Easington Beach Photo

Beach east of Easington Colliery

Easington Colliery operated between 1899-1993 and for many years dumped mine waste directly into the sea using an aerial ropeway and conveyor sited on the headland of Loom visible in the near distance. Most of the mine waste directly dumped on the beaches here or washed in by the sea has been removed by the Turning The Tide Project, 1997-2001, a £10 million programme for the restoration of the Durham Coastline http://www.bbc.co.uk/wear/content/articles/2006/11/27/durham_coast_feature.shtml The red bricks in the foreground, rounded and softened by the sea, are one of the few reminders of the previous devastation. The beach is now managed by The National Trust.

© Andrew Curtis and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence