South Tyneside Coastal Trails

Walking and running trails with spectacular coastal scenery.

Whether participating or watching, the coast and countryside of South Tyneside provide a perfect backdrop for all kinds of activities.

The South Tyneside Coastal Trails allows you to discover local history and stunning coastal views either by foot or cycle.

The trails    

There are three trails available for you to participate in. All the trails are marked with coloured bands applied to posts along the course.

• 3km trail (indicated by green vinyl bands)
• 5km trail (indicated by blue vinyl bands)
• 10km trail (indicated by red vinyl bands)

Points of interest

• Start - South Shields Promenade with all our fantastic seafront attractions.
• Trow Rocks - pass the World War II guns which were once used to defend the area from enemies and follow the lovely coastal path from Sandhaven Beach.
• Frenchman's Bay - a beautiful spot. It was once popular with smugglers and was named after a French ship that ran aground here in the 17th century.
• "Blackberry Hills" - the most northern site in Britain for perennial flax, a beautiful deep blue flowered plant that is nationally rare.
• Camel Island - a famous local rock shaped like a camel, many people have been trapped on this island not realising the tide has made its way in. 
• Marsden Bay - home of the impressive Marsden Rock, and the largest seabird colony in the North East. Kittiwakes, cormorants, herring gulls, fulmars, shags, razorbills and lesser backed gulls can regularly be seen here.
• The Limekilns. They were built in the 1870's, taking advantage of a nearby colliery which provided fuel for burning the locally quarried limestone to make quick or un slaked lime. Quicklime was used to neutralise soil, and to male cement and concrete. It was transported to South Shields via the "Marsden Rattler" train.
• Souter Lighthouse  - designed by James Douglass and opened in 1871, it was the first lighthouse specifically constructed to use electric light which was powered by a coal fired generator. This coastline was the most dangerous in the country with an average of around 44 shipwrecks per every mile of coastline. 

South Tyneside Coastal Trails (PDF) [1MB]