Approaches to Ancient Medicine
Index | Programme | Registration/On-line Booking | Accommodation | Getting Here | Contacts
The Beehive, Newcastle University
24-25 August 2009
The Conference will be held on the University campus in the Research Beehive, room 2.22 (Old Library Building on the Campus map, first floor). The informal reception on Monday will be held in the first floor breakout area next to room 2:22. Lunch on Tuesday is in the Courtyard Restaurant (ground floor) within the Beehive. Dinner will be at the Dilston Physic Garden.
Registration: Please call at the registration desk at your earliest convenience to collect a name badge and further info, handouts, etc. The registration desk will be in the Beehive (first floor) and will be open from 12.00. Lunch will be available.
Travel and Arrival information
1. Arriving at Newcastle Airport
(a) Getting from Newcastle Airport to Newcastle University
The easiest way is to take a taxi, but this may cost you c. £15-20. A much cheaper and very convenient alternative is to take the Metro Tyne and Wear Metro from the Airport and alight at Haymarket. Metro tickets (off-peak £2.90) can be purchased at the Airport Information Desk (in the arrival hall of the Terminal building) or at the ticket machines in the Airport Metro Station. To get to the Metro, follow the black-and-yellow signs "M" in the Terminal Building (to the far left). Trains leave every 10 or 15 minutes. Alight at Haymarket; on leaving the tube station, turn right and cross the road (Percy Street) and you are on the University Campus.
(b) Getting from Newcastle Airport to Castle Leazes Halls of Residence
The easiest way is to take a taxi, which may cost you c. £15-20. It is cheaper to take the Metro from the Airport and alight at Haymarket, from where it is about 10-15 minutes walk (see Campus guide). You can also take the Metro as far as Central Station and take a taxi from there to Castle Leazes, which should cost c. £5. Metro tickets (off-peak £2.90) can be purchased at the Airport Information Desk (in the arrival hall of the Terminal building) or at the ticket machines in the Airport Metro Station (to the far left). To get to the Metro, follow the black-and-yellow signs "M" in the Terminal Building. Trains leave every 10 or 15 minutes.
2. Arriving at Newcastle Central Station
(a) Getting from Central Station to Castle Leazes Halls of Residence
The best thing to do is to get a taxi, which should be c. £6. Alternatively, you can take the Metro to Haymarket and walk from there (c. 15 minutes). Metro tickets (c. £1.40) can be purchased at the ticket machines in the Metro Station. To get to the Metro, follow the black-and-yellow signs "M" in the Station Building (to the far right).
(b) Getting from Central Station to Newcastle University
Take the Metro from Central Station (either the green line in the direction of the Airport or the yellow line in the direction of St. James via the Coast) and alight at Haymarket. Metro tickets (c. £1.40) can be purchased at the ticket machines in the Metro Station. To get to the Metro, follow the black-and-yellow signs "M" in the Station Building (to the far right). Once you have alighted at Haymarket and ascended via the escalators, turn right at the exit, cross Percy Street and you are on the University Campus.
3 Getting from Castle Leazes to the University
See electronic Campus map. When you cross the park this is less than 15 minutes walk.
You can also download instructions.
Check in at Castle Leazes
On arrival in Newcastle, those who have booked accommodation in Castle Leazes Halls of Residence can check in there at any time. From Castle Leazes, it is about 15 minutes walk to the University.
Getting around in Newcastle
Newcastle is a town of manageable size, and it should not be too difficult to get around without losing too much time. There is a relatively good public transport system, the Tyne and Wear Metro, a light rail network connecting the town (and the University) with the airport and the coast (see the little map on the University Campus guide); tickets can be purchased from the machines in every station; the machines usually give change but only accept coins, so make sure you have sufficient change when you intend to travel. Please note that return tickets (so-called 'Cheap Day Returns') are available only after 9.00 am. When travelling frequently during one day, it may be worth purchasing a Daysaver, which is valid for the whole network during one day/evening, but again this is available only after 9.00 am. There is also a large supply of buses and taxis (tips 10%). The distances are relatively small, considering the University's close proximity to the centre of town and the riverside, and many destinations are within walking distance.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR THOSE TRAVELLING BY RAIL IN THE UK
If you intend to make use of the British rail network, please note that rail fares in Britain differ widely depending on the time and day of travel and the time of booking. They are a bit like air fares: if you purchase your ticket on the day of departure, you are likely to pay much more than if you book 1 day, 7 days or 14 days in advance; and fares for advance bookings again differ depending on the degree of flexibility, a flexible fare often being much higher than when you choose a particular departure and return time. Again, travelling before 9 am tends to be more expensive, and so is travelling on a Friday; and the availability of lower priced seats varies (Saturdays and Sundays always being in great demand). It is sometimes possible to book the UK-part of your trip as part of an international train ticket such as Eurostar, but if this is not possible, it may be advisable to book your ticket in advance, either by telephone or over the internet. The train company operating between London King's Cross and Newcastle (and Edinburgh) is National Express East Coast tel. 08457 - 225 111) from the South West (Bristol, Birmingham etc.), the service is provided by Cross Country Trains (tel. 0844 811 0124) and from the Mid-West (Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, etc.) by Arriva (tel. 08457 - 484950). All these companies accept most major credit cards. If you book by telephone, you may be able to arrange to collect your ticket from the ticket office prior to departure.
Newcastle upon Tyne is the major urban centre and regional capital of the North East of England. It is a thriving city with an enviable reputation for the friendly welcome it extends to visitors from around the world. Its many attractions include theatres, art galleries (such as the famous Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art on the riverside), the new music centre The Sage Gateshead, museums (including the University’s Museum of Antiquities and the Shefton Museum of Greek Art) and the famous ‘Quayside’ on the river Tyne, with its vibrant nightlife. Newcastle is surrounded by countryside of outstanding natural beauty and historical monuments of major importance (Hadrian’s Wall, Durham Cathedral, Holy Island, numerous castles and priories, etc.). York and Edinburgh are within easy reach, and Scotland, the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District are all just a few hours away (see www.s-h-systems.co.uk/tourism/newcastle)
Information on how to get to Newcastle can be obtained from the Newcastle Gateshead Initiative website at: NewcastleGateshead.
Newcastle International Airport has direct connections with Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Barcelona, Budapest, Geneva, Toronto, all major London airports, Belfast, Dublin, and a number of other UK airports. The airport is well connected with the University and the city centre through a light-rail network (Metro).
Newcastle is connected to the Eurostar rail network via London King’s Cross (for timetables see National Express East Coast ). For a ferry connection with Amsterdam/IJmuiden (see www.dfdsseaways.co.uk).