i was born and lived here- my family still do- i would like to go home sometime. gordies are very friendly, shields is steeped in history, the roman wall begins here, and there is a roman fort. beaches, shieldsand marsden are long and wide, the pier is great for a long walk, markets sat and mondays. south shields is one of the easiest places to travel into northumberland, cumbria and yorkshire from. the first life boat ever built is just before you hit the beach, my grandma helped build it, a woman – grace darling was the first to use it.
both so and north marine parks are lovely with a boating lake. plenty pubs and a history of mining and shipbuilding.- if you’re near- GO.