Dog friendly activities have become much more of a thing in the 5 years I've had Holly Bobbins, as you know she loves adventures and specifically travelling on buses, trains, and boats so when we were invited to try out the new Stagecoach Seasider bus which runs between North Shields and Whitley Bay I couldn't say yes fast enough!

I knew Holly would love the open topped bus because we'd previously done the open topped bus in Edinburgh, she loves the feel of the wind in her ears and the fact that she can watch the world go by and see all of the sites.

It's not just Holly who loves an open top bus tour either, I've been on the open top bus tours in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds, London, Stratford-upon-Avon... The list goes on, I absolutely love a good bus tour!

The Seasider Bus starts at the north shields ferry terminal (the tyne and wear ferry not the big DFDS one which goes to Amsterdam) and winds it's way along the beautiful northeast coastline until it reaches the seafront in Whitley Bay and it's a journey which maybe takes around half an hour on the days when traffic isn't too bad.

I think I've already worked out my ultimate day trip and I'd recommend this to anyone who's holidaying up here in the north of England.  I'd suggest you start with a morning in South Shields and then you jump on the ferry, get the seasider bus when you get off and then go to Whitley Bay and when you are done ambling around the seafront there jump on the land train to St Mary's Lighthouse, just make sure you've checked the tide times for St Mary's causeway so you can get the most out of the trip.

For our trip we simply did North Shields to Whitley Bay where we took Holly Bobbins for a stroll along the beach, the beach at Whitley Bay is dog friendly up until May when half of it remains dog friendly but the other half isn't.  No matter for us though in April and Holly loved rolling around on the sand the way she always does.  There's something about a sandy beach which makes her roll around making the funniest sounds, she absolutely loves it and it's the most active I ever see her.

We followed that with coffee and a sumptuous pancake breakfast at the dog friendly part of Spanish City, Valeries Tearoom does the best cakes I've seen in Whitley Bay along with a very hearty breakfast menu although Holly was so tired from the sea air that she didn't even stir for the offer of a pancake or some bacon.

After filling our tummies we got on the return bus to the ferry, they run every half hour and Holly barely moved for the rest of the day when we got home, all of that sea air and visiting her favourite places lead to a very tired but totally content beagle and I can't wait to do the trip again during summer just for her when you are a dog owner, just like when you are a parent, you definitely owe it to your dog to give them the best days ever!

Win an all inclusive photo shoot with Newcastle Photographer, Mandy Charlton

June 22nd, 2007 was the official date of the launch of my business Mandy Charlton Photography and what a decade it's been, 10 years of being a Newcastle photographer and photographing kids, families and couples all over the North East of England.  I've so much to be thankful for and so I'm planning some things to mark the occasion, firstly I'm going to refund the cost of a photo shoot to one family who purchases one before the end of May.  It's so easy to enter, all you have to do is book yourself a photo shoot and then at the start of June I'll make the official announcement and refund the session fee to one lucky family!

If that's not enough of a reason to book, I'd like to share some of my favourite images from sessions I've shot over the last few weeks, oh and here's a Holly Bobbins portrait I shot in between sessions at Jesmond Dene!

Hopefully, that's convinced you to book a session with me, it's only £100 and you get all of the edited digital images.  Currently, I have limited availability at Jesmond Dene, Saltwell Park, Tynemouth Longsands, Carlisle Park, Wharton Park, Barnes Park and Chopwell Wood, please enquire for dates and times and you can book yourself more memories this spring and summer with the people you love most in the world.

For a list of frequently asked questions about mini sessions please click here

Book Your Session Now mandy@mandycharltonphotography.com

Oh and if you want to gift a session I have gift certificates I can send for you  to print and gift!

Photographing Nethermined, a Minecraft Convention at the Park Hotel, Tynemouth

There aren't many jobs that I get that my kids actually get excited about, in the last year Abigail got excited about the time I met Richard Branson and the fact that I'm shooting a Dr Who themed wedding later this year, Looby on the other hand squee'd her little socks off when I told her I'd been approached to photograph Nethermined, the North East of England's first ever unofficial Minecraft convention.

There are conventions all over the world of course but you seldom get smaller ones with big names appearing in the North East and it had a real family feel to it.  If for example you wanted to get something signed at a convention in London you might be lucky if you actually got to speak to your favourite Youtuber because they usually only have small assigned slots for signings and then they're off to do something else but at Nethermined all of the kids who patiently waited to see their favourite Youtube stars were duly rewarded.

I met and talked to several Youtubers and they were all lovely and you know what?  Seeing the kids faces as they emerged from the signings with their T-Shirts, Swords and books all signed by their favourite stars was probably my favourite things, there were so many smiling happy kids and that included my daughter who at 11 even had her own press pass courtesy of mum, yes I really was mum of the year (for at least half an hour) I introduced her to Netty when I was shooting her headshot and saw her visibly get star struck (Netty is Stampys sister and an awesome Youtuber in her own right). You see Looby (if you're reading this) there are some perks to having a mum who's a photographer ;)

I wish years ago I'd started a Vlog, I feel a bit old and not entirely cool enough these days but I'm sure I could have rocked it 10 years ago!!

So shall we see some images and highlights from a wonderful day?

First people in the queue, who'd arrived really early to make sure they were first to run through the doors.

NitroLukeDX

Yammy

100PercentOzzy

AmyLee33

Ashley Mariee

LDShadowLady

AshDubh

SmallishBeans

Netty Plays

This T-Shirt is now covered in signatures, I don't think I'll ever be allowed to wash it!

Some of the Youtubers have formed a band called The Orion Sound Band and yesterday was their first ever gig, I think big things might just happen for them!

I have to say that I loved being the official photographer for Nethermined and I really hope next year they have a bigger event, I suspect they will as the North East needs more events like this, I know Looby can't wait for next year!