Middlesbrough is a large industrial town in North East England, sitting close to the coast, on the border with North Yorkshire, or just within it, depending on who you speak to.
Despite it being my hometown, I’m guilty of not taking the time to explore properly or enjoy some of the newer bars and restaurants that have popped up in the last couple of years.
So when I saw that Love Middlesbrough was organising an Instameet as part of English Tourism Week 2017, I was quick to sign up.
If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, an Instameet sees a group of people get together and tour a place, taking photos as they go and sharing them on Instagram.
It’s designed to show off the best bits of a town and its hidden gems, the details that you would normally overlook.
Middlesbrough probably isn’t most people’s idea of a tourist destination, but wandering around on a gorgeously sunny Saturday morning I found a new appreciation for the town, for its history and the regeneration it’s been going through in recent times.
Just this week, we had the news that a brand new multi-million pound winter sports centre is going to be built, bringing hundreds of jobs and massive investment to the town.
It will sit beside the striking sixth form college, just across from the Riverside Stadium and the Temenos sculpture, along the river from the famous Transporter Bridge.
This was the area we toured in the sunshine, capturing our town under the brilliant blue spring sky.
Doesn’t it make you want to visit?
If you’d like to see more pictures, you can view the full Storify on Love Middlesbrough’s website.
When was the last time you explored your town?