Created in 1974, Tyne and Wear is a relatively young county which incorporates the boroughs of Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland. The county has a rich industrial history, with coal, shipbuilding and engineering very much to the fore, but the beaches of North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland draw many, as do Gatesheads countryside sites and Newcastles country parks. Culture is also important, including Newcastles Theatre Royal, Sage Gateshead and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, as well as sport, not least the Great North Run. 50 Gems of Tyne and Wear explores the many places and their history that make this part of the country so special, including natural features, cities, towns and villages, buildings and places of historical interest, providing glimpses of the past and present, industrial heritage, leisure, arts and culture, and key annual events. Alongside justly famous attractions, others will be relatively unknown but all have an interesting story to tell, all supported with high-quality photographs.