"Sanddancing" South Shields by cherrybug

Perhaps the most appealing part of the seaside town of South Shields is it's beautiful coastline and clean sweeping beaches.

Trow Rocks is a famous part of the coast and very popular with residents and tourists alike. The beach is clean and safe for swimming and the occasional surf.

This part of the coast is home to the finishing line of the famous Great North Run. A half marathon held in the autumn, the GN Run begins at the Tyne bridge in Newcastle and ends at The Leas which are the cliff tops of the South Shields coast.

In general the people of Tyneside are referred to as Geordies. However, natives of South Shields distinguish themselves as sanddancers (for obvious reasons). Despite its proximity to the city of Sunderland, never refer to a person from South Shields as a Macam (which is what people from Sunderland are referred to) unless you want to spark off a heated, age old territorial debate!

South Shields has much to offer the visitor and was also the home of the internationally famous author, Catherine Cookson.

South Shields is also a major party town with stacks of pubs, clubs and restaurants packed into the small town centre area. Weekends are often a sea of revellers but for those who prefer a quieter life, there are numerous places along the coast to enjoy a quiet drink and gaze out at the horizon.

It's also relatively cheap with many of the bars offering happy hours and other drinks promotions.

There are also a fair few nightclubs mostly offering mainstream dance nights.

• Pros:Beautiful beaches, cheap shopping, friendly folk
• Cons:Mostly social issues (unemployment, deprivation issues etc.)
• In a nutshell:Pretty, friendly and fun