Leg 6: Scotswood to Tyne Riverside Country Park
(Marley posing by the River Tyne at Tyne Riverside Country Park in Newburn, west of Newcastle)
One Last Dawn Alarm
Sunday 2 August 2026, 3.30AM. Still feeling the effects of yesterday’s dawn walk, we were up once again for our sixth leg of the Hadrian’s Wall Path. There was plenty of motivation this time, though. This would be our final urban stretch for some time before eventually reaching Carlisle in the latter stages of the journey.
We parked at Tyne Riverside Country Park in Newburn on another dry dawn morning at 05:20AM. We were tackling this leg in reverse, walking from the country park back to the residential cul-de-sac where we had finished the previous stage and taking advantage of the large car park at the park itself. The car park is free 24 hours a day, and free parking has certainly been our friend since moving to the North East.
Fellow Early Risers
It was a peaceful morning as we joined the path and quickly reached the river. Not expecting to see anyone at that hour, we were surprised to pass a woman walking a large and incredibly reactive dog. They were clearly not comfortable with company, and we happily gave them the space they needed.
In an odd way, it was reassuring. There was something strangely bonding about knowing that other people were also out walking dogs at such an ungodly hour in places where they might otherwise struggle. Marley wasn’t bothered by them in the slightest and, as fellow owners of a dog with his own complexities, we were more than happy to give them room.
Sunrise on the Tyne
We soon reached the Tyne and paused for photographs in the tranquillity of the soft sunrise. The path follows the river for a while here, again sharing sections with National Cycle Route 72. With his tail up and ears alert to the chorus of birdsong around us, Marley padded happily along.
Not long afterwards, we reached Branzino, an old pub that is now an Italian restaurant. Ever the pub dog, Marley stopped outside, nose in the air, clearly trying to force entry. Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t open at that hour, but I did make a mental note to visit another time.
After coaxing Marley into moving on again, we continued eastward with the river on our right. The path soon drifted away from the water and into woodland, weaving through the trees before eventually emerging beside a Lidl supermarket.
Just a Lidl further
We couldn’t help but laugh when we spotted the advertising slogan:
“Just a Lidl further.”
In some ways, the slogan felt rather appropriate. We had already walked several miles of the Hadrian’s Wall Path, but in terms of the full 84-mile route, we’d barely scratched the surface.
In the background, it was impossible to miss the enormous cone-shaped structure rising above the surrounding buildings. Curious, I later looked it up and discovered it was the Lemington Glass Cone, a historic brick structure built in 1797 by the Northumberland Glass Company. Standing around 130 feet tall and constructed from an estimated 1.5 to 1.75 million bricks, it was built for industrial glass-making and is one of only four surviving glass cones in the UK. Although glass production ceased there in 1997, the cone remains a prominent local landmark and is now a Grade II listed building.
Easier Than Expected
We had been slightly anxious about this section beforehand. Looking at the map, we’d assumed we would be walking alongside a busy road near the river. In reality, the enclosed nature of the path meant we couldn’t hear or see any traffic at all.
Even when the route eventually left the country park, we only spent a few metres walking through quiet suburbia before reaching the cul-de-sac where we had finished the previous leg.
Easy.
By this point, though, Marley was beginning to tire, which meant it was time for the buggy. Fortunately, the flat path made for easy pushing alongside the river. The day was warming up now. The pale pastel colours of sunrise had given way to bright blue skies as the sun climbed higher, and I found myself imagining how busy the area would be in a few hours’ time.
Much like Leg 2 at St Peter’s Marina, this walk had surpassed our expectations.
Chariots and Wagons
At the finish, Marley transferred from his chariot (aka buggy) to his wagon (aka car) for the journey home while I took a look at the Battle of Newburn Ford 1640 Memorial which had taken place in this car park. It happened on 28 August 1640 during the Second Bishops’ War, marking a decisive Scottish victory that directly triggered the English Civil War.
The End of the Urban Miles
As we left, we felt a real sense of achievement. We had completed all of the eastern urban sections, successfully managed six dawn walks, and had now even tackled two consecutive mornings.
And, being British, perhaps even more impressive was the fact that we had somehow avoided the rain. Aside from a brief spell of drizzle during Leg 1, the weather had been remarkably kind to us.
Best of all, our next stage would finally take us into the countryside. There would be no alarm clock set for the small hours and no need to beat the crowds.
For the first time since we started our journey, we were actually looking forward to a later start. The next leg would see us leaving Tyne & Wear and finally entering our home county of Northumberland…
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