Walks in South Shields
This coastal town in Tyne and Wear sits in a fine spot at the mouth of the River Tyne.
This walk takes you along the coast in the town, visiting some of the area's highlights including South Shields Lighthouse, the South Pier, Ocean Beach pleasure Park, Trow Point, Souter Lighthouse and Whitburn Coastal Park. It's a geologically interesting stretch of coast with rocky coves, sea stacks, caves and natural arches to admire.
The walk starts at the Littlehaven Beach Car Park at the northern end of the promenade in the town. From here it is a short walk up to the South Shields Lighthouse at the tip of the River Tyne entrance. You then head south east where you can enjoy a stroll out onto South Shields pier where there's nice views back to the town and out to sea.
You then continue along Herd Sand Beach to Trow Point, Frenchman's Bay, Marsden Cliff Nature Reserve, the Souter Lighthouse and Whitburn Coastal Park. The park is a nature reserve with trees, a bird observatory, viewing screens and wetland habitats. There's also a new National Trust wildlife garden with ponds, wildflowers, trees, berry bearing shrubs, a bog garden and hibernation areas. It's a wonderful area for wildlife watching with cormorants, shags, kittiwakes, fulmar and herring gulls. After exploring the coastal park the route retraces it's steps with some alternative paths to follow through the Marsden Lea area.
Postcode
NE33 1LH - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locationsSouth Shields Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
South Shields Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
South Shields OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
South Shields Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Walks near South Shields
- Souter Lighthouse and Whitburn Coastal Park - Enjoy a coastal walk around the Souter Lighthouse, Whitburn Coastal Park and Lizard Point on the South Shields coast
- Whitley Bay to Tynemouth - Enjoy a coastal walk along the North East coast from Whitley Bay to Tynemouth
- Great North Forest Heritage Trail - This circular cycle and walking route takes you through the countryside of this former mining area in Tyne and Wear
- Newcastle - Newcastle upon Tyne is the most populous city in the North East of England
- Cleadon Hills - This circular walk climbs to the Cleadon Hills viewpoint above South Shields in Tyne and Wear.
- Seaton Sluice - This pretty village sits in a lovely spot on the Northumberland coast near Whitley Bay and Blyth.
- Blyth - This Northumberland based town has some nice coastal trails and paths along the River Blyth estuary to try.
- Tynemouth - This North Tyne town is a fine place for a historic coastal walk
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
To continue your walking around South Shields catch the ferry over the water and try the Whitley Bay to Tynemouth Walk. Just north of Whitley Bay you can also visit Seaton Sluice. Here you can visit the wildlife rich St Mary's Head Nature Reserve where there's a lighthouse and fine views back to Whitley Bay. There's also the National Trust's Seaton Delaval Hall, a historic Georgian property with some lovely grounds and gardens.
Head south along the coast path and you will soon come to the famous port town of Sunderland. Here you can try the Sunderland Walk which explores Roker Beach and the harbour at the mouth of the River Wear.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Tyne and Wear Walks page.
Photos
Herd groyne lighthouse from Tynemouth North pier.
South Pier
Trow Point
Frenchman's Bay
Coast between Marsden Bay and Frenchman's Bay. Rocky coves, natural arches and caves undermine the limestone cliffs south-east of Frenchman's Bay. To the left the flat grassland of The Leas.
Marsden Rock. Photo of this prominent rock north of Souter Light House
Souter Lighthouse from the East. Now owned by the National Trust the lighthouse was opened in 1871 and was the first to use alternating current which gave much better reliability than direct current. The dark window on the left was an innovation designed to provide a fixed two colour light across Sunderland Bay. Ships would steer along the white sector before turning into the port of Sunderland; if the light turned red they had drifted too close to the rocks.
Coastal Footpath to Souter Lighthouse