The Moor

Travel Guide

Travel around Newcastle and The Moor BookTrail style with L J Ross

This novel is centered around the very famous Town Moor field in the centre of Newcastle. Every year it is the focus of a huge travelling fair which sets up for two weeks in July. People come from miles around to ride the dodgems, play hook the duck and more. Many childhood memories of locals are formed here too as it was always somewhere you would come with both your parents and friends.

“It comprised over a thousand acres of common land with suburbs on all sides: Spital Tongues and the city centre im the south, Gosforth in the north, Kenton Bar in the west and Jesmond to the east. A border of trees lined the edge of each field before it met the road, but it as mostly open land to allow the Freemasons of Newcastle to graze their cattle if they wished.”

The funfair is commonly known as ‘The Hoppings’:

“I remember going to The Hoppings when I was a nipper,” Philipps remarked, as the circus came into view.”

This is where the circus in the novel and there is indeed a circus which comes every year to this spot….not the one in the book of course!

Newcastle is also evoked well as usual and this time there are some interesting crime scenes such as a carpark and  marina….

Northumberland

There are lots of little visits up to Northumberland and in and around the village of Elsdon where DCI Ryan lives and Stocksfield. The area is evoked with style and love. It’s a nice break from the bustling city of Newcastle and the murders!