Are you excited about the North Sea Tall Ships Regatta coming to Blyth?
With just a month to go until 30 historic tall ships dock in Blyth for the diamond anniversary of the race, as the event hosts everyone at Port of Blyth is working hard to ensure that the event will be a huge success.
We have been working for some time as an event partner with official organisers from Northumberland County Council and Sail Training International, on what is expected to be Northumberland’s largest ever public event.
We have collated some information that might be useful to visitors:
North Sea Tall Ships Regatta Official Website
A huge amount of useful information is available on the official website including what to expect from the Tall Ships event and how to make the most of the weekend.
Information specifically for visitors from outside the area and details of the Park and Ride facilities are also available.
Visit Northumberland
If you’re looking for somewhere to stay or something else to do whilst you are in the region – look no further than Visit Northumberland.
They offer a wide range of accommodation available throughout the county – from boutique hotels to bolthole cottages by the sea, as well as information on where else to visit and what’s on throughout August.
Blyth Tall Ship Project
The connection between Blyth and tall ships doesn’t begin or end with the North Sea Tall Ships Regatta. In fact, the town has been home to the Blyth Tall Ship Project since 2009.
The Port of Blyth supported charity delivers a range of innovative projects in schools and the community with young people not in education or training, to provide opportunities for communities hit hard by the collapse of the coal and ship building industries locally.
Young people can access high quality accredited foundation learning in engineering through the medium of heritage boat building skills with a clear focus on skills and job opportunities.
Blyth Tall Ship are currently restoring a 100 year old Baltic Trader in order to recreate the voyage of Blyth-born Captain William Smith who discovered the first land mass in Antarctica in 1819. A centenary expedition on the renamed Williams II will retrace Captain Smith’s journey to Antarctica, hoping to inspire life changing decisions for the 60 young people who will take part in the sail.
Port of Blyth Heritage Centre
Run by a group of community volunteers from Blyth Tall Ship project, the heritage centre has been set up to explore and display the rich maritime heritage of the Port of Blyth.
Offering a fascinating time line of the Port – from its origins in the 1100’s to the modern day, through the discovery of Antarctica and the building of the first HMS Ark Royal in Blyth, the heritage centre hosts exhibitions covering the Port’s full history.
The heritage centre’s brand new website has launched! Read more about their work and how to get involved at www.archive.blythtallship.co.uk.
South Harbour – Open to the public
For the first time in living memory Port of Blyth will open its doors to the public to one of its secure terminals specifically for the Tall Ships event.
Visitors to South Harbour (right) will get the chance to see what goes on within a working port as well as accessing some of the historic tall ships, a naval vessel and a number of RAF helicopters.
These attractions plus a host of food and entertainment stalls will ensure that South Harbour will become one of the ‘must see’ elements of the whole weekend.
Blyth Harbour Commission has also detailed plans for some areas to be closed around the West Pier for public safety reasons. Further details are available here.
Social Media
One of the best ways to stay in touch with news and updates from the event across the weekend will be through social media. Port of Blyth and the official organisers Tall Ships Blyth will be regularly posting images, information and news to social media.
To guarantee yourself the best possible experience, take a moment to follow and/or like these official accounts:
Travel Information
For the latest travel information throughout the weekend, stay tuned to the official station of the North Sea Tall Ships Regatta 2016 – Metro Radio, via the web, your digital radio or at 97.1FM. Television coverage of the event will also be provided by the BBC and ITV.
And finally…
To whet your appetite, check out the brand new promotional film of the regatta, from the makers of ITV’s Tales From Northumberland With Robson Green:
