Parks, parks and more parks

I have blethered on about the wonderful parks of Newcastle before and bargainful days out there so I won't go on again. Today, after just making it out the door on time to a music group we spent some time in the city parks as the sun was out and although crisp it was otherwise lovely. Plus, I really couldn't face going back home straight away and facing tantrums if I didn't read A Squash and a Squeeze about a million times. 

King John's Palace...or what is left. Never actually stayed in by King John

We were closest to Heaton Park so went there first. There are five parks that inter-connect and form a very green corridor of several kilometres through the east to the north of the city. She deigned to tolerate a brief stop off at King John's Palace or what is now remaining. King John's Palace, was actually the fortified house of Adam of Jesmond, a knight and supporter of Henry III. The house is dated circa 1255, and the last date recorded for Adam is 1270 when he went on the last crusade never to return. He was not the most popular chappy and his house fell in disrepair and by the 1500s was already a ruin. Luckily, Heaton Park is one with some play equipment which pleased Wriggles greatly after her short history lesson.

 An hour passed very quickly and after a brief argument about wearing gloves (I lost, but like to think I won in some respect as I was not the one to then suffer chilly fingers) we plodded on to find somewhere to have lunch. An impromptu picnic on a bench in an idyllic spot was abandoned after an almighty tantrum that probably gave all surrounding wildlife a heart attack or at least, colossal ear ache. It wasn't a long walk further through the park and over Armstrong Bridge to Jesmond Dene where a cafe and visitor centre is situated. Wriggles is slightly better behaved in public sometimes so I voted us indoor lunch. True to form she fluttered her eyelashes at the table next door whilst declining her lunch is a slightly less vocal manner.

Heaton Park

 After  giving up  finishing, I attempted to tire her out going around Pets Corner where they keep animals and some birds and then getting to go in another playground. As normal, I was tired out first. I am constantly amazed by limitless energy of toddlers and that they do not tire of the same activity (going up the steps to the slide) about twenty million times on effectively an empty stomach.

Finally, we got slightly lost going back through the parks. As I have lived in several districts over the years and been a public-transport-avoiding-penny-pinching-student for some of them, I have pretty good bearings on walking through places here even when I have no idea ultimately where I am. And as detours go, this was a beautiful one. We walked along the bank of one of the Ouse tributaries and found our way back. All in all, a highly satisfying day out. When I got back, I was in a good enough mood to read books for well over an hour before pleading with Wriggles to try another activity: I failed.

Ouseburn, off Benton Bank. Recommended to get lost in