Autumn Exercise with Elmer

The last days of summer are fading and the autumn days are folding in. The leaves will begin to fall, temperatures will cool and colours will change to amber and gold. So why not wrap up and get outdoors to explore the glory of the season?  And this autumn in Newcastle we have some very special guests peppering our paths through the city and beyond.

Elmer’s Great North Parade is a trail of 50 concrete elephants, based on the beloved book character Elmer, placed at different points across Tyne & Wear to raise awareness for St Oswald’s Hospice. Each elephant is sponsored by a local business and at DFDS we’re proud of our Beyond the Sea elephant who sits at North Shields Fish Quay, welcoming our ships each morning. Visitors are encouraged to find every single Elmer on the trail to win prizes and most importantly to raise money for the wonderful work of St Oswald’s Hospice.

Just like the famous book character, the elephants are brightly coloured and beautifully patterned to complement the burnished reds and golds of autumn. You can find our elephant near the port at North Shields, and others in Newcastle City Centre, by the quayside and in the city’s parks. If you’d like to explore more of the north east, venture south to Sunderland where you can find even more of the multicoloured mammals.

If you’re visiting Newcastle, why not take to the Elmer trail yourself? Trail maps are available at our booking office just by the port for a donation of only £1 and you can download the app to unlock treats along the route.  Not only will you be helping raise money for St Oswald’s Hospice, a charity providing care, love and support to young people with complex needs and incurable conditions, you will be getting fresh autumnal air, exploring Tyne and Wear and exercising in the great outdoors.

Banish those autumn blues and step outside to find Elmer for a fantastic cause!

Elmer’s Great North Parade runs until 1 November across Tyne & Wear.

DFDS run daily crossings between Newcastle and Amsterdam. To find out more click here.