Beach Days

Beach Days

The North East coastline punches well above its weight, from Blue Flag beaches with lifeguards and cafés right on the doorstep to vast, wild stretches of sand where you can walk for an hour and barely see another soul. Here's a spread to suit every kind of day out.

Tynemouth Longsands and Whitley Bay

These two neighbouring beaches, along with King Edward's Bay next door, have held Blue Flag status every year since 1994, among a small handful of beaches nationally to hold both a Blue Flag and a Seaside Award. Longsands is the wider, more open stretch, popular with surfers and swimmers, while Whitley Bay has a classic seaside promenade feel with amusements and ice cream close by.

• Where: Tynemouth and Whitley Bay, North Tyneside

• When: Always accessible, with RNLI lifeguards on duty during the main summer season

• Cost: Free, parking charges apply at nearby car parks

• Good to know: Both are a short walk from Tynemouth or Whitley Bay Metro stations, making them genuinely easy to reach without a car

  
  

South Shields (Sandhaven)

Also known locally as Big Beach, Sandhaven is a long, wide stretch of golden sand backed by dunes, with a lively promenade running alongside offering everything from deckchair hire to fish and chips. It's popular with surfers and paddleboarders as well as families.

• Where: Sandhaven Beach, South Shields, South Tyneside

• When: Always accessible, seasonal RNLI lifeguards patrol in summer

• Cost: Free, with pay parking (around 2,500 spaces) along the seafront, free for Blue Badge holders

• Good to know: There's a seasonal dog ban on the northern half of the beach from 1st May to 30th September, worth knowing if you're bringing a four-legged wild child too

  
  

Roker and Seaburn, Sunderland

Sunderland's twin beaches offer over a mile and a half of golden sand between them, backed by a smart, modern promenade with cafés, restaurants and a restored Victorian pier at Roker to walk out along. It's less about amusements and more about a proper, well-kept stretch of coast.

• Where: Roker and Seaburn, Sunderland

• When: Always accessible, seasonal lifeguards in summer

• Cost: Free, with pay and display parking at Marine Walk (Roker) and free parking near Seaburn, both with disabled bays

• Good to know: At low tide you can walk the full length between the two beaches, and it's a good spot for dolphin watching if you're patient and lucky

  
  

Bamburgh

Genuinely one of the most beautiful beaches in the country, a vast stretch of pale sand backed by dunes with Bamburgh Castle looming over it all. It's the sort of beach that needs no embellishment, and a wild child can run for what feels like miles without reaching the end of it.

• Where: Bamburgh, Northumberland

• When: Always accessible

• Cost: Free, though parking is chargeable. Bamburgh Castle's own car park is around £4 a day, the main village car park around £7, though a handful of free spaces can sometimes be found in the lay-by along The Wynding if you're lucky and early

• Good to know: There are no lifeguards on this beach, so it's one for confident swimmers and close supervision rather than a lifeguarded paddle

  
  

Druridge Bay

For a genuinely wild, unspoilt beach day, Druridge Bay is hard to beat, seven miles of sand and dunes running between Amble and Cresswell, with barely another soul in sight even in the school holidays. It's part of a wider country park with a freshwater lake, woodland walks and a proper visitor centre, so there's plenty to do beyond the beach itself.

• Where: Druridge Bay Country Park, Red Row, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 5BX

• When: Park and beach open dawn till dusk daily. Visitor centre and café typically 9am to 4.30pm.

• Cost: Free entry to the park and beach, parking charges apply (first hour free, then a few pounds for the day)

• Good to know: There are no lifeguards on this beach either, and the tide can come in quickly behind you if you're walking right at the water's edge, so keep a close eye on the sea and the time