The Souter Saunter, Souter Lighthouse

This gentle linear walk sets out from the distinctive red-and-white tower of Souter Lighthouse, tracing the clifftops of the South Tyneside coast. Within a few minutes you reach Lizard Point, where the sea stacks and rocky headland give sweeping views along the shoreline and across a stretch of coast known for its seabird colonies.

The path continues past the Marsden Lime Kilns, a reminder of the area's industrial past, before drifting inland briefly by the Lighthouse Christian Fellowship. From here you head towards Whitburn Point Local Nature Reserve, a pocket of grassland and scrub that offers a quieter counterpoint to the open cliffs. The route finishes near The Wherry, a handy landmark for refreshments or the return leg.

At just 3.6 km with modest ascent, the Souter Saunter packs a lot of coastal character into an hour on foot. Expect big skies, salt air, and the steady presence of the lighthouse behind you as you walk north along one of the North East's most photogenic stretches of shore.