Skateparks in the North East of England

Well like the title says, this is a short list of skateparks I know of in the North East of England and a place to put anything that is vaguely to do with skateboarding.

Parks I have been to:

VertX - Sunderland Skatepark

VertX is a privately run indoor park built in an old bus depot. The entire surface is covered in MDF or plywood with a variety of wooden ramps also covered in MDF or plywood. The most notable feature (though not the most used) is a vert ramp with about one foot of vert.
The owner continues to improve the park, and is gradually replacing most of the MDF covered ramps with plywood as well as re-designing the ramps and layout. The park is open for skateboarding, bmx and in-liners.
Here are the details:
Address: 76 Toward Rd, Hendon, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR2 8JG
Telephone: 0191 514 0514
Location: About 15 minutes walk from railway station - past civic centre, behind Langham Tower near the end of Toward Road where it joins Villette Road.
The rest: Open 7 days a week. 10:00 - 22:00 divided into six 2 hour sessions. Wednesday: no bikes for last 2 sessions (18:00-22:00). Thursday: bikes only for last 2 sessions (18:00-22:00). It is currently £4.50 for a non-member over 10 for a single two hour session. A helmet is required for the vert ramp. BMXers and under 10s need to wear a helmet all the time. There is car parking next to the park.
They used to have a website at www.sunderlandskatepark.com, but this is no longer active.


Whickham Thorns Skatepark

A collection of metal ramps on tarmac situated at Whickham Thorns Outdoor Activity Centre. This opened in mid May 2003. There is a car park at the Outdoor Activity Centre and I believe there is a bus stop nearby on Market Lane. Walk from the car park along the path past the climbing boulders and the assault course until you get to the skatepark.
Whickham Thorns Whickham Thorns again
Address: Whickham Thorns Outdoor Activity Centre, Market Lane, Dunston, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE11 9NX


Chester-Le-Street Skatepark

This is another collection of metal ramps in a tennis court behind the cricket club. Follow the signs to the Riverside sports and leisure, park by the cricket club and walk to the far end of the tennis courts. The park is free to use.
The ramps have nice transitions but are more suited to BMX or an oldschool setup due to the distance between them and the surface of the tennis court. There is no mini ramp.


Newcastle upon Tyne Skatepark?

There is no skatepark in Newcastle upon Tyne yet. However the Parks and Leisure services department have now been given the go-ahead by the council to build one in Exhibition Park. The project has been allocated £200,000 and they have obtained the services of Clive Bowman to design and manage the construction. Clive was responsible for the well regarded Perth skatepark. I am on the steering group for the park and we have now had two design meetings with Clive. Clive definitely knows what he is doing and it looks like the park will be really good. Current plans are aiming for a completion time of Christmas 2003. The project is being pushed through by the council and they want the design finalised by the end of June so that they can begin construction in August. The council IT section are putting together a website, which I will link to here when it goes live. The site will show the designs and eventually become a place to find out about special events at the skatepark.


SkateCity - Whitley Bay

Skatecity has closed down now due to council redevelopment of the site. I have no idea if there are any plans to re-open elsewhere. This website used to have information on the park but it hasn't been updated in a while.

Parks I haven't been to:

These are the remaining parks in the North East that I know about.

Ape Skatepark

Address: The Old Airfeild, Martinet Road, Stockton On Sea, Teesside, TS17 0AS
Telephone: 01642 764 114
Website: www.apeskate.com


R-Kade Skatepark

Address: Majuba Road, Redcar, Teesside, TS10 5BJ
Telephone: 01642 483 520
Website: www.r-kadeskatepark.com


Hexham

There is a mini ramp and grind rail next to a children's playground in the park behind the Abbey. The ramp is stainless steel. I've never had my board with me on the few occasions I've been to Hexham, so I haven't tried it. I guess I'll have to get out there the next sunny day.


South Shields

There are a collection of concrete ramps with no transitions on the sea front at South Shields. There is also a tarmac "bowl", which is usually full of water. The council probably thought they were being very benevolent providing this, but it looks like a waste of money to me. Then again I have never ridden it and I probably never will.


Crook

This is somewhere in Crook, which is in County Durham. I know it's there and that it's a collection of ramps in or next to a leisure centre, but that's all I know.


Some other sites with reasonably up-to-date skatepark listings are:
Skateboard UK click the Skate Parks (UK) link in the left hand navigation frame
SkatePark Info
Sidewalk Magazine click the Parks link in the Navigation menu
Street Phire


Other stuff:

My Quiver.

If you know of any other skateparks in the North East, have more information on any that I have listed or just want to comment on the site, then email skatepark@freeuk.com and eventually I'll get round to updating things.

Coded by hand

Last updated May 2003