40km Whitley Bay & Back Seaside Cycle

This 40km (25 mile) there-and-back cycle route will take you from the heart of Newcastle’s Quayside, along cycle lanes by the River Tyne, all the way to Whitley Bay on the coast (& back), and all along mostly traffic-free cycle paths or quiet roads. There are plenty of delightful places to stop, rest, eat, drink, and shop along the way, so take your time and make a day of it! You can rent bikes here or on this website for bike hire along the Tyne. You can also use Parkopedia to find parking spots near you before and after your journey.

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Route overview

We start this cycle route at the Gateshead Millennium Bridge (green star on map below).

Part 1 of the Whitley Bay & Back Seaside Cycle

Cycle due East (river on your right-hand side) and follow the signs for National Cycle Route No 72 Hadrian’s Way for approx 15km to North Shields.

At North Shields, the cycle route changes to National Cycle Route 1 – follow these signs to Whitley Bay before returning the way you came (add an extra 5km each way to extend the route to visit St. Mary’s Lighthouse where seals can sometimes be seen).

This lighthouse was completed in 1898 and was operational until 1984. You can climb up 137 steps in the lighthouse to see some spectacular views. There is also a video on the ground floor of the same views as well as other exhibits that explain the history of the lighthouse and extra information about the wildlife you can find in the Nature Reserve.

Part 2 of the Whitley Bay & Back Seaside Cycle

Part 3 of the Whitley Bay & Back Seaside Cycle

Part 4 of the Whitley Bay & Back Seaside Cycle

Part 5 of the Whitley Bay & Back Seaside Cycle

Part 6 of the Whitley Bay & Back Seaside Cycle

Part 7 of the Whitley Bay & Back Seaside Cycle

Part 8 of the Whitley Bay & Back Seaside Cycle

Some of the highlights of this cycle include…

At North Shields and at Whitley Bay there are lots of lovely places to eat and drink, including a very popular fresh seafood “street food shack” right on the beach at Whitley Bay (photo below)!

If you cycle further up the coastline at Whitley Bay you will come to St. Mary’s Lighthouse where seals can often be found basking on the rocks.