The Way of the Sea

About

A Northern Saints Trail so epic it combines three others in its course – by stunning coastline and crags, by imposing castles and by standout churches from Lindisfarne to Durham Cathedral.

Coasting along an exquisite but little-known stretch of the North East’s shoreline, The Way of the Sea reveals the area’s eventful relationship with the ocean throughout time.

It was the sea that sculpted the necessary environment to entice this region’s nationally important seabird populations.

It was the sea that allowed prolific fishing and coal-mining to first flourish here, and later be preserved in a number of riveting insights for visitors today to discover. It was the sea that necessitated the raising of castles at Tynemouth, lighthouses like St Mary’s and astounding Art Deco leisure complex Spanish City at Whitley Bay.

The scope of this trail will leave the wayfarer with a satisfyingly complete experience of the North East. On a path that alternates in appearance as often as the area’s notorious tides, you begin hiking through empty dunes and end on the edge of one of England’s biggest metropolitan areas. Along the way you encounter signs of just about every purpose people in this country ever derived from the sea: insights into the region’s unique maritime heritage at Newbiggin-on-Sea and a museum dedicated to the volunteer life-saving groups that helped the coastguard along this tempestuous coast at Seaton Sluice.

For full route descriptions download the documents below.