Top Nature Walks in the North East: Best Spots for Scenic Strolls

The North East of England is celebrated for its rich heritage, vibrant culture, fascinating history, and breathtaking natural beauty. This region encompasses Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and even stretches into a small part of North Yorkshire. If you’re a nature enthusiast, here are some must-visit spots in and around the North East for a scenic stroll.

Seaham Beach

Seaham is a coastal town in the County Durham, located 6 miles south of Sunderland. Movie fanatics might remember the opening scene from the movie Alien 3 (1992) that was shot at the Blast Beach, Seaham. The long walkers can start their journey from Hendon Beach, then move south through Ryhope beach towards Seaham beach.

For short walkers, there’s an entrance near the road B1287 to Durham’s Coastal Footpath, that leads you to a small gorge (you could take the hard path by climbing down to the gorge or there’s the easy way of taking the stairs). The gorge opens into the Seaham beach and you would be greeted by the view of the Sea Stack and the cliffs nearby.

When you walk down south (staying clear of the dangerous rock cliffs above you), you will reach the Glass Beach. Why is it called the Glass Beach ? SEA GLASS! A famous fun time activity at this beach is treasure hunting. Hunting for sea glasses that washes ashore.

 

The sea glass at Seaham is formed from the remnant waste that was dumped into the sea when the nearby Londonberry Bottleworks was demolished in 1921.

From there you can continue south towards the Seaham Harbour to take a look at the World War I soldier sculpture, popularly known as Tommy. Further south is the Blast Beach(the Alien 3 location as mentioned above), where you could have a look at a World War II Defence post on the beach.

Hulne Park

Hulne Park surrounds Alnwick Castle in Northumberland and is 46 miles north from Sunderland. It is a walled habitat that is open to walkers, owned by the Duke of Northumberland and landscaped by the famous British historical figure Capability Brown.

 

The journey through the park will lead you to Brizlee Tower, a 26-metre ornamental tower erected in 1781. By moving further forward, you will reach the private burial ground of the Percy family(the English noble family that holds the Duke of Northumberland title). Next to the burial ground is a vertical rune stone and a stone bench that gives you a view of the Aln Valley (many believed this is the old Duchess of Northumberland’s favourite spot).

 

A small cave known as the Nine Year Aud Hole is found on the path and at the entrance of the cave is the statue of an 18th century Carmelite Friar. A short uphill climb takes you to the Hulne Priory (a location featured in the 1991-film Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves). The Hulne Priory was founded in 1240 and is still home to a few Carmelite Friars.

While most of the priory are in ruins, it is still a sight to behold. It also has a cemetery for pets(horses and dogs).

 

High Force Waterfalls

High Force Waterfalls is a 71-feet waterfall located on River Tees near Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham(49 miles away from Sunderland).

 

 

If you start the walk from Bowlees Visitor Centre in Barnard Castle, you could walk through Low Force Waterfalls, an 18-foot fall on River Tees. Low Force Waterfalls were featured in the film 1917(2019) and season two of Netflix’s The Witcher.

 

By crossing the unstable Wynch Bridge and then moving upstream through the river, you will reach the High Force Waterfalls in 32 minutes.

 

You can continue the journey through the banks of River Tees and and reach some of the less busy falls along the way- Bleabeck Force being among one of them.

 

Moving downstream from the Low Force Waterfalls would also take you to Bow Lee Beck, a pasture and woods filled with pine trees.

 

The Simonside Hills

 

 

The Simonside Hills are a hill range in Northumberland(49 miles north of Sunderland) near Rothbury town. Most of the hills are 300-440 metres high and is a popular spot for rock climbers ,and hikers. There are several natural rock formations, caves and climbing areas for an adventurer for a little boost of adrenaline.

The Simonside Ridge walk is 4.5 miles long and takes about 3 hours to complete. Depending on the weather the hills can be windy or sometimes be dampy. So dressing for the occasion is recommended for this walk. The highest point among the hill formations is Tosson Hill, standing tall at 440 metres.