Pictures of Blyth

About Blyth

Within twenty miles of Newcastle, the resort of Blyth sits beside the estuary of the River Blyth, a short distance from where the water meets with the sea. It is an attractive old place, with a long seafaring history, the port of Blyth is believed to date back to the 12th-century but it did not become important until the 18th-century, when coal began to be shipped from the quay. A thriving salt industry was also in operation at this time but the decline of salt which began towards the middle of the 19th-century finally came to an abrupt end when the last saltpan was destroyed in 1876.

Coal continued to bring prosperity to Blyth, it also began to open up with a ship building industry, and during World War One and Two it under-took major production of ship's for the Admiralty. The town is proud of its ship building heritage, which includes the building of the first aircraft carrier H.M.S. Ark Royal in 1914. It was a sad day for the community when the industry folded in 1967.

Fishing has been a major source of revenue in the town, and this with other allied trades continues to this day. The port was modernised in 2003 and continues to play a major role in the prosperity of the town. It is also the home of the Royal Northumberland Yacht Club which welcomes visitors all the year round.

South of the harbour there is a safe sandy beach frequently used for sunbathing and swimming by local residents and visitors to the town.

Blyth, with its new, exciting harbour decorated with modern sculptures, makes an interesting destination from which to explore the City of Newcastle and the heritage of old Tyneside industries.