Scenery

Thank you, Stuart Maconie. As ever, Brian Sewell is wrong, wrong, wrong.

The Angel (10 tomorrow) is one of the most arresting views in the North East, right up there with Hadrian's Wall, the shipbuilding cranes at Wallsend, and the Millennium Bridge. It's equal to anything down south. And it does have that emotional wallop - when you see it up close, you're amazed, astonished...and you know you're home.

Mind, I also love the view as you come down at night over the Gateshead flyover - the one that runs between the tower blocks down to the Tyne Bridge. Stretched out ahead of you is the Newcastle skyline, the road is usually deserted, and you can pretend that you're in some bad 1970s cop drama. It's the first scene of the film in my head...preferably with Queen's Don't Stop Me Now as the soundtrack, for that 70s vibe.

Update: Spirit of the North. Another good article from someone who's actually come up here and talked to people. Sewell, take note.