Tyne and Wear

Tyne and Wear is one of six metropolitan counties in England, comprising the estuary areas of the rivers Tyne and Wear. It is divided into the following council areas: South Tyneside, North Tyneside, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Gateshead and Sunderland. In 1986 the council was abolished, and its powers devolved to the metropolitan boroughs, but the county still exists legally.

It borders on County Durham and Northumberland, from which it was created in 1964.

The area is served by a light railway system called the Tyne and Wear Metro.

Towns and villages

• Blaydon, Boldon, Byker
• Castletown, Cleadon, Cullercoats
• Gateshead, Gosforth
• Hebburn
• Jarrow
• Longbenton
• Marsden, Tyne and Wear, Monkseaton
• Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North Shields
• Rowlands Gill, Ryhope
• South Shields, Sunderland
• Tynemouth
• Wallsend, Washington, Whickham, Whitburn, Whitburn Colliery, Whitley Bay

Places of interest

• Hadrian's Wall
• Gibside
• Tynemouth Castle
• Souter Point Lighthouse
• St. Mary's Lighthouse
• WWT Washington, a wildfowl and wetland reserve of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
• Sea to Sea Cycle Route