On The Town Moor

Theme parks and the like are all well and good but never come close to the buzz that I get from an English travelling fair, particularly a large one such as The Hoppings held each year in June on Newcastle upon Tyne’s Town Moor. Approached from West Jesmond Metro station you hear the rumble of the generators and snatches from the sound systems on the rides getting ever loader as you approach the old North Road and then cross over onto the moor and the tober itself.

You are confronted by two long rows of adult rides along with rows of hoopla and other games stalls to try your luck. On the adult rides try anything from a sedate spin on the gallopers, or giant wheel or go climb and dive on a bomber or an intense ride on the Star Shape. These are just some to choose from along with a multitude of juvenile rides for the children.

Its very pleasant on warm summer evenings with the sun going down late in the proceedings or if cloudy then you have longer to enjoy the ever more complex patterns of the modern LED computer controller lighting.