http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33415 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33415 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33051 It’s a small café selling authentic Persian food with a special Persian dish of the day, including minced lamb skewered kebabs, saffron marinated chicken with rice and flatbread everything made fresh that day.
This is also the place for a big Sunday cooked breakfast (under £5) to cure hangovers, popular with those staying local for the weekend. Couples and families take over on a Sunday afternoon.
On my first visit I ate aubergine dip, which is to die for (you could taste the smoked aubergine and garlic). I could have eaten a whole plateful with flatbread - the flatbread is made to order and takes a couple of moments to cook. Then I had the special of the day, salmon in a green herb sauce with rice, mint and coriander salad.
My daughter ate mixed meats, saffron chicken on the bone, lamb chops and lamb kebab with rice and endless cups of Persian tea. Cost was £15 for both of us, bargain. (I’m working my way through the menu and have never been disappointed.)
It’s a café so don’t expect linen table cloths, the staff were friendly, the food tasted delicious, they explained the dishes are authentic and not adapted to the western palate and for that reason I love it.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33051 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32829 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32829 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32228
Everything other places seem to be abandoning they embrace. If you haven’t been here before you absolutely must go, as it will put a smile on your face ,to see that bars like this one are now open in Newcastle & if this is the way things are finally starting to go.

Simple & cute though it may seem, this bar a major leap forward for central Newcastle & i honestly can’t recommend it highly enough.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32228 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29334 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29334 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/27892 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/27892 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/25260 From South Shields head west and meet any other riders at the Tyne Tunnel 'pedestrian' entrance (more info here:www.bridgesonthetyne.co.uk/tyneped.html).

Come out of the tunnel and turn right.  Follow the cycle route up the slight incline and bear right.  Cross the road after about 500 metres and go along the side of Percy Main Cricket Ground.  Pick up the cycle way and continue straight on, following cycle way marked '10' - part of the Reivers Route.  Continue for around five miles and as you hit a new cycle way turn off the route '10' heading north easterly to East Hollywell.  Head down the farm track and follow the track into Hollywell village, tacking a right had turn into Holywell Dene Road. The road turns into track after about 100 metres and after a further 400 metres turn right onto the old railway track, a few miles on you reach a road where you turn right and pass Seaton Deleval Hall, a national Trust property of some granduer (see www.seatondelaval.org.uk/Hall.html).  Continue down into Seaton Sluice for great views of the sea and the spot where Robson Green says he learned to swim!  We usually stop at the Waterford Arms (www.waterfordarms.co.uk/) which does great fish and chips.
From here its south all the way, following Route 1 and the coastline. Past the spectacular St Mary's lighthouse and on to Tynemouth Priory, the burial place of three English Kings, though I can never remember which ones.  From here it's best to head for the Ferry and avoid any traffic.  The ferry runs every 15 minutes and takes you into the heart of South Shields, two minutes from the market square.  There's a great pub called the Allum House right next to the ferry landing but I'll be giving it a miss - just because if I stop off there on Boxing Day I might not want to leave!

A good ride of about 25 miles.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/25260 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23303
The Victoria tunnel is a wagon way that runs for three miles underneath Newcastle city centre. Dug out in 1842 to carry coal from the Town Moor colliery at Spittal Tongues to the keelboats on the Tyne, it then lay unused from 1860 to 1940, when it served as an air raid shelter and pedestrian subway.

Volunteer guides now run guided walks for small groups(choice of half hour or two hours) and bring its history alive with infectious enthusiasm.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23303 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23143 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23143