There aren’t many people who won’t have heard of the River Tyne. It’s an iconic river in the North East of England, stretching for 73 miles. It is formed when the North Tyne meets the South Tyne, then becoming simply the River Tyne.
You’ll be all too familiar with the iconic stretch of the Tyne, a North-Eastern treasure. This section divides Newcastle and Gateshead, where there’s a total of 10 iconic bridges to pass under
These bridges include the Tynes Bridge, Gateshead Millennium Bridge and Swing Bridge among others.
The river is tidal for the last 14 miles, so it’s important to be familiar with high and low tides in the area. This could affect your launch, land and overall paddle.
Wildlife on the River Tyne
Paddling on the Tyne offers glimpses of a range of wildlife. Otters swim the river and the Tyne is now seen by some as England’s best salmon river. It is also a haven for other migratory fish such as sea trout.
From the mudflats at Lemington to the estuary, you can see a range of waders and wildfowl. Newcastle also has a colony of kittiwakes, who journey inland to nest on the towers of the Tyne Bridge.
Although not a common site, dolphins, porpoises and seals have all been seen on the River Tyne. They visit the river after breeding on the Farne Islands to feed on salmon.