Last weekend we decided to leave Edinburgh for a day and travelled south to Newcastle upon Tyne.

We started our day with a walk around Grainger Market, one of the city’s prominent landmarks. Listed as a Grade I buidling and designed by John Dobson, the market opened its doors in 1835. Although the original use of the market for meat and vegetables have since changed considerably, there are still a number of butchers’ and fish stalls there. The market is also home to world’s smallest branch of Marks & Spencer, a market stall known as Marks and Spencer’s Original Penny Bazaar.

After our stroll around the city centre and a visit to menswear stores End. and Union, we headed to BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, where paintings by Simon Bill and the work of Sara Barker and Ryder Architecture are currently displayed. We also paid a visit to Side Photographic Gallery where we saw All That Falls exhibition with works by Mark Power, Paul Lowe, Dana Kyndrová and Jindřich Štreit.

After lunch at Pleased to Meet You, a gin bar located in a Victorian building on High Bridge, just off Grey Street, we visited the up and coming Ouseburn Valley. This neighbourhood is one of the most visually attractive and creatively exciting areas of the city and is home to many design studios and other creative businesses.

We finished our day in Newcastle with a coffee at The Cycle Hub, a social enterprise that promotes and facilitates cycling. Located beside the river Tyne, we were able to enjoy some moments of sun at their terrace before heading back to Edinburgh.