GATESHEAD ...............

............ a canny place just ower the Tyne from The Toon

Went online quick smart this morning as tickets were on sale for the opening match of the season on 17th August - Newcastle United v Manchester City. I have a season ticket so I'm going anyway but my daughter and son in law will be visiting that weekend and want to go to the match with me. Managed to get 2 seats next to mine. Total cost £74 - and this included a discount as I was a member. Going to watch Premiership football isn't cheap.

Went to Gateshead this afternoon. The weather was lovely again and the place was quite busy. Lots of people seemed to be shopping for holiday clothes. I got a couple of tops - and food shopping in Tesco.

My blip shot shows a memorial sculpture on Bottle Bank in Gateshead. Its a celebration of the life and legacy of folk fiddler James Hill (1811-1853). The sculpture was unveiled in 2006.

The 9' tall stone fiddle is leaning against the wall which forms part of The Tyne Bridge. The metal plaque in the foreground bears the inscription: 'James Hill of Bottle Bank, world renowned fiddle player and composer of tunes. The finest exponent of the Newcastle hornpipe style. Most active 1842-1852.' The bench on the right is inscribed with Hill’s song titles.

Watergate Forest Park as shown on Monday's blip was the scene of a tragedy this afternoon. A young lad aged 22 drowned in the lake. This will be the second such tragedy this week in this area - a 20 year old man drowned in the River Tees in Stockton on Monday. I know its tempting in this hot weather to take a dip but folk should really think twice and recognise the danger.