South of the Tyne: An Afternoon Exploring Gateshead’s Quayside

With clear skies and low winds, this afternoon seemed like the perfect opportunity to explore somewhere I’ve not spent much time—Gateshead. Often overshadowed by its neighbour across the water, Gateshead has just as much to offer in terms of striking architecture, industrial heritage and modern riverside regeneration.

I headed to the Quayside, focusing on the south bank of the River Tyne, where history and innovation sit side by side. From iconic bridges and reimagined industrial buildings to cultural landmarks and riverside viewpoints, there was plenty to see and capture. The conditions were ideal for some sharp, detailed aerial work, and the light across the river added a beautiful quality to the afternoon’s shots.

Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art – Gateshead Quayside

The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art is one of the standout cultural landmarks on the Gateshead Quayside, and its story is rooted in the area’s industrial past. Originally built in 1950 as a flour mill for Rank Hovis, the imposing brick structure was once one of the largest mills of its kind in the country. It remained operational until 1981, after which it stood disused for years—an industrial shell with prime riverside views. In the late 1990s, the building was carefully transformed into the Baltic Centre, opening in 2002 as a major international gallery for contemporary art. Today, it’s a vibrant space for exhibitions, installations, and cultural events, attracting artists and visitors from around the world, and forming a key part of the Gateshead Quays cultural regeneration alongside Sage Gateshead and the Millennium Bridge.

From the air, the Baltic’s bold silhouette dominates the southern bank of the Tyne, its industrial roots still visible in the architecture, but reimagined with modern additions of glass and steel. The drone captured the building in its riverside setting, with the Millennium Bridge curving out in front and Newcastle’s historic buildings rising across the water. The light bouncing off the Tyne and the building’s surfaces added great contrast and clarity, while the symmetrical layout of the quayside created some visually powerful compositions. The rooftop viewing platform, now a popular feature of the gallery, is particularly striking from above—highlighting how this once utilitarian structure has been transformed into a hub of creativity overlooking the city.

Gateshead Millennium Bridge – Linking Innovation with Identity

The Gateshead Millennium Bridge is one of the most recognisable landmarks on the River Tyne and a brilliant example of modern engineering and design. Opened in 2001, it was built to connect Gateshead Quays with Newcastle Quayside, forming a pedestrian and cycle link across the river. What makes it so unique is its tilting mechanism—the entire structure rotates on giant pivots to allow boats to pass underneath, earning it the nickname “the blinking eye” due to its elegant, eyelid-like movement. Designed by WilkinsonEyre and Gifford, it was the world’s first tilting bridge, and has since won numerous awards for its architecture and innovation, becoming a modern icon of the North East.

Captured from above, the Millennium Bridge is a masterpiece of geometry and balance. Its graceful arc spans the river perfectly, drawing a striking line between the Baltic Centre on one side and the Quayside's historic facades on the other. The drone’s perspective reveals the clean symmetry of the bridge in relation to its surroundings, including the subtle curve of the river and the placement of other bridges downstream. With the afternoon sun reflecting off the Tyne and the bridge’s polished surfaces, the whole scene came together beautifully—a seamless blend of engineering, movement and setting. From above, the Millennium Bridge doesn’t just look impressive—it feels like the heart of a city that’s constantly reinventing itself.

The Glasshouse International Centre for Music – Gateshead Quayside

Formerly known as Sage Gateshead, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music is one of the most distinctive and celebrated modern buildings on the Tyne. Opened in 2004, this striking venue was designed by Norman Foster and Partners, with its flowing, wave-like form symbolising movement and sound. The building houses three performance spaces, world-class acoustics, rehearsal rooms, and a hub for music education, making it a cultural powerhouse not just for Gateshead, but for the whole region. Its rebranding in 2023 to The Glasshouse reflects a broader focus on inclusivity and international music collaboration, while maintaining its place as a cornerstone of the Gateshead Quays cultural quarter.

From above, The Glasshouse is mesmerising—a smooth, silver ripple of glass and steel nestled between the Baltic Centre and the Tyne Bridge. The aerial view reveals its organic curves and reflective surfaces, catching the sky, the river, and the shifting light throughout the afternoon. The building’s form contrasts beautifully with the grid-like layout of the nearby streets and bridges, while its location, perched right on the edge of the Tyne, allows for dramatic, sweeping shots of the whole Quayside. From this elevated perspective, you can see how The Glasshouse acts as a modern anchor to Gateshead’s cultural regeneration, both visually and symbolically—a futuristic form with music and community at its heart.

River Tyne Views – Gateshead’s Changing Skyline

The River Tyne has long been the lifeblood of the North East, shaping the identity of both Gateshead and Newcastle for centuries. Historically, it was the hub of shipbuilding, coal export, and heavy industry, lined with docks, warehouses and cranes. Over the past few decades, however, the Tyne has undergone a dramatic transformation—from industrial workhorse to a vibrant riverside corridor filled with culture, architecture, and regeneration. Along the Gateshead side of the river, modern developments like The Glasshouse, the Baltic Centre, and the Millennium Bridge now sit alongside the layered history of bridges, viaducts, and the echoes of a once-booming industrial economy. The river is no longer just a working waterway—it’s become a place to live, walk, reflect, and be inspired.

From the air, the River Tyne reveals itself as a beautifully winding thread of history and progress, stretching out between the architectural contrasts of the north and south banks. The drone’s elevated view brought together the old and the new—from the soaring arches of the Tyne and Swing Bridges, to the sleek curves of the Millennium Bridge, all mirrored in the calm waters below. The changing light throughout the afternoon added depth and drama to each frame, casting long shadows across the quay and catching the sun on rooftops and glass facades. From this perspective, the Tyne becomes more than just a river—it’s a timeline etched into the cityscape, and capturing that from above was the perfect way to round off the day.

Friars Goose Pumping Station – A Forgotten Industrial Gem

Tucked away on the south bank of the Tyne, Friars Goose Pumping Station is one of those hidden gems that’s easy to miss but impossible to forget once you’ve seen it. Built in 1879, the station was part of the Newcastle and Gateshead Water Company’s efforts to improve sanitation and manage the city's growing demand for clean water during the Victorian era. The building originally housed beam engines that pumped sewage and drainage water away from the rapidly expanding urban areas. Designed in a striking Italianate style, it stood out even in its industrial setting—a touch of grandeur for a very practical purpose. Although it ceased operations long ago, the building has survived, and today it remains a Grade II-listed structure, a rare example of its kind and a fascinating link to the region’s engineering past.

Spotting it on the way home, I couldn’t resist pulling over to capture it from the air—and I’m glad I did. From above, Friars Goose stands alone, its bold brick chimney and rectangular form surrounded by a patchwork of modern development, scrubland, and riverbank. The isolation makes it even more striking, a lone sentinel of Victorian engineering that seems almost frozen in time. The aerial views highlighted the symmetry of its design, and the way it once commanded a strategic position close to the Tyne. As the light dipped in the late afternoon, the building’s warm red brick glowed against the cooler tones of the river and sky. A perfect unexpected find—and one that tells yet another story of Gateshead’s layered industrial history.

St Mary’s Church, West Rainton

St Mary’s Church in West Rainton, County Durham, is a beautiful example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture, steeped in local history. Built in 1864–65, the church was funded by Sir George Elliot, a prominent local industrialist and MP, whose legacy is tightly woven into the fabric of the village. Designed by the architect Charles Hodgson Fowler, the church features a striking spire rising to nearly 180 feet, making it a local landmark visible for miles around. Inside, the church is just as impressive, with elegant stained glass windows, a carved stone font, and detailed woodwork. The church was built not just as a place of worship but also as a symbol of community pride and identity during a time when mining villages were rapidly growing and evolving.

From the air, St Mary’s commands attention, with its soaring spire rising proudly above the rooftops of West Rainton and the surrounding countryside. The aerial view captures the careful layout of the churchyard, the structure’s perfect symmetry, and its relationship to the wider village. The golden light of late afternoon brought out the warm tones in the stonework, while the long shadows gave depth to the surrounding gravestones and pathways. From this elevated perspective, you really get a sense of how St Mary’s anchors the village, both spiritually and visually—a timeless presence in a landscape that continues to change around it.

Wrapping Up the Day

What started as a relaxed afternoon turned into a surprisingly rewarding journey along the south bank of the Tyne, capturing some of Gateshead’s most iconic landmarks—and even a few unexpected gems on the way home. With low winds and clear skies, the conditions were ideal for aerial work, and the light across the river added a richness to every shot.

From the striking angles of the Millennium Bridge to the imposing bulk of the Baltic and the curving glass shell of The Glasshouse, the Gateshead Quayside offered a perfect blend of historic industry and modern regeneration. Capturing the River Tyne from above, with its flowing ribbon of history connecting past and present, gave a new appreciation for just how much this area has evolved. And just when I thought the day was done, a quick stop at Friars Goose Pumping Station turned into one of the most unexpected highlights—a piece of forgotten Victorian engineering still standing strong.

Rounding off the day with a visit to St Mary’s Church in West Rainton, silhouetted in the golden hour light, was the perfect close. A reminder that whether it’s modern design, industrial legacy, or village heritage, the North East always has something incredible waiting just around the corner.