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Marsden Beach, South Shields: how to get down, tides, dogs and the Rock

Marsden Bay, off Coast Road, NE34 7BS, is the dramatic end of the South Shields coast: limestone cliffs, caves and arches, Marsden Rock and Camel Island standing off the beach, and one of England's most important seabird colonies, with thousands of pairs of kittiwakes, fulmars, gulls and cormorants. (Visit South Tyneside: Marsden Bay; checked 10 Nov 2026)

How to get down to the beach

• The Marsden steps (eight flights from The Leas, next to the Grotto): closed until the replacement is finished, expected spring 2027. Two upper sections will be concrete and the lower six a new steel staircase. A crane works from the Grotto car park at key stages, and the work may pause in high winds. (South Tyneside Council, 21 Oct 2026: Major work to replace Marsden steps; Esh Group: Marsden Bay steps replacement project; checked 10 Nov 2026)
• The Redwell Bank steps: open, but only usable when the tide allows. The council rebuilt them for £289,000 in 2022. Check tide times before you go and follow the signs on site. (South Tyneside Council, 21 Oct 2026: Major work to replace Marsden steps; checked 10 Nov 2026)
• The Grotto lift: the Marsden Grotto runs a lift down the cliff, 8am–10pm. (The Grotto, Marsden (venue website); checked 3 Nov 2026) The council says there is a pay-and-display car park at Marsden Bay next to the lift and stairs. (Visit South Tyneside (council): Visiting our beaches; checked 10 Nov 2026)

Tides matter here: see our tides and rock pooling FAQ and use the official predictions on Admiralty EasyTide. (Admiralty EasyTide (UK Hydrographic Office); checked 10 Nov 2026)

Dogs on Marsden Beach

Things to do at Marsden Bay

• Rock pooling for crabs and mussels, skimming stones, and seeing Marsden Rock and Camel Island up close from the beach. (Visit South Tyneside: Marsden Bay; checked 10 Nov 2026)
• Walking the clifftop path on The Leas, a two-mile stretch of grassland above the bay that is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, good for walking, cycling and kite flying. (Visit South Tyneside: Marsden Bay; Visit South Tyneside: The Leas; checked 4 Nov 2026; checked 10 Nov 2026)
• Souter Lighthouse is about a 10-minute walk along the coast. The lighthouse is closed in November and December 2026, but the café opens Friday to Sunday, 11am–3pm. (Visit South Tyneside: Marsden Bay; National Trust: Souter Lighthouse and The Leas; checked 3 Nov 2026; checked 10 Nov 2026) See Souter Lighthouse.
• On Monday 30 November a council wellbeing walk leaves The Word at 10am, takes the E1 bus to the Grotto, goes down by the lift, up the Redwell steps and along the cliff path to Trow Point. (Shields Gazette, 3 Nov 2026: wellbeing walk; checked 3 Nov 2026)

The Marsden Grotto

The Grotto is a pub, restaurant and hotel built into the foot of the cliffs. It is open 10am–10pm, with food 12–9pm. It may close at high tide and posts any closures on its Facebook page, and there's no mobile signal down there. Its car park costs £5, coins only. (The Grotto, Marsden (venue website); checked 3 Nov 2026) More: Marsden Bay, the Grotto and Marsden Rock.

Toilets and parking

• Public toilets are on Coast Road by the Grotto; the accessible one is open 24 hours. (South Tyneside Council: Public toilets and opening times; checked 3 Nov 2026)
• Marsden Lea (Coast Road, NE34 7BS) is a council long-stay car park; its prices are on the council page. (South Tyneside Council: South Shields seafront car parks; checked 10 Nov 2026) See Parking.

More beaches: Sandhaven and Littlehaven. News: Marsden steps replacement.

Sources for this page

1. South Tyneside Council, 21 Oct 2026: Major work to replace Marsden steps, checked 10 Nov 2026
2. Visit South Tyneside: Marsden Bay, checked 10 Nov 2026
3. Esh Group: Marsden Bay steps replacement project, checked 10 Nov 2026
4. The Grotto, Marsden (venue website), checked 3 Nov 2026
5. Visit South Tyneside (council): Visiting our beaches, checked 10 Nov 2026
6. Admiralty EasyTide (UK Hydrographic Office), checked 10 Nov 2026
7. Visit South Tyneside: The Leas, checked 4 Nov 2026
8. National Trust: Souter Lighthouse and The Leas, checked 3 Nov 2026
9. Shields Gazette, 3 Nov 2026: wellbeing walk, checked 3 Nov 2026
10. South Tyneside Council: Public toilets and opening times, checked 3 Nov 2026
11. South Tyneside Council: South Shields seafront car parks, checked 10 Nov 2026