Marsden Beach

  • Marsden Beach - Tyne and Wear
    © housedoctor3
  • Marsden Beach - Tyne and Wear
    © pbryd and licensed for reuse under this Licence
  • Marsden Beach - Tyne and Wear
    © John Pallister and licensed for reuse under this Licence
  • Marsden Beach - Tyne and Wear
    © Steve Daniels and licensed for reuse under this Licence
  • Marsden Beach - Tyne and Wear
    © Steve Daniels and licensed for reuse under this Licence
  • Marsden Beach is a bit of a hidden gem located just  on the outskirts of South Shields, north-west of Lizard Point. 

    The golden, sandy beach is backed by tall cliffs and is best known for its breathtaking rock formations, which include a number of sea-stacks and rock arches. Most notable among these is Marsden Rock a 30 metre (100ft) tall sea stack which once featured a stunning arch before it sadly collapsed into the sea . 

    When the tide is out, a number of rockpools are exposed, teeming with interesting marine wildlife. 

     In the cliffs opposite Marsden Rock, one finds Marsden Grotto, one of the only two cave-bars in Europe, which is literally carved out of the rock face.  A number of legends and ghost stories surround the cliffs, caves and the pub itself, all of which were once the haunt of smugglers. 

    Dominating the cliff face here is the lift shaft which takes customers from the cliff top down to Marsden Grotto over 100ft (30m) below.

    From this beach, the views of the cliffs and the craggy coastline will take your breath away. 

    A seabird sanctuary is close to the beach and this is a good place to see gulls, cormorants, kittiwakes and fulmars.  Look out for seabirds perched on top of Marsden Rock, providing a wonderful photo opportunity. 

    Pay-for parking for the beach can be found along the A183 coast road.  From here, a set of long, steep steps lead down the cliffs to the beach.  Alternatively a lift is available for which a voluntary donation is requested. 

    Type of beach

    Sandy

    Lifeguard service

    No

    Dogs friendly beach?

    We do not have information on this beach but restrictions may apply (usually from Easter until the end of Summer)

    Tyne and Wear dog friendly beaches »

    Activities

    • Rock pooling

    Facilities

    • Toilets
    • Pub nearby

    Nearest town

    South Shields

    Postcode

    NE34 7BS

    OS grid ref.

    NZ 4001 6496

    Parking

    National trust car parks (a charge applies to non-members).

    Water quality

    Water quality star rating

    Awards

    Marine Conservation Society Recommended

    Submit a correction

    Marsden Beach Reviews

    Marvellous beach

    Monique
    Aug 09th 2022

    I could not believe I was in the UK in September walking along this beach - it reminded me of the Amalfi coast in Italy. The fact that it takes a little effort to get to means that it is relatively unpopulated.

    Simply stunning !

    Kevan Bee
    Sep 26th 2021

    Discovered this gem quite by accident after flicking thru a local magazine.
    We’d seen a few photos but upon actually getting here, the photos didn’t do it justice at all.
    It’s absolutely fantastic and takes your breath away ( and I’m not talking about the climb up the metal stairway by the restaurant )
    We walked towards Sunderland and only turned back as our parking ticket was due to expire.
    We will be back.
    Check the tide times as there are dozens of caves to explore. Simply wonderful !

    Notes & pending corrections

    2024-04-19

    It is not a sandy beach anymore, it is rocky

    These corrections have been acknowledged and are awaiting verification before we update the page. We would suggest you double check the information here as we have not yet confirmed its accuracy.