Jo’s Monday walk : South Shields to Souter

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Many of you seemed to enjoy my visit to the Tall Ships Regatta at Blyth last week, so I decided to stay on this same coastline for today’s walk.  South Shields is just a little way down the coast, and if you look closely at the photo above you might just make out a Tall Ship on the horizon.

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I’ve brought her a little closer!  She was just hovering offshore, admiring the view.

As you can see it’s a rugged coastline, but the Blue Flag beach at South Shields is superb. We’ll start our walk from the car park behind the beach, along the new promenade.  In the distance Tynemouth Priory is just visible, across the river mouth.

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Walking south, in the direction of Souter Lighthouse, the sand is lovely and firm beneath my feet.  At the end of the beach a path leads up to The Leas, and from there it’s 2.5 miles of coastal footpath to Souter Lighthouse.

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I’m not going to talk much today.  I’ll simply let you enjoy the humps and bumps of scenery.  It’s a sight that always fills me with awe.

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I was astounded when reading the information board in Frenchman’s Bay.  I knew, of course, that this area was once popular with smugglers.  What I didn’t realise was just how much coastal erosion had changed the landscape, and the timescale involved.  This bay was once sandy and wooden steps led down to the beach.  Long, long before that, these rocks were formed- 245 million years ago, when South Shields lay close to the Equator.

In the far distance I can make out Souter Lighthouse and Marsden Rock.  The Rock is a 30 metre high sea stack of magnesium limestone and periclase.  These days it’s only home to seabirds, though once it was joined to the land.  At this point I turn back.  I’ve visited Souter Lighthouse before, as the link will show, and I have a different goal in mind today.

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I’m heading back towards the River Tyne and South Shields, and the mighty pier that stretches 1,570 metres out to sea.  I keep an eye on the Tall Ship, out at sea, and am delighted to find that my arrival coincides nicely with hers.  Tynemouth Priory, on the far shore, is beautiful in close up.

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South Pier is an astonishing length and I’m entranced by the railway lines that once ran along it.  I would love to bombard you with statistics and information but I’m finding myself sadly short of time.  South Shields has a fascinating history and the Wikipedia link will give you all the facts you need.

It was a lovely day and we wandered into South Marine park, licking an icecream.  The boating lake and miniature steam train were busy, and I was pleased to see Shields thriving.   I know you’ll be gasping for a cuppa, and I can only apologise that this post is picture heavy, and not as factual as I would like.

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Thank you so much for the many and varied contributions I’ve received to my walks this week.  I struggle sometimes to keep up, but it’s always a joy to share with you.  Please join me, if you’d like.  Details are on my Jo’s Monday walk page.  Just click on the logo above.

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Paula always knows how to make me happy :

Hell’s Mouth – Not so Hellish

Lady Lee knows a good-looking city when she sees one.  She’s lived in this one for 27 years!

A Day in Munich

Jackie does us proud this week with some fabulous murals :

Islington Village of Murals

And Cardinal treats us to the sight of his ass- suitably clothed, of course!

The Majestic Jotunheimen

Kathrin has heaps of sea glass to share, but you musn’t take it away from the beach :

Glass Beach, Fort Bragg

Check out what Liesbet gets up to mid-week?  Lovely sunsets and sideways houses!

Feeling the Bern in Burlington, VT- a Mid-week “Weekend Away”

Fancy a bit of teeter-tottering with Violet?  You’ve come to the right place!

Heritage Village

Drake has us stepping back into the past too.  Always with a smile :

Just around my corner

Stained glass fans?  Step right this way!  BiTi has some beauties :

La Couvertoirade Village

Spectacular walking with Cathy this week.  16,453 steps in total, but you do get to stop for lunch!

Iceland’s Golden Circle : Gulfoss and Geysir

Yvette is content to share the simple wonders of the beach.  Timeless images and wiggly ones!

Simple Things at the Beach 

Susan gives a very personal take on her impressions of Berlin :

Walking Berlin, Germany

I simply had to steal this one away from Meg!  I know this palace, but had no idea of its splendours :

Palace on the island

And I know that Meg will approve Susan’s architectural details too :

Art in the details : Looking up in the Financial District

That’s it folks!  Hope you enjoyed it, and that you have a happy week ahead.  See you soon!

135 comments

  3. What a gorgeous walk along the shore, with the tall ships in sight out in the water! You had a glorious day, Jo! I love your large-scale pictures; I think I need to find a theme that shows larger pictures; mine seem so small in comparison. Thanks for including our walk to Gullfoss and Geysir. 🙂

    I love so many of your pictures, but I especially love the one with those feathery pink flowers, the bicycle and the life buoy, and all the ones of the rocky coast and that pretty blue sky with wispy clouds. 🙂

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    1. That’s what I like about this theme, Cathy- the photo size. Not having a side bar makes a big difference too, but as Jude has pointed out, I don’t have a Categories drop down or proper search method. It’s always a trade off. 🙂 Thanks for your company! Is it Labour Day today?

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  7. Simple gorgeous! You let me enjoy what I like the best! Happy Monday, dear Jo! Awesome! My heart sings and lips are stretched in a big smile!

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  13. South Shields definitely does sound like quite a walk, Jo. The coastline looks different in so many places, judging from all these photos you took. The rock formations certainly hug the sand and sea very closely – so many of them to see and each of them quite massive too. Hard to think there were smugglers in the area back in the day. But I suppose every lovely place has its past.

    Enjoying the walk with an ice-cream. Now you certainly know how to walk and relax the right way 🙂

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  18. Pingback: Whence inspiration arises | Le Drake Noir

    1. Got here at last, Becky! We’ve been down on the Whitby cliff tops most of the day, and then back over the Moors. 🙂 I did intend to include much more of the history, but yesterday was full on, and then I watched Rafa for 4 hours! One of these days I’ll get into forward planning 🙂 🙂
      Having a good time? What’s the plan?

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      1. Oh very envious of all that fresh air! London is very humid and busy – so far graduation ceremony, museum, river stroll, catch up with daughters and today is friends and then home.

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