6 Souter Lighthouse

TYNE AND WEAR

RED-AND-WHITE-STRIPED SOUTER stands midway between the Tyne and the Wear rivers, presiding over the oft-tempestuous North Sea. The first lighthouse to be powered by electricity, this state-of-the-art structure was built in 1871 at a time when smugglers stalked the seas and ships needed help navigating between treacherous rocks and reefs. Today, the surrounding cliffs are home to nesting guillemots, cormorants, kittiwakes, shags and fulmars. To get a bird’s-eye view of this wildlife haven and the weathered sea stacks of Marsden Bay, climb the 76 steps to the top. You can also hire one of the Victorian keeper’s cottages at its base (visitsouthtyneside.co.uk).