South Bents and Amble
The tenth section of the England Coast Path to open provides walkers, amblers and ramblers with uninterrupted access to 44 miles (71 km) of beautiful coastline between South Bents and Amble in Tyneside and Northumberland.
People will be able to explore the coast around the river Tyne and into Northumberland, linking the wild beaches and dunes of Druridge Bay to seaside resorts such as Whitley Bay and ports like North Shields further south.
The new path takes account of the area’s important coastal habitats. An example of this is on the north bank of the river Blyth where the route avoids sensitive bird roosting areas.
For any fans of the TV detective series ‘Vera’, some of the places the path passes through are often featured – Whitley Bay, St Mary’s Island and Cresswell.
Souter Lighthouse in South Tyneside is owned and managed by the National Trust. Built in 1871, it was the first in the world to run on electricity. It sits on a grassy cliff of rare magnesianlimestone and provides stunning views across the local nature reserve and the mouth of the river Tyne.
Other places of interest which walkers may come across along the stretch are:
Arbeia Roman Fort at South Shields. Standing above the entrance to the River Tyne, Arbeia South Shields’ Roman Fort guarded the main sea route to Hadrian’s Wall. It was a key garrison and military supply base to other forts along the Wall and is an important part of the history of Roman Britain. Stories are brought to life at Arbeia through a variety of events and displays including gladiator battles, falconry displays, Roman re-enactments, storytelling and more.
Shields Ferry – crosses the Tyne and links up South Shields to North Shields.
Tynemouth Castle and Priory were once one of the largest fortified areas in England. Overlooking the North Sea and the River Tyne, it dominates the headland. With its 2000 year history and beautiful views it is the perfect location for a family fun day out. A popular spot to enjoy seaside fish and chips with a view and great location to have a picnic, lie back and enjoy the sea air.
Spanish City – a huge regeneration project on the sea front for residents & visitors at Whitley Bay due to open Summer 2018.
St Mary’s Lighthouse – reached between the tides via a short causeway, St. Mary’s Lighthouse at Whitley Bay has all the fascination of a miniature, part-time island.
Blyth Beach – famous for its 20 brightly coloured beach huts, South Beach at Blyth is a beautiful stretch of golden sand.
Kitty Brewster bridge – where new steps have been built to improve access.
Weir crossing has been opened up at River Wansbeck
Lynemouth power station – new access has been negotiated in front of the power station!
Creswell Pond Nature Reserve – a large brackish lagoon that has been created as the result of subsidence from old collapsed mine works. As the pond is adjacent to and connected to the sea, it has developed into a shallow brackish lagoon, providing excellent feeding for wading birds all year round.