Discover the lighthouses of North East England. The coast of North East England stretches from North Lincolnshire to the Scottish border, taking in Humberside, Yorkshire, County Durham, Tyne and Wear and Northumberland.
Please note that some of these lighthouses offer holiday accommodation or may be privately owned. Please take care not to trespass or drive on private property.
Stretching from the wide Humber estuary to the rugged borderlands of Northumberland, the coastline of North East England has windswept headlands, shifting sandbanks, busy historic ports and remote tidal islands. These have all shaped a coastline where lighthouses have played a vital role for centuries.
From the industrial shores of the Humber to the wild beauty of the Farne Islands, these lights have guided fishing boats, merchant ships and naval vessels through some of the most challenging waters in the North Sea.
Heading north from The Wash towards the Humber estuary, the fishing town of Grimsby and its neighbouring town of Cleethorpes look out across the wide waters of the Humber towards the Spurn Peninsula.
The Humber estuary is known for its shifting sandbanks, which historically made navigation difficult. A number of lightvessels once marked the safest channels leading into the busy port of Hull.
Nearby Immingham Dock is an important port for the transportation of oil, chemicals, fertilisers and iron ore. Along this industrial shoreline stand the three lighthouses of Killingholme.
Further along the estuary lies Barton-upon-Humber, where the Humber Bridge dominates the skyline. Opened in 1981 after 9 years of construction, it was, at the time, the longest single-span bridge in the world.
In Kingston upon Hull, the city’s prosperity developed around the River Hull. Today, the tidal barrier, completed in 1980, protects the city from flooding.
In Hull Marina, the black-hulled Spurn Lightvessel is open to visitors. A short walk away along Trinity House Lane stands Hull Trinity House, while nearby Queen Victoria Square is home to the impressive Maritime Museum, located in the former Dock Offices building.
Further along the northern banks of the Humber, past the industrial shoreline, stands the unusual corner building of Paull Lighthouse, dating from 1836. A little further along are the lights of Thorngumbald Clough.
The Spurn Peninsula is a narrow spit of sand and shingle stretching around four miles into the Humber estuary and is constantly reshaped by the sea. Visitors once drove along the road to the tip, but access is now via the excellent Spurn Discovery Centre.
From here, guided tours travel to Spurn Point by truck, allowing visitors to explore and climb the restored lighthouse. Spurn Point Lighthouse was decommissioned in 1985 and restored in 2016.
The site of the earlier lighthouse designed by John Smeaton lies nearby, though it is not easy to spot today. The Low Lighthouse can still be seen on the beach.
It is possible to walk the four-mile route to the point and back, but visitors should always check tide times as sections of the route can be cut off. At the far end of Spurn Point is the Humber Lifeboat Station, the only RNLI lifeboat station with a full-time crew due to its remote location.
The Discovery Centre, run by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, also displays the recently repatriated bullseye lens from the lighthouse optic. The cafe commands stunning views across the estuary, and is a great place for wildlife watching.
On the Holderness coast lies the town of Withernsea, where a striking white lighthouse stands prominently in the centre of the town. Withernsea Lighthouse is open to visitors and houses a small museum and a café. The base of the tower also contains an exhibition dedicated to the actress Kay Kendall, who was born in the town.
Further north, beyond Bridlington, the dramatic white chalk cliffs of Flamborough Head rise around 150 feet above the North Sea. Flamborough Head Lighthouse stands on the headland, close to the much older Old Beacon Tower.
Scarborough’s historic castle stands high above the town’s North and South Bays. The site was once home to a Roman signal station, part of a chain of coastal defences used to warn of approaching enemies from the sea.
Scarborough Lighthouse, built in 1806 on Vincent Pier beside the yacht club, was badly damaged during a German naval bombardment in 1914 and later rebuilt in 1931.
Further along the coast near Hawsker stands Whitby High Lighthouse, perched on the clifftop overlooking Saltwick Bay. Two lights were originally built here in 1858 to mark the dangerous Scar Rock. The Low Light was later discontinued and replaced with a fog signal station.
The historic town of Whitby lines the River Esk, where harbour lights guide vessels safely into port. Both piers were extended in 1914. Above the harbour rises the dramatic silhouette of Whitby Abbey, reached by the famous 199 steps that climb through the old town. The abbey famously inspired Bram Stoker while writing Dracula.
Just north of Tees Bay lies Hartlepool, once a major shipbuilding centre and therefore a strategic target during the First World War. On 16 December 1914, the towns of Hartlepool, Whitby and Scarborough were shelled by German naval forces.
The Heugh Battery was built as part of the coastal defence system. The lighthouse at The Heugh (pronounced “Yuff”) had to be moved because it obstructed the battery’s line of fire. A temporary lighthouse was placed on the Town Moor before the present tower was built in 1927.
The unusual optic from the earlier lighthouse is now displayed at The Museum of Hartlepool.
Within the marina, visitors can still see the base of the former Seaton Carew Lighthouse as well as the lighthouse at Pilot Pier.
At Sunderland, the harbour is protected by the long breakwater of Roker Pier, with its distinctive lighthouse at the end. An access tunnel runs beneath the pier, and guided tours are occasionally available. On the seafront, the former Old South Pier Lighthouse stands as a memorial in the park.
Further north at Marsden Bay stands Souter Lighthouse, the world’s first lighthouse purpose-designed for electric power, built in 1871. It was decommissioned in 1988 and is now operated by the National Trust as a visitor attraction with an excellent visitor centre.
There are beautiful coastal walks along The Leas nearby, and a short distance away, a lift in the cliff face leads down to Marsden Grotto, a unique seaside pub and café originally created in the late eighteenth century.
Three lighthouses guard the entrance to the River Tyne. Tynemouth Pier Lighthouse is the tallest and most visible, standing at the end of the long north pier. The pier was completed in 1895, although severe storm damage shortly afterwards required substantial rebuilding before it reopened in 1909.
Both the North and South Shields pierhead lighthouses were constructed at South Shields before being transported and installed on their respective piers.
Another distinctive landmark is the Herd Groyne Lighthouse, built in 1882 by the Newcastle Trinity House Board. The structure stands at the end of Groyne Pier, originally constructed between 1861 and 1867 to improve the flow of the River Tyne and protect Littlehaven Beach. The name comes from Herd Sands, the former name of the sandbanks in this area.
Further inside the harbour are the North Shields lights, which historically marked the shifting navigation channel into the river.
At Whitley Bay stands the distinctive St Mary’s Lighthouse, located on a small tidal island. It was the last lighthouse in England to be converted from an oil-burning light to electric operation.
Today it is open to visitors, although access is via a causeway which is covered at high tide, so visitors should check tide times carefully before crossing.
Blyth is an important working harbour with a long maritime history. Within the South Harbour, the Northumberland Yacht Club preserves one of the remaining wooden lightvessels, LV50, which was rescued in 1952.
In the town itself, Blyth High Lighthouse stands about 100 yards inland. Originally, it worked in conjunction with a Low Lighthouse closer to the harbour entrance. As the town grew and surrounding buildings increased in height, the tower itself was raised so that the light could still be seen from the sea.
Further north lies the small harbour town of Amble, once busy with ships loading coal from nearby mines. Today it is a quieter port, overlooked by the impressive ruins of Warkworth Castle.
About a mile offshore stands Coquet Island Lighthouse. The island was once home to a hermit named Henry who lived there during the twelfth century.
At Seahouses, boat trips depart for the Farne Islands, a wildlife-rich archipelago that is also home to several historic lighthouses. From here, visitors can travel out to Longstone Lighthouse, famous for the heroic rescue carried out by Grace Darling and her father in 1838 when they saved survivors from the wrecked steamship Forfarshire. Boat trips also pass Inner Farne Lighthouse on its island, closer to the shore.
Heroine Grace Darling is commemorated in the Grace Darling Museum in nearby Bamburgh, where her memorial can also be found. Above the village rises the magnificent Bamburgh Castle, standing dramatically on its rocky outcrop overlooking the North Sea.
A short distance along the coast from the astle stands the modern Bamburgh Lighthouse.
Further north lies Holy Island, or Lindisfarne, dramatically cut off from the mainland by tides and connected by a causeway. Visitors should take care when crossing, as the road is regularly covered by the sea.
Nearby, the beacons at Guile Point stand on the sandy promontory overlooking the island.
From here it is only a short journey to Berwick-upon-Tweed, where the harbour lighthouse marks the entrance to the River Tweed as it winds inland towards the Scottish border. Beyond this point, the coastline continues into Scotland.
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