet suit and ready to launch herself .A definite sense of being on "the other side" , from our side the beach ( left ) is visible and the fun park and the pier and the red lighthouse but I wasn't expecting these concrete people all in conversation in little groups , not the flatness of the landscape on n this side inn sharp contrast to the steep slopes and cliffs and drops into the sea of North Shields and Tynemouth .
More later , I was dragged away at this point to assist with the sale of a car ( the MR2 has finally gone ......) and its delivery to Gateshead ....Another story
