Pumpkin Spice and All Things Nice: How to Spend Autumn in Newcastle

Pumpkin spice up your life

Pumpkin spice – you either love it, or you hate it. Either way, this autumnal goodness arrives back in town earlier and earlier, and this year’s no exception. Alongside the usual Starbucks and Greggs, you can also head to the likes of Pure Knead and Coffee Trader to get your fix too.     

Want something a little different? Black Sheep Coffee are introducing seasonal newcomers including pumpkin spice matcha and apple crumble matcha – both of which can be served hot or cold!

But if it’s that spiced autumnal scent you’re after, then head to Lush inside Eldon Square to sniff out their range of ghastly goodies. From Pumpkin Pie soap to a Frankenstein bath bomb that’s both fruity and frightening, you’ll feel great – not ghoulish! – with a shopping trip here.

Take a walk through the city’s parks

Whether the kids need to let off some steam, or you’re just after a crisp walk in the autumn air, there’s plenty of parks in Newcastle to enjoy this season. And luckily for us, many of them are just a stones throw from the city centre.

Take Exhibition Park for example, which is only about a fifteen-minute walk from Haymarket Metro. There’s plenty to see and do here, from coffees at Urban Green café to pints at Wylam Brewery – the perfect reward after a brisk walk – and there’s even a play area for the kids to run wild.

Alternatively, wrap up and head down to Leazes Park to crunch on some leaves – or bring a book down there to enjoy the view by the lake. Give yourself a good twenty-five minutes to get here on foot from Haymarket Metro, but trust us, on a sunny autumnal day, it’s definitely worth it.

But really, nowhere does good food and good views quite like the Quayside. Take a stroll along the Tyne, enjoying the brisk air and impressive views of both the Tyne and Millennium bridges. Feeling peckish? Treat yourself to a slice from I Scream For Pizza, or enjoy a drink at The Hooch into the evening!

Get Halloween ready

Whether you’re hitting the Toon this Halloween or keeping it more low-key at home, getting ready for the spookiest season of the year is serious business. Thankfully, Newcastle has no shortage of shops to find plenty of treats… and maybe a few tricks thrown in for good measure!

If it’s Halloween décor you’re after, it’s hard to go wrong with a trip to TK Maxx. Based down Northumberland Street, this smorgasbord of seasonal supplies has everything from candles to cushions – perfect for adding a fantastical touch to your home.

You’ll also want to pay a visit to the Halloween Market at Newcastle Castle this October. Hosted by Northern Gothic, you’ll be able to enter an eerie-sistible world of luxury food vendors, tarot card readers and antique sellers at Newcastle Castle Keep. Oh, and there’s even free entry so it won’t haunt your bank account!

Time for your costume change? Then Smiffys has you covered! Whether you’re going all-out or keeping it low-key, it’s the perfect way to make your wardrobe witchy. We’ll take the full Beetlejuice suit with matching hair and makeup, please.

Dig into new autumn menus

Feeling peckish after all that shopping? Not to worry, there’s plenty of fresh seasonal menus to try out in Newcastle, whatever you’re fancying.

My Delhi are heating this up this autumn, and they’re going big on the cosy vibes. From Harappa smoked aubergines and spicy kozhi chicken curry, to the Emperor’s stew and firecracker paneer, this menu has us feeling anything but the cold!

Sunday roasts are good in summer don’t get us wrong – but there’s something about that hearty meal when the winter’s on its way that just feels so much better. Luckily for us, Dobson & Parnell have a brand new Sunday menu out – alongside an autumn set menu and a la carte – that looks absolutely delicious. That North Shields market fish, buttery roast potatoes, greens and caper butter sauce has our stomachs rumbling!

Seasonal ingredients are at the heart of 21’s Bang in Season menu, with an impressive five courses that showcase the best of the best this autumn. From a gorgeous roast crown prince squash soup, to mouth-watering Florentine doughnuts with Victoria plum jam and rose cream, there’s no shortage of delicious delicacies here. And that’s not forgetting the option to add an accompanying wine flight too!

Escape the chill

Let’s be honest, Newcastle gets on the chiller side in the evenings this time of year. So if you’re looking to escape inside after your meal, why not book one of these events to wrap up your perfect autumnal day?

If you’re craving that back-to-school feeling of freshly sharpened pencils and new books, then Lucy Worsley’s talk on Jane Austen at Tyne Theatre & Opera House (28^th October) is definitely for you. For the class clowns out there, they’ve got some great comedy on this autumn too, with Sarah Keyworth (15^th October) and Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare (25^th October), amongst many others.

The soundtrack to Newcastle this season is shaping up to be pretty impressive too. You can hear from the likes of Ben Howard (15^th October) and Blossoms (17^th October) at O2 City Hall – while Generator Live (5^th October) at the Boiler Shop is a great way to find new music and grow those autumn playlists.

Last but not least, what better way to embrace the bookish spirit of autumn than with a signing at Waterstones? Their events calendar is a veritable feast for readers, with authors like Kate Atkinson (19^th September), Liane Moriarty (29^th September) and Terry Deary (16^th October) arriving in the city.

Regardless of whether you love the season - or you're counting down the days until the warm summer weather returns - Newcastle certainly has no shortage of things to do this autumn. Maybe just take an umbrella with you though, yeah?

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Featured image: "Brown Leaves Photo" Lina Kivaka via Pexels

Leazes Park image: "Leazes Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, in early October" Peter Scott via Wikimedia Commons.