The Angel

Our holiday would not have been complete without a photo stop at Antony Gormley's iconic steel artwork! We approached it along the A167 road. The parking area is small with limited spaces, but it's free, and there were not many visitors when we were here in October. It's a short and easy walk up a grassy hill with footpaths to the statue. It was not until we got up close to it that we really appreciated the Angel's immense size - 20 metres tall (or 66 ft, that's about the height of a five-storey building!), with a wingspan of 54 metres (177ft). Great views and opportunities for photos and selfies, and we could also get ice-cream from a vendor at the car park. There's plenty of grassy space to stroll and enjoy a picnic, but be aware that there are no toilets here. Well worth making a stop to see this impressive North East landmark.

The Angel of the North is a 208 tonne steel sculpture that is 20 metres high and 54 metres wide. You can see the sculpture from the A1 dual carriageway. Obviously, it's not easy to get a good look at the sculpture when driving or take any photographs, so it's best to head for the free nearby carpark located off the A167 (Durham Road) just like I did. Look for the gap in the bus lane to access the car park. I arrived at 5.15pm in September so the sun was quite low. This provided some nice lighting effects for my photos! When seeing someone standing at the base of the sculpture you can really appreciate the size of it! It's well worth a trip if passing or visiting the area.

A definite go to if you are in the North East, and imposing structure that has a real element of peace and tranquility. Free parking which is a bonus. There are some pathways but to take the best photos you need to walk more on the grassy banks, these were very muddy in places. Not a large number of people there but those that were cordial and allowed people the necessary time to get family pics without having strangers in the background.