The Coastal Cruiser Walk from Whitley Bay to South Shields

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Go Smarter, Go Active is a campaign dedicated to getting more people across the North East walking & cycling whether this be for a day out or everyday journey.

Their website is packed with lots of FREE handy resources to help with walking and cycling across the region.

We recently tried one of their Travel Itineraries which was FREE to download to our phone.

The Coastal Cruiser walk/cycle route takes you from Whitley Bay to South Shields with lots of interesting places to stop along the way.

We had a brilliant day and I'll be sharing more about that later in our post. But first, let's take a closer look at the Go Smarter, Go Active website and some of the resources they offer.

Download FREE Walking and Cycle Routes with Go Smarter, Go Active

If you're looking for a fun-filled day out which can be enjoyed on bike or foot, Go Smarter, Go Active has created several Travel Itineraries covering days out out across the North East.

There's something for everyone and all abilities. Many of the routes are fully accessible too (just look out for the key).

If you feel like you've exhausted all days out options, I bet you'll find something here. And best of all, walking / cycling is FREE!

Below are just some of the walking / cycling itineraries you can download for free and try:

A Bit of the Sea : St Mary's Lighthout to Blyth Port (4.9 miles fully accessible route)
Discover Derwent : Lydgetts Junction to Swallwell Visitor Centre (12 miles fully accessible route)
Newcastle to Blaydon Racer : Grey's Monument to Blaydon (6.6 miles fully accessible route)
The Keel Line Trail : Propellors of the City to Whitburn (3.6 miles fully accessible route)
Tyne Trek: Ouseburn to Dunstan Staithes (3.3 miles fully accessible route)

And lots more! All of the Travel Itineraties feature a well designed map like the one above which you can download to your phone. The map shares the route, which parts are accessible, public transport stops, whether you can walk/cycle the route and points of interest to look out for along the way.

They're really easy to follow.

Check out the FREE Travel Itineraries / Walking and Cycling Maps here: https://gosmartergoactive.co.uk/travelitinerary/

Download FREE Cycling & Walking PDF Maps for North East England

Prefer to do your own thing? Go Smarter, Go Active also includes FREE regional maps you can download straight to your phone.

They are super detailed and include:

National Cycle Network
Traffic-Free Cycle
On-Road Cycle
Permissive Footpaths
Metro / Rail Stations
and lots more

Why not download a free PDF map of your local area? It's handy to have on your phone for when you're out and about and fancy trying a different route to your regular walks / cycles.

You can download maps here:
https://gosmartergoactive.co.uk/cycling-and-walking/

Or if you prefer, there is an interactive map with clickable hotspots to explore and you can zoom in / explore more detailed mapping. You can change the layers on the interactive map which makes it easier if you just want to look for a specific type of route (eg off road cycling).

You can download this map to your phone, use online when out and about (subject to signal) or print sections at home.

Find out more: https://gosmartergoactive.co.uk/cycling-and-walking/ (select interactive map)

We used this resource during our Coastal Cruiser Walk just to get a closer look at the route and it was really easy to use.

The Coastal Cruiser Walking / Cycling Route

We recently downloaded the FREE Coastal Cruiser Travel Itinerary to try (find it under the Cross Boundary Days Out section here: https://gosmartergoactive.co.uk/travelitinerary/)

We honestly had the best day and would recommend this route to couples, friends, families with children, dog walkers or those who want to dip into road cycling (there's a new cycle lane along the coast here).

The full route is 7 miles (fully accessible) or 13 miles (partially accessible). You can be flexible though. For example we decided to start at #2 on the map (Spanish City) as our bus from Cramlington stopped in Whitley Bay Town Centre and St Mary's Island / Lighthouse is closed over the summer while it receives it's spruce up.

Each Travel Itinerary comes with it's own easy-to-view key with access info, public transport stops and key points like public transport stops.

We started with breakfast at Valeries outside Spanish City as we viewed our itinerary for the day and learned that Spanish City was built in 1910.

What I like about this walk is that the views are just stunning, there are lots of places to stop and there is plenty seating and public toilets along the route. Oh and 99% of this route is flat. It's a walk you can definitely take at your own pace.

This route is very well served by buses and Metro too so if you do need to head back / get too tired, it's easy to get back to the start with public transport.

Our next stop was Cullercoats, here you'll find paddleboarding, cute coffee shops and a nice enclosed playground overlooking the sea.

And then it was onto Tynemouth where the road includes a new cycle lane. This section is perfect for those who are just starting out with road cycling.

In Tynemouth we stopped at Tynemouth Park which is a lovely area with a playground, adventure golf, boating lake, inflatables and maze. Definitely a good place to stop if you're walking this route with kids.

We reached Tynemouth Priory and it's somewhere we've visited a few times in the past. I noticed on our Go Smarter, Go Active itinerary map that King Malcolm III of Scotland who inspired Duncun's son in Macbeth was buried here so if course I had to pop in to learn more (English Heritage membership / admission applies).

I learned that there is no longer a physical grave and he was laid here before the priory was even built so they aren't sure of the exact location. His body was moved to Scotland when his son took the throne. It's always good to learn a little more about North East history.

We stopped for a little drink in Tynemouth (who can resist those pavement cafes!) and checked a more detailed map of our onward route using Go Smarter, Go Active website.

Our journey continued with a walk down to the Fish Quay. I love walking along here as it's always buzzing with activity and you can feel the history. There are 8 history boards dotted along the Fish Quay where you can learn more about the area which are definitely worth a read.

It was lunch time so we stopped for a lovely lunch at Dodgins Yard before catching the ferry over to South Shields.

A few people have asked about how you pay for the ferry so here are a few options (do check with operators though as info can change):

The Shields Ferry runs every 30 minutes from North Shields to South Sheilds and back again. It's cash free and you can pay by card / contactless when boarding or if you have a POP card, you can use that (there is a member of staff sitting at a desk as you board). Children aged 11 and under when travel for free when with an adult. Check costs & timetables here: https://www.nexus.org.uk/ferry
For us, we used the bus to get from Cramlington to Whitley Bay, the ferry, the Metro to get from South Tyneside to Whitley Bay and then the bus back home from Whitley Bay to Cramlington so we purchased a TNE Day Saver which allows unlimited travel with local buses across Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and Durham, Metro and Ferry for £6.80 per adult. You can purchase this from your driver, Metro ticket machines or local bus app.

And we made it to the finish line! I would set aside 2-3 hours to complete this walk with minimal stops but you can easily extend this as we did by stopping off for food / drinks and to visit landmarks and attractions along the way.

Our last prompt was to pop into the Word which is definitely worth doing. They have a LEGO build area and fantastic interactive exhibitions as well as a viewing areas where you can look out over the Tyne. It's free to visit.

Alternative Route......

As you can see on the map, there is a longer 13 mile route to try too. It's a further 1 hour - 1 hour 30 minute walk from Shields Ferry (where the accessible route ends) to the Pedestrain Tunnel and then the same on the other side from Jarrow to South Shields.

This extended route is not accessible for wheelchairs / pushchairs.

The Pedestrian Tunnel is really cool though and if you're up for it, definitely worth extending your walk for. It feels like a proper adventure walking through here.

There is one tunnel for cycling and another for walking (they both have the same entrance). It takes less than 5 minutes to walk through and you can really feel the history as you walk through.

Sadly, the wooden escalators are out of order. You can either walk down them as stairs or there is a lift if you'd prefer (I took this option!).

Getting Back

There are quite a few options for your return journey. You could retrace your steps / catch a Metro / catch the ferry back to North Shields and then walk /Metro.

For many, it will make sense to catch the Metro from South Shields to Newcastle and then catch a connecting bus home from there.

We genuinely had the best day out. We have walked parts of this route before but never all the way from Whitley Bay to South Shields and it felt good to try a new challenge. We found a new lunch spots, learned a thing or two about our region's history, definitely got our steps in, admired some beautiful scenery and of course, enjoyed some good company too.

If you'd like to plan a day like this, you can choose from various Travel Itineraries and download your own maps here: https://gosmartergoactive.co.uk/

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