Great North Run - where to stay

Apologies if this is in the wrong Forum area - I'm a newbie!   I've got into the Great North Run at the first time of asking (missed out on London Marathon four times running, now).  My question is - is it best to stay near the start or the finish of the GNR or does it not really matter as the public transport is really good?

 

Thanks in advance

Comments

  • Paul - congratulations on getting into the Great North Run.  In terms of where to stay, it doesn't really matter whether start or finish as the public transport really is pretty good.  You might find that options are limited already as many people book well in advance if they have a guaranteed place for the next year.  In terms of transport the metro is very easy to use and I understand from other people that the bus is pretty straightforward too.  The best advice I can give is to look at how close to a metro the hotel is and use that as a guide.  If you are within walking distance of any metro you'll be fine to get to the start and back again at the end.

  • We've stayed in the centre of Newcastle the past two years, walked to the start, then got the Metro back afterwards, always suits us fine. But think it's each to their own, we tend to stick around in the beer tent for a few hours, have a makeshift baby-wipe 'wash' in the portaloos, then stop off at every boozer between the charity village and the metro. By that time it's quietened down a lot and you're not queing from the Metro.

    Be warned however, I'd be VERY suprised if you find any accomodation under £120ish a night now. The Hotel/B&B/Apartment owners are pretty on the ball and always whack their prices WAY up for that weekend. The first year we did GNR we drove there and back on the day, as we were walking back to the car afterwards I made a note of 5 or 6 B&Bs we passed near the finish with a view to looking up their prices when we got home. Needn't have bothered - they were all already booked up for the NEXT years event by the time we got home that night....!

  • Thanks for your responses - I think I'm going to see what I can find 20 miles away and then drive in early on the day. 

    Cheers!

     

  • My parents and brother ended up camping a few years ago when he did it (he'd got a fairly last minute charity place and there was not a hotel to be found)- bizarrely they said it was actually really good as the campsite was in Gateshead and was full of GNRers so a great atmosphere, although personally I can think of nothing worse before a race

  • I can highly recommend the accomodation that Newcastle university provide.  I stayed  at the Castle Leazes dorms last year.  Very basic but excellent value for money. Think it was about £35 and that included a pasta party the night before and a very hearty breakfast on race day.  Only ten minutes' walk to the start and pretty easy to get the metro back.  Trying to drive out of South SHields is a nightmare and best avoided.  The camping idea above is also a good idea but it just depends on how badly you want a good nights' sleep before race day! 

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