If Wearside has been the place that stole your heart, then read on.
Ah... those romantic walks by the stream
Those romantic walks, the parks where you played your own FA cup, or even had your first roll-up, and of course, the days lazing on the beach - they all have their place with hugely poignant memories.
But where are those places? buildings? country walks and landmarks of your life?
Well here is a chance to tell us (and the world of course) of your own memories - share with your fellow Wearsiders the reminiscences, fun and good times of familiar and maybe unfamiliar places that have left a mark on your life.
Could this be the light of your life?
If you are living abroad, why did you move… where in Wearside is most important to you, and what do you recall of your times in your North East home?
Let's face it, home is where your heart is… have you left yours here?
Send us your digital pictures and we will create your gallery of memories - you can tell us all about them too with the comments form below.
Go on, you just may make some of those ex-pats living abroad think twice about being away!
Here is a selection of your comments on this feature…
Robert
My favourite place has to be the town centre on Tuesday evenings. I really appreciate the open minded people living within Sunderland who accept myself and others for what we are. I love the crowd to gather on a Tuesday and the fun we have together both before and after partying away in the local bars. This really brings a smile to my face because other nights are usually not as enjoyable as we arnt accepted the same way.
David Dodds
My favourite place in Sunderland is The winter gardens. When everything around you changes so quickly these days, it's good to see something that is so beautiful being formed in the heart of the city. I invited friends for tea the other night and we were talking about the attractions of Sunderland and comparing theses of to Newcastle, people believe newcastle is a better city because of there Quayside but me and my friends agree that sunderland has some special features. The marina is gorgeous at sunrise, penshaw is great for a big picnic on a summers day, herrington park is nie for a stroll, the stadium is amazing and the Pies are lovely. I love living in Sunderland and i hope everybody who visits loves our city too. Yeah
Christopher Patrick Priest
The biggest attraction to me is sunderland library.Me and my best friend wuggy occasionaly visit the library as there is always new books to read based on my hobbie which consists of educating my interest in the deep history of fossil collecting. I must say that i was not originally interested in fossils and that my initial interest was to learn more about the human body. I guess you could say that that is the best thing about the sunderland library is that there is so many different subjects you can read up on and you may enquire to study on one thing and then change your mind as you browse the different shelves.
Anthony O'Connor
I would have to say that penshaw monument and the surrounding walks is up there with the most picturesque places in the city. Myself and my partner Clive regularly go walking throughout the region and find out picnic days behind penshaw monument the most enjoyable. We always fight over who has the last cucumber sandwich and love our days out there. Hopefully this year we will make the Easter egg rolling day as we have missed the last 2 years due to charity events at the local youth centre. All in all i really love the penshaw area and hope others find it as enjoyable as me and Clive.
Steve Davis
I love Barnes park the best,fishing for sticklebacks,digging for worms,eating ice cream,feeding the ducks,watching live bands at the bandstand,sledging in winter,walking hand in hand with my fiance Amanda on a hot summers day.I'm an outdoor type of guy and having the park near to my home is brilliant,We sometimes pack a lunch and a frisbee and spend saturdays carefree in the fresh air.I love it
Paul Bell
Well i'd have to say seaburn beach is my most favourite place in wearside. it was where i first met kirsty. I guess you could say it was love at first sight, it was a beautiful summers day and i was playing fetch with my dog and as my dog bruno went to get the stick he changed direction and headed straight for kirsty.we started chatting while bruno and her dog tinkerbell played on the beach.we both love animals so there was no shortage of conversation,i'll always remember that beautiful summers day and i guess you could say it is a memory which i will treasure for the rest of my life.
anthony blackburn
you cannot beat durham city river walk,through houghall up to shincliffe hall and on to croxdale.
Alf Edmundson
A day out in Beamish brought back memories of life in the late 1930's early 1940's Especially the Farmhouse, it was typical of the houses I used to visit when evacuated to Bedale in Yorkshire at the beginning of the war. Seeing the tram cars and horse drawn carts was like being in a time warp. There was so much to see I must revisit when back in the area.
Colin Younger
I was born and raised in Chester-le-Street, schooled at Durham Johnston then studied and lived in Sunderland for 4 years. In 1974 I left the region, never to return. Each place has lasting memories: a childhood playing on Waldridge Fell and courting at the Riverside Park; wandering around the beautiful city of Durham and finally the happy hours spent in an always sunny Backhouse Park. But the one image of the area that always stays with me is Penshaw Monument - you can see it from just about anywhere.
Colin Higham
Where to start??? The most beautiful spot in the region must be "Cassop Vale" a wild and natural location. Skating on the pond in winter and countless days building camps during our school holidays will be a lasting memory for me. When I bring my young son home from Cheshire its great to see him following in his fathers footsteps and loving natural surroundings! Just wish I could move the whole vale to derby!!!
Alf Edmundson
Backhouse Park was one of my favorite places as a youth, playing football and cricket depending on the season. Later on in life it was a photographers paradise espacially in the autumn. Alf.
Duncan Murdoch
There is only one place in the world to be on a warm summers evening! On the riverside walk around the cathedral in Durham City - eating cod and chips out of paper. Having left the area in 1969 that one memory stays vivid in my mind. Durham City, the most beautiful city in England.
Stanley Pyne
I used to call Sunderland Home some 40 odd years ago, I recently found your site, and find it quite exhilarating to see old memories, I used to live at 20 Park Place West, just South of Mowbray Park, ( which did not look like you show now,) as kids we would stand on the little bridge as the Steam Locomotives would pass under on their way to London, and get all Sooty and Steamy from the Smoke, Does Park Place still stand or has it become something else, I used to Ship out of the Wear, on Colliers, running down to Southampton, Ireland, Wales etc, I suppose a lot of changes have taken place. Thank you for a great site.
Chris Atkinson
My 3 favourite places in wonderful Sunderland are The Marina (what a peaceful are just before you enter the hustle and bustle of the City Centre!) and secondly Sunderland Beach (the longest and most beautiful in the U.K - so many life decisions have been made on this beach) and finally The brilliant Stadium of Light! (So many good times, hard times and emotional times have been had here and many friends have been made!) I truly love Sunderland (the City, the People and the Football Club!) with all my heart - Sunderland 'till i die.
Little Billy Craggs
I love the Fulwell Mill and have just become a Volunteer. For a few years now, I've taken part with other volunteers at Santa's Workshop. This year it's on the 10th and 11th of December between 12 and 4 p.m. Children will get a Cookie from Mrs Claus and they will meet Santa himself together with the Elves. Last year they had anteqarians who were dressed in period costume and put on acts from Dickens. The Mill has been restored to its working condition. There will be musical attraction and face painting and a story competition about a very famous Miller who was called Mick. There will be a prize for the best story. Ya knar Missus! Christmas is lovely, like Little Billy
Darren Ross, Fulwell
My favourite place in Sunderland is probably Fulwell Mill. I've lived next to it all my life, and when everything around you changes so quickly these days, it's good to see something that is constant. When I invite friends to Sunderland they are really suprised to see something so beautiful and dramatic in the heart of somewhere so suburban. I think I'm really lucky to be able to look out of my window and see a great white windmill with its sails spinning in the wind. Fulwell Mill is fantastic.
