Choose a journey to get started.
South Tyneside & Wearside: Shields to Roker
From the South Pier at Shields along the cliff-tops of The Leas, past Marsden Rock and Souter Lighthouse, to Sunderland's seafront. Big views, fewer surfers, and a proper coastal walk even if the sea doesn't cooperate.
Tees Bay: Hartlepool to Hunt Cliff
Industrial skylines, slag reefs and a Victorian pier. Tees Bay has the widest range of waves on the coast, from Saltburn's friendly beach to The Gare's rare, heavy right. Drive it north to south and stop where the swell and wind line up.
The Northumberland Coast Run
Castles, dunes and empty peaks. Start at Bamburgh, the most reliable break in the county, and work south through the bays until you find the one that's working. On a northerly swell with a westerly wind, one of these will be.
The Surf Check: St Mary's to Tynemouth
The classic Tyneside surf check, on foot. Start at St Mary's Lighthouse and follow the promenade south past every break on the North Tyneside coast, ending under the priory at the mouth of the Tyne. Worth doing even when it's flat.