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Beneath the Tyne.
The idea of bringing together North and South Tyneside by way of a pedestrian and cycle tunnel under the River Tyne stemmed as far back as 1798, while 1825 saw the proposal of a suspension bridge fail to come to fruition. In 1939 work finally began to implement the link between the two towns but the Second World War put a sudden stop to it and work did not begin again until 1947. The old underground pits, tunnels and mine workings of Jarrow and Howden collieries proved to be difficult but the problems were overcome and the tunnelways were completed and opened on 24 July 1951. The cycle tunnel connects Jarrow to Howdon and a convenient crossing point for the C2C, Reivers and Three Rivers long distance cycle routes.
