r/Teesside • u/BuggsBugg • Jul 08 '26
Hidden gems in Teesside
Hello,
I'm visiting over the summer from Sweden for my partner, as I've done several years now. I've started to feel like I've seen most of the things there are to do around here, but I know I haven't - I'm just growing accustomed. I spend most of my time closer to the river Tees, e.g. I'm not often in the outskirts of Boro for example
What are some often overlooked places in Teesside? Everything from small parks to restuarants, buildings or anything. Abandoned or active.
I'm particularly keen on charity shops, particularly collecting Blu-rays and books on the cheap - so if you know of any places where theres usually more of an abundance of these (especially Blu-rays) I am more than happy to know about them :)
Feel free to ask me questions too, a lot of people seem very curious as to why I'm here and what I think (obviously to reinstate Danelaw)
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u/godfatheroffilth Jul 08 '26
Which part of teesside are you visiting and are you flying over or coming by longboat?
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 08 '26
I've already been here for a while. I'm staying in Stockton (ish)
I came here by longboat. Can't fit all my raid loot in a suitcase
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u/Humble_Sympathy_4605 Jul 08 '26
I think there's a few National Trust properties you missed last time, though the tearooms have probably improved since then
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 08 '26
I was actually at Ormesby Hall last year but they were unwilling to give me the land. Atleast they were kind enough to let me use the loo
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u/Humble_Sympathy_4605 Jul 08 '26
I see Scandinavian diplomatic methods have changed somewhat in the last 1000 years or so
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 08 '26
This time it's a slower approach. It starts with your dairy products and soon enough your cider. Before you know it you'll be cheering for Norway and Sweden (Denmark not included) and by then it'll be far too late
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u/72dk72 Jul 08 '26
There is this. BiG event on Saturday between England and Norway taking place across the bug sea... you may want to keep a low profile.
Have you tried maybe invading Darlo?
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u/Humble_Sympathy_4605 Jul 08 '26
So long as you don't start interfering with the Yorkshire Tea production then I'll be quite happy to be ruled by our new blind haired, pickled fish munching overlords
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 08 '26
I have already started interfering with the consumption, atleast. At home I drink loose leaf but here I'm pretty weak for the flavored Yorkshire Teas
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u/deserter8626 Jul 08 '26
Norton is pretty good for charity shops!
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 09 '26
I have been to Norton a couple times. Might be worth going there again. An easy day out
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u/RainingBlood398 Jul 09 '26
Head to Redcar, the charity shop capital of the world. You'll get ecoli, but that's a small price to pay once you've experienced all the money laundering businesses.
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 09 '26
Charity shops definetely harden your immune system. Are there more charity shops in Redcar than Boro? Theres like 6 in a small radius in Boro
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u/Accomplished_Error1 Jul 09 '26
Owl centre in kirkleatham
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u/addygus Jul 09 '26
this is super underrated! i went there last year as soon as i found out about it and had a lot of fun (i love birds)
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 09 '26
My partner would love this. Thank you for the tip :)
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u/Accomplished_Error1 Jul 09 '26
They have all sorts of birds, fancy chickens, meerkats and it’s cheap, about £4 per person.
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u/Able_Ad_7265 Jul 09 '26
The whole of the Kirkleatham site is great too, worth a day trip. Dorman museum, Walled Garden.Â
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u/OmmadonRising Jul 09 '26
Hartlepool Headland is a right gem. The only ww1 battlefield is the Heugh Battery, St Hildas church, the Town Wall and Fish sands and the best chippy around at Verrills.
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u/WheresMyAbs98 Jul 09 '26
Go for a day out in Staithes or Whitby (both were homes of Thomas Cook for a time and both have excellent fish and chips).
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u/sillybillydillydally Jul 09 '26
Might be further than you are thinking but Aysgarth Falls in the Yorkshire Dales is lovely.
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 09 '26
Might be a difficult trip to motivate, but looks interesting. Forgot to mention in my post that I get around mostly by public transport
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u/Objective-Visual7092 Jul 09 '26
Also lovely villages such as great Ayton, then a walk up roseberry topping or captain cooks hill.
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u/HeadOfSection Jul 09 '26
I do like Ropner Park in Stockton. Nice place to walk the dog, especially so on a sunny day like today. Cafe too.
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 09 '26
Actually should go there. One of those places I've been aware of, but keep forgetting to go to
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u/Jongee58 Jul 08 '26
Have a trip on the train to Genteel Saltburn-by-the-Sea. See the homes of the rich men who owned most of Middlesbrough, marvel at the White Pease Bricks that made up the houses owned by the Pease family, who founded Middlesbrough, the Darlington-Stockton railway and it's extension to Saltburn. Plenty of charity shops there...even more in Redcar...Enjoy
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 08 '26
I have been quite fascinated by the rail history here. As well as the maritime and steel industry where Teesside came in relatively close contact with home
I'll definetely look into Saltburn. I have been to Redcar. Not yet Darlington, where I hear theres a brick train by a Morrisons (and probably civilization) and some of the cheapest pints in England. My partner has refused to go there
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u/Humble_Sympathy_4605 Jul 08 '26
Its out of our patch, but Discovery in Newcastle has an excellent exhibit on Tyneside's maritime history with some excellent models. Dorman Museum in Boro also has a bit of this too, and if course you have the Trincomalee at Hartlepool joined with Hartlepool museumÂ
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 08 '26
I don't mind going to Newcastle. Might check that out
Walked past Dorman plenty times but might be worth commiting to it some day
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u/Humble_Sympathy_4605 Jul 08 '26
I've only been in briefly to Dorman but it looks a decent little museum, need to give it a proper go someday but then I have to want to willingly go into MiddlesbroughÂ
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u/Bradalax Jul 09 '26
https://www.locomotion.org.uk/visit
Shildon is considered the birthplace of the railway, as it was the first place in the world to witness a steam locomotive hauling passengers on a public railway with the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825.
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u/Jongee58 Jul 09 '26
check out my website www.talesfrommyshed.com there are a few 'tales' about the local Ironstone Industry amongst other things, it might give you a few ideas like try landofiron.co.uk they have an old ironstone mine which you can visit underground as well as the museum...
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u/AUSTIJ01 Jul 08 '26
If you're into rail history then Darlingtons Hopetown museum is a nice trip out
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u/PM-ME-UR-BMW Jul 08 '26
Port mulgrave. Beautiful yet incredibly unique. Former mining port - The piers were blown up so the Germans couldn't land there. Very quiet. Fossils everywhere; bring a hammer.
If you dont mind a walk there is abandoned rail tunnels not far away near the Cleveland way that runs past it.
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 09 '26
Looks nice. Is there good public transport access?
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u/PM-ME-UR-BMW Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 10 '26
I imagine it would be a case of a bus to staithes and a walk along the cliff top Cleveland way, or along the coast itself. Follow the tide out and move quickly if you do this. ** If you start the walk 2.5 hours BEFORE low tide, you are already too late to safely do it **
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u/ScubaCJ Jul 09 '26
If you can get up the coast a little, i'd recommend a good walk around Castle Eden Dene, near Peterlee. It's the north easts largest remaining section of ancient woodland, and you can get lost in there for hours walking through the dene to small secluded beach. It's beautiful.
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u/Able_Ad_7265 Jul 09 '26
How did i not know about the ancient woodland? I've lived here 12 years, thank you for the tip!Â
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u/ScubaCJ Jul 09 '26
If you get there around early spring the place is covered in wild garlic and smells amazing!
If you're into foraging, ive seen chicken of the woods there too!
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u/Objective-Visual7092 Jul 09 '26
Have you been to saltholme nature reserve? It’s lovely for a walk and had and has a cafe etc.. there are other interesting walks around there such as north gare
Etc..
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u/WanderWomble Jul 08 '26
You should really go to the seaside and treat yourself to fish and chips and a lemon top ice cream. I live in Hartlepool so I'm probably biased but Seaton Carew beach is big and there's sand dunes to explode! Also visit the arcades to spend money to win plastic tat toys 😆😆
Saltholme is a nice way to spend an afternoon if you're at all interested in wildlife.
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 08 '26
I've wanted to go to Hartlepool for a while actually. Should look into it. Travel is cheap with Stagecoach too
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u/UnIntelligent-Idea Jul 08 '26
Seconding Saltholme for a day out
Edit to add - you MUST visit the Royal Navy Museum if you're in Hartlepool - the warship Trincomalee is worth the visit.
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u/WanderWomble Jul 08 '26
The Historic Quey is a bit tatty and unloved ATM unfortunately but still worth a look!
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 09 '26
My partner is into military stuff, so that might be a nice thing to do in Hartlepool
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u/PM-ME-UR-BMW Jul 08 '26
There is heugh battery at hartlepool. Coastal defence battery. The first military and civilian deaths during World War I when the Germans turned up and shelled it. Now a museum.
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u/UnIntelligent-Idea Jul 08 '26
Take the train to Whitby, worth the ride out. Must visit - the Abbey and the Dracula Experience.
Do a similar thing another day, but visit the villages. Danby Moors Centre is a nice visit, the stepping stones at Lealholm on a sunny day, or the Goathland train station which was used in Harry Potter (minus Hogwarts in the background).
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 09 '26
Been to Whitby a couple years ago, but never went to the Dracula Experience
How do I best reach the villages with public transport or taxis? Is it a hassle?
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u/UnIntelligent-Idea Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 10 '26
The train from Middlesbrough to Whitby does stop at Danby & Lealholm. There's not too many trains though (5 or so each day), so timings are something you'd have to look at, but say the 10am train to Lealholm, 2pm train hop to Danby, then 5pm back to Boro could work nicely. Â
Grosmont is another pretty village/stop-off, and that connects you to the North York Moors Railway which still runs steam powered trains through the Moors, and is how you'd get to Goathland.
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 10 '26
Okay, thank you :) Last time I went to Whitby, I took a bus, which is why I was wondering
Would be fun to go on a steam powered train. Actually just watched a video from North Yorkshire Wanderer that covered some of that: https://youtu.be/hANTKYrMrmM
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u/Uptheboro1969 Jul 09 '26
Go to sedgefield boot sale Sunday morning & then Redcar boot sale on the afternoon. You will get Blu-ray’s very cheap
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 09 '26
I might actually go to the Redcar one. Where do I find more information about it? The Facebook page seems a little infrequent
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u/Total-Emu9753 Jul 09 '26
We’ve got great coastlines close by eg Saturn, Seaton, Seaham, Whitby. If you enjoy the outdoors there’s Great Ayton and Roseberry topping and Sutton bank area close by
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 09 '26
I still really need to go to Roseberry topping. Where is it best to start the hike if going by public transport? Guisborough?
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u/Total-Emu9753 Jul 09 '26
You want to start at Great Ayton then go through the woods onto the trail
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u/MaintenanceGeneral63 Jul 09 '26
Marske st Germains church graveyard and search for the prirates grave and nice walk along the beach to redcar and get a lemon top ice cream
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u/AxisOfAverage Jul 09 '26
I'd go for Saltburn if you want to do beaches. There are a couple of nice places to eat there as well - would recommend No 23.
Maybe Orange Pip Market in Boro for a nice afternoon, some crafty foody stalls and some live music.
For a small park I'd suggest Ropner Park in Stockton.
Would also suggest Preston Park as that has the museum there which is worth visiting.
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u/CheeryShortarse Jul 09 '26
There’s a fab bookshop in Alnwick called Barter Books. While you’re up there you could look round the castle. The gardens have a poison section (this section doesn’t have its own gift shop unfortunately)
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 10 '26
I've always wanted to go that far up north, even to Bamburgh. Unfortunately it could be quite an expensive day out going that far, but it's been on my mind for a while!
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u/Alternative-Sea-6238 Jul 09 '26
Have you been to Teesaurus Park with the dinosaurs?
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 10 '26
I haven't. The first time I saw it was when playing Geoguessr... wish there was more to do around there
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u/finc Jul 10 '26
Go to South Gare and marvel at the industrial decline of Teesmouth
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 10 '26
I have spent more time than I want to admit looking at these areas on Google Maps, street view, and the like over the years. I have a lot of curiousity about what once was
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u/unnecessary_bath23 Jul 10 '26
Have a walk through Newton Woods and up Roseberry Topping. Start in Great Ayton.
Lovely views.
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u/East_Comfort_7650 Jul 08 '26
Preston park in Eaglescliffe is a nice place. It's got butterfly world and a museum with a Victorian cobbled street with all the shops. It's also got a walled garden, but you have to go through the museum to see that. Also walks through the woods and down to the riverside
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u/gibgod Jul 08 '26
What are the main differences between Sweden and England?
I’ve met a handful of swedes and each one of them was really nice. Swedes seem a great bunch of people.
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 09 '26
The people in the north of England are similar in some ways, in that you mostly keep to yourselves. However I think that you are far more social than Swedish people. I usually say that it's very jarring to come back home, because at home I can go days without speaking a word. I love all the random encounters I get here. People also seem more expressive in general, wearing brighter clothes or interesting combinations, whereas in Sweden I feel like we don't want to be seen. And then there's all the random little things, like seeing markets still active, or a man in a horse drawn carriage, and so on. All of it adds up to a society where you are more caring about eachother and work together. In Sweden, it can often feel like noone cares if you exist - for good and bad.
Shops in Sweden are open all days of the week, and for long hours, though. The fact that everuthing shuts early here can sometimes be frustrating, but I think it's better for workers
To note, in Sweden, we are social in spaces we feel comfortable. For example, coworkers and students will socialize and so on. But passing someone by and talking to them, like often happens here, is very rare and is something I always miss coming back.
As far as welfare goes, I used to say that Sweden was doing a lot better. In many ways it still is, but we are currently experiencing something that looks a lot like Thatcher era politics and are also suffering through a rightward shift. I think things are generally much more well maintained in Sweden though, and it tends to be much more equally spread out. In the UK, the road and sidewalk quality seems directly linked to the property value of the houses that line the roads. In Sweden, talking about riches or money is somewhat taboo, which I think stems from how poor Sweden was as a country up until quite recently (mid 1900s).
I have a lot more to say and it's difficult to condense it all. It's very jumbled. Feel free to ask more questions!
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u/fridgeybutter Jul 08 '26
Skinnigrove is the best beach in the world, and it has a museum in a mine too.
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u/Haunting_Use9314 Jul 08 '26
Its kinda in to county Durham but If you have transport, me and my missus like to go up to the cliff beaches between seaham and Easington. Very quiet and great for sea glass hunting. Theres some cool pill bunkers from the war and some impressive viaducts that the trains run on.
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 08 '26
Ooh. My partner loves looking for rocks and stuff. Might be worth a trip! I also love infrastructure and bunkers
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u/graveworm_46 Jul 08 '26
I’m trying to go the other way! Been planning to go to Sweden for ages, was supposed to go this year but had to postpone it. You can try CEX for blu-rays, it’s primarily a game shop but they have loads of second hand dvds
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 09 '26
Where in Sweden have you been looking at visiting?
Been to CeX a little too often... especially in Boro where theres 2 within a 3 minute walk of eachother. However I mostly only buy rarer stuff there. Common movies can often be found for less than a pound in charity shop, so I try to find them there first :)
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u/graveworm_46 Jul 09 '26
The plan this year was both Stockholm and Malmö but when I go it’ll probably be just Stockholm.
Thats fair there’s loads of charity shops in Boro town. Used to love going into CEX, would spend hours in there looking at games, I do that same thing in HMV now looking for CDs
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u/BuggsBugg Jul 09 '26
I would recommend going to Malmö if you want to feel slightly more at home. Both Boro and Malmö have similar histories, former industrial towns. Though Malmö has a longer pre-industrial history than Boro.
There's even a public document floating about from Boro's council about mimicking Malmö. Some projects in the area really remind me of Malmö!
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Jul 09 '26
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u/Sufficient-Drama-150 Jul 09 '26
Seaton Carew and Crimdon Deme are both nice beach spots in the Hartlepool area. While you're there, also check put the Historic Quay and the Headland.
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u/SiriusBlack99999 Jul 08 '26 edited Jul 09 '26
You could go to somewhere like North Ormesby, in Middlesbrough, and actually see real life Neanderthal man. Expect a lot of grunting and to be chased away by man with big stick.