Saltwell Park Saunter

Saltwell Park is a 55 acre award winning park, opened  in 1876 and set in the heart of Gateshead, designed by Edward Kemp. It is situated on the south bank of the river Tyne.

It boasts a large Victorian boating lake; vast picnicking areas; a bandstand; tennis courts; children’s playing areas; a rose garden and it even has a dog park. One part of the park is set out as a country stream, meandering through the trees and shrubbery; liberally dotted with rustic bridges and sporting paths on both sides.

Throughout the park you are given many choices of which path to take and which green compartment to visit. This means that you can visit regularly and always choose a different path!

It is easy to spend a day here and have a nice picnic when you feel like it or perhaps visit the Saltwell Towers for refreshments. Saltwell Towers is a delightful mansion house that also houses the visitor centre.

The park is on a hill and this is most noticeable on the area beside the stream where it enhances the view dramatically.

 

There are three war memorials, A Boer War Memorial – a bronze angel on a granite plinth;  a modern memorial to the Durham Light Infantry – a sandstone wall with flanking walls bearing three plaques with the names of men who died between 1900-45, and small ornamental garden;

The third War Memorial is a bridge connecting the grassy area of the central portion of the Park to the Walls of Saltwell Tower. It commemorates the men who died crossing the Plimsole Bridge in World War II.

The original bandstand can now be seen in Beamish Outdoor Museum.

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North Gate view of the lake

The lake from the north entrance

Saltwell Park Picnic Area

Picnic area and lake

Road to the lake

Wildlife

Lake and picnic area on a (rare) sunny day

Pedal boat

Family boat ride

The Saltwell Flyer!

Bowling Green + bystander (!)

The Plimsole Bridge Memorial to the men of the Durham Light Infantry who died crossing it in WWII

The Plimsole Bridge

One of the many small bridges crossing stream in the woodland

The stream

Gunnera Manicata plant in background. It can reach 8 feet high

Two Bridges

Saltwell Towers from the front. (Photo by SYLVIA)

The Charlton Memorial Drinking Fountain

Close-up of the Charlton Memorial Drinking Fountain

Saltwell Towers from the formal garden

Saltwell Towers – Cafe and Visitor Centre

A garden to relax in… and have an ice-cream from the cafe.

The sandstone belvedere walls and battlements

The battlements (Pic by SYLVIA)

Staircase and battlements

View of the Towers and budding gymnast!

The Boer War Memorial from the wooden bridge

Boer War memorial – Winged Victory

Winged Victory on the Boer War Memorial

Bridge and Saltwell Towers

Towers, Bridge and Walls

Model of the Tyne Bridge, from the Gateshead side.

Model of bridge from the Newcastle side (another viewpoint!)

The new bandstand

The Bandstand

The Japanese Garden

Bridge in the Japanese garden

A Japanese Sculpture

Picknickers shelter from the hot sun!

Towers and GatewaysSummer In Saltwell Park

The Seedling Stone – sculpture

The Language Stone

The Language Stone – another side

“I LOVE YOU” in many languages

The Foliate Stone – sculpture

Rain Shelter (There’s usually a lot about!)Grade II listed statue of Alderman John Lucas on the Broadwalk.

Saltwell Park “Hut”