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National Trust Souter Lighthouse and The Leas
Durham and North East
Whitburn

Address
Coast Road
Whitburn
Tyne & Wear, SR6 7NH
Opening Times
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Souter Lighthouse was a marvel of its age and remains an iconic beacon on the South Tyneside coast.

Opened in 1871, Souter was the first lighthouse in the world designed and built to be powered by electricity. The Engine Room, the heart of Souter, once provided power for the whole station and the operation of the foghorn. Today, Keeper’s Cottage recreates the living quarters of a lighthouse keeper and his family. Visitors venturing to the top of the tower are rewarded by sweeping coastal views and a close encounter with the huge lamp which floats on 1.5 tonnes of mercury.

Outdoors, the Foghorn Field provides space to picnic and play. To the north of the lighthouse, The Leas is a two and a half mile stretch of magnesian limestone cliffs and rock stacks alive with seabirds, overlooked by wildflower-rich coastal grassland. To the south is Whitburn Coastal Park and Nature Reserve – reclaimed colliery land, now a haven for wildlife. The England Coast Path follows the coastline and connects with a wider network of paths and access to beaches, including Marsden Bay.

Visitors can browse a second-hand bookshop in the lighthouse admissions area. The Lighthouse Cafe offers hot and cold drinks, cakes, bakes and light lunches to eat in or take away. For a quick snack on the go, a kiosk on The Leas provides drinks, ice-cream, crisps and confectionery (open seasonally). 

Please visit the website for lighthouse admission prices and car park charges (free to National Trust members). Entry to outdoor areas, the cafe and second-hand bookshop is free. 

Accessibility Information

Drop-off point outside the main lighthouse entrance.

Mobility toilet on ground floor, accessible from outside.

Access from both car parks is level, as are most of the paths and trails in the coastal park and along The Leas. There are steep steps down to Marsden Bay next to the Marsden Grotto public house and new steps are under construction further north.