Plan your visit
🛝 Family🦅 Birds🧺 Picnic
Public access Free entry Dogs welcome
Getting here
54.99894, -1.41734
Open directionsv Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
▾ 🐦 96+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull ☀️ Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay ☕ Smith's Seaview Cafe — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food 🌤️ Visiting this summer
🐦 96+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull ☀️ Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay ☕ Smith's Seaview Cafe — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food
Best for 12 activities 🛝 Family friendly
Very strong match
Free playground, café, toilets, picnic area; Urban park — family destination
🦅 Bird watching
Very strong match
Free Birds — Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, Wigeon +93 more · last seen 2026; Deciduous woodland — woodpeckers, warblers and woodland birds
🧺 Picnic day out
Very strong match
Free picnic area, café, toilets, car park; Urban park — open green space
🎠 Playgrounds
Very strong match
Free playground, toilets, café, parking
Birds — Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, Wigeon +93 more · last seen 2026; Deciduous woodland priority habitat
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Free Insects — Syrphus ribesii, 7-spot Ladybird, Eupeodes luniger +18 more · last seen 2025
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 7 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Way of Learning Walking route 61 km ▾ Named route Length 61 km Point-to-point Regional walking route
Show on map Stride out walk Walking route ▾ Named route Local walking route
Show on map Souter Lighthouse Ranger Run, Souter Lighthouse Walking route 2 km ▾ A scenic run route around the former Whitburn Colliery, now home to grasslands, wildflowers & birds. This short but interesting & enjoyable run takes in a lap of Whitburn Coastal Park nature reserve. Paths are maintained but naturally uneven coast path.
Named route Length 2 km Duration 00:15-00:30 Round trip Local walking route
Show on map Souter Lighthouse Trail, Souter Lighthouse Walking route 2.6 km ▾ This trail is an easy stroll for all the family on well-established footpaths following the coastal path. Start and finish your walk at Souter Lighthouse, in Sunderland, spotting wildlife along the way. Mostly easy walking across established footpaths.
Named route Length 2.6 km Duration 00:30-01:00 Round trip Local walking route
Show on map The Souter Saunter, Souter Lighthouse Walking route 3.2 km ▾ On this 2 mile walk, you'll discover more than a lighthouse. Follow coast paths to discover a lost village, a nature reserve on the site of a former colliery, interesting rock formations & a beautiful bay. Maintained paths, fairly flat, no steep inclines.
Named route Length 3.2 km Duration 01:00-02:00 Round trip Local walking route
Show on map 115 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Route 14 Cycling route ▾ Named route Ref 14 National Cycle Network
Show on map Coast Road cycleway Cycling route ▾ Named route Local cycle route
Show on map EuroVelo 12 - North Sea Cycle Route - part United Kingdom 5 Cycling route ▾ Named route Ref EV12 International cycle route
Show on map Hadrian's Cycleway Cycling route ▾ Named route Ref 72 National Cycle Network
Show on map Reivers' Route Cycling route ▾ Named route Ref 10 National Cycle Network
Show on map National Cycle Network Link Route Cycling route ▾ Named route Ref (14) / (72) National Cycle Network
Show on map 7 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Reivers Off Road Cycle Route Mountain bike route ▾ Waggonways Cycle Route C - Backworth Mountain bike route ▾ Named route Local cycle route
Show on map Waggonways Cycle Route D - Rising Sun Mountain bike route ▾ Named route Local cycle route
Show on map Waggonways Cycle Route E - Silverlink Albert Edward Dock Mountain bike route ▾ Named route Local cycle route
Show on map Waggonways Cycle Route F - Wallsend Dene Mountain bike route ▾ Named route Local cycle route
Show on map Harton Branch Route Mountain bike route ▾ Photos
15 photos from nearby open sources
▾ Miniature railway, South Marine Park, South Shields
‹ › Photos Miniature railway, South Marine Park, South Shields
‹ › Facilities ☕ Café
Smith's Seaview Cafe · 263m
🅿️ Parking
South Promenade North · Paid · 172m
✓ Public access Free entry 🐶 Dogs
Good to know £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome
Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
UK green spaces mapped from open public data — so anyone can find the woodland, trail, or nature reserve closest to them.
© 2026 Glade · Made with care for UK green spaces
Wildlife to spot
15,658 records from NBN Atlas
▾
Wildlife to spot 15,658 records · NBN Atlas Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 15,658 records · NBN Atlas Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Common Porpoise Phocoena phocoena
Common Porpoise Phocoena phocoena
Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina
Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina
Dasysyrphus albostriatus Dasysyrphus albostriatus
Dasysyrphus albostriatus Dasysyrphus albostriatus
Platycheirus scutatus Platycheirus scutatus
Platycheirus scutatus Platycheirus scutatus
Platycheirus albimanus Platycheirus albimanus
Platycheirus albimanus Platycheirus albimanus
Cheilosia illustrata Cheilosia illustrata
Cheilosia illustrata Cheilosia illustrata
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Baccha elongata Baccha elongata
Baccha elongata Baccha elongata
Epistrophe grossulariae Epistrophe grossulariae
Epistrophe grossulariae Epistrophe grossulariae
Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum
Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum
10-spot Ladybird Adalia decempunctata
10-spot Ladybird Adalia decempunctata
Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria
Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria
Crematogaster scutellaris Crematogaster scutellaris
Crematogaster scutellaris Crematogaster scutellaris
Eupeodes Eupeodes
Eupeodes Eupeodes
Eristalis tenax Eristalis tenax
Eristalis tenax Eristalis tenax
Phaonia signata Phaonia signata
Phaonia signata Phaonia signata Cow Parsley
Cow Parsley
Anthriscus sylvestris
Anthriscus sylvestris
Mexican Fleabane Erigeron karvinskianus
Mexican Fleabane Erigeron karvinskianus
Red Dead-nettle Lamium purpureum
Red Dead-nettle Lamium purpureum
Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara
Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara
Wall Speedwell Veronica arvensis
Wall Speedwell Veronica arvensis
Glabrous Whitlowgrass Erophila glabrescens
Glabrous Whitlowgrass Erophila glabrescens
Japanese Knotweed Reynoutria japonica
Japanese Knotweed Reynoutria japonica
Henbit Dead-nettle Lamium amplexicaule
Henbit Dead-nettle Lamium amplexicaule
Purple Toadflax Linaria purpurea
Purple Toadflax Linaria purpurea
Russian-vine Fallopia baldschuanica
Russian-vine Fallopia baldschuanica
Traveller's-joy Clematis vitalba
Traveller's-joy Clematis vitalba
Cherry Plum Prunus cerasifera
Cherry Plum Prunus cerasifera
Marsh-mallow Althaea officinalis
Marsh-mallow Althaea officinalis
Bugloss Lycopsis arvensis
Bugloss Lycopsis arvensis
Mugwort Artemisia vulgaris
Mugwort Artemisia vulgaris
Common Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris
Common Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris
Yarrow Achillea millefolium
Yarrow Achillea millefolium
Musk-mallow Malva moschata
Musk-mallow Malva moschata
White Stonecrop Sedum album
White Stonecrop Sedum album
Blue Eryngo Eryngium planum
Blue Eryngo Eryngium planum
Field Bindweed Convolvulus arvensis
Field Bindweed Convolvulus arvensis
Cornflower Centaurea cyanus
Cornflower Centaurea cyanus
Prickly Lettuce Lactuca serriola
Prickly Lettuce Lactuca serriola
Balkan Clary Salvia nemorosa
Balkan Clary Salvia nemorosa
Opium Poppy Papaver somniferum
Opium Poppy Papaver somniferum
Common Nettle Urtica dioica
Common Nettle Urtica dioica
Perfoliate Alexanders Smyrnium perfoliatum
Perfoliate Alexanders Smyrnium perfoliatum
Greater Periwinkle Vinca major
Greater Periwinkle Vinca major
Lesser Periwinkle Vinca minor
Lesser Periwinkle Vinca minor
Spring Starflower Tristagma uniflorum
Spring Starflower Tristagma uniflorum
Groundsel Senecio vulgaris
Groundsel Senecio vulgaris
Cleavers Galium aparine
Cleavers Galium aparine
Tall Ramping-fumitory Fumaria bastardii
Tall Ramping-fumitory Fumaria bastardii
Danish Scurvygrass Cochlearia danica
Danish Scurvygrass Cochlearia danica
Common Field-speedwell Veronica persica
Common Field-speedwell Veronica persica
Common Stork's-bill Erodium cicutarium
Common Stork's-bill Erodium cicutarium
Rough Meadow-grass Poa trivialis
Rough Meadow-grass Poa trivialis
Thale Cress Arabidopsis thaliana
Thale Cress Arabidopsis thaliana
Pheasant's-eye Daffodil Narcissus poeticus
Pheasant's-eye Daffodil Narcissus poeticus
Dove's-foot Crane's-bill Geranium molle
Dove's-foot Crane's-bill Geranium molle
Red Currant Ribes rubrum
Red Currant Ribes rubrum
Common Bird's-foot-trefoil Lotus corniculatus
Common Bird's-foot-trefoil Lotus corniculatus
Creeping Cinquefoil Potentilla reptans
Creeping Cinquefoil Potentilla reptans
Alder Alnus glutinosa
Alder Alnus glutinosa
Yorkshire-fog Holcus lanatus
Yorkshire-fog Holcus lanatus
Wild Carrot Daucus carota
Wild Carrot Daucus carota
Red Fescue Festuca rubra
Red Fescue Festuca rubra
Germander Speedwell Veronica chamaedrys
Germander Speedwell Veronica chamaedrys
Franchet's Cotoneaster Cotoneaster franchetii
Franchet's Cotoneaster Cotoneaster franchetii
Shining Crane's-bill Geranium lucidum
Shining Crane's-bill Geranium lucidum
Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare
Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare
Green Field-speedwell Veronica agrestis
Green Field-speedwell Veronica agrestis
Barren Brome Anisantha sterilis
Barren Brome Anisantha sterilis
Holly Ilex aquifolium
Holly Ilex aquifolium
Honesty Lunaria annua
Honesty Lunaria annua
Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta x hispanica = H. x massartiana
Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta x hispanica = H. x massartiana
Hyacinth Hyacinthus orientalis
Hyacinth Hyacinthus orientalis
Wild Cherry Prunus avium
Wild Cherry Prunus avium
Common Ramping-fumitory Fumaria muralis
Common Ramping-fumitory Fumaria muralis
White Dead-nettle Lamium album
White Dead-nettle Lamium album
Curled Dock Rumex crispus
Curled Dock Rumex crispus
Butterbur Petasites hybridus
Butterbur Petasites hybridus
Blackthorn Prunus spinosa
Blackthorn Prunus spinosa
Alexanders Smyrnium olusatrum
Alexanders Smyrnium olusatrum
Lady's Bedstraw Galium verum
Lady's Bedstraw Galium verum
Changing Forget-me-not Myosotis discolor
Changing Forget-me-not Myosotis discolor
Garden Grape-hyacinth Muscari armeniacum
Garden Grape-hyacinth Muscari armeniacum
Common Couch Elymus repens
Common Couch Elymus repens
Black Horehound Ballota nigra
Black Horehound Ballota nigra
Ramsons Allium ursinum
Ramsons Allium ursinum
Montbretia Crocosmia aurea x pottsii = C. x crocosmiiflora
Montbretia Crocosmia aurea x pottsii = C. x crocosmiiflora
Ivy-leaved Toadflax Cymbalaria muralis
Ivy-leaved Toadflax Cymbalaria muralis
Common Whitlowgrass Erophila verna
Common Whitlowgrass Erophila verna
Flowering Currant Ribes sanguineum
Flowering Currant Ribes sanguineum Events & activities nearby Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.
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