Best Parks and Green Spaces in Whitley Bay

For a town best known for its beach, Whitley Bay has a surprising amount of green space away from the sand: a former quarry that is now a nature reserve, a wide sweep of open grassland fringing the seafront, a quiet wildlife dene at the north end of town, and well-kept suburban parks with bowling greens and tennis courts. Whether you want a proper wildlife walk, a run before work, or somewhere to let children loose, here are the best parks and green spaces in and around Whitley Bay.

Marden Quarry Park

About ten minutes' walk from the town centre on Marden Road South, Marden Quarry Park is the pick of Whitley Bay's inland green spaces. A former quarry designated a local nature reserve, it wraps a large wildfowl lake in mature woodland and limestone grassland. It is a geologically notable spot too, holding one of the few significant magnesium limestone exposures north of the Tyne.

The lake is the draw for many visitors, with breeding mute swans, mallards, moorhens, coots and tufted ducks, plus seasonal migrants passing through. Surfaced paths loop the water, and a park warden service and active Friends group keep the reserve in good order. Do note the water safety rules: no wading, swimming or diving, and a permit is required for angling. It is managed by North Tyneside Council.

Best for: Best for wildlife watching and an easy, pram-friendly loop close to the town centre.

The Brierdene

At the northern end of Whitley Bay, close to the Links and the coast road, the Brierdene is a small valley where the Brierdene Burn runs down to the sea. Once partly given over to a coal mine, it has been transformed by the volunteer group Friends of Brierdene into a genuine wildlife site, home to more than a thousand recorded species and a diverse flower-rich meadow. It is a designated Site of Nature Conservation Importance, and the group's long-running work has been recognised with both a Green Flag Community Award and the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service.

It is a quieter, wilder counterpoint to the open seafront just beside it, and a lovely detour if you are walking north towards St Mary's Lighthouse. Paths can be soft underfoot after rain, so sensible footwear helps.

Best for: Best for a peaceful nature walk and wildflower meadows just back from the seafront.

The Links

The Links is the wide band of open grassland that runs between the coast road and the beach along much of the seafront. It is not a formal park, but it is the town's most-used green space by some distance, taking in Panama Dip's planted gardens and the promenade path that carries walkers, runners, cyclists and dog walkers north towards St Mary's Island. With the sea on one side and views back to the Spanish City dome, it is where much of Whitley Bay's outdoor life happens, from the summer carnival to everyday kickabouts.

Because it is flat, paved along the promenade and completely open, it suits pushchairs, wheelchairs and young cyclists finding their feet. There is plenty of parking along the front and no shortage of ice cream nearby.

Best for: Best for seafront strolls, running and open kite-flying space with a sea view.

Whitley Park

Tucked off Park Avenue near the heart of town, Whitley Park is a compact, well-kept green space of a little over four acres, with a network of surfaced paths that make it popular for a gentle walk or a lunchtime run. It is a handy pocket of calm within easy reach of Park View's shops and cafes, and its enclosed feel makes it an easy option with smaller children or a dog. It will not take long to explore, but that is rather the point: a green breather in the middle of town without heading for the coast.

Best for: Best for a short, central stroll or run a few minutes from the shops.

Souter Park and Churchill Playing Fields

Straddling Marine Avenue between Monkseaton Metro and Whitley Bay, Souter Park is a characterful suburban park with four bowling greens, five hard tennis courts and an ornamental garden. Immediately to the north lies Churchill Playing Fields on Hartley Avenue, a large recreation ground with grass pitches for football and cricket, an all-weather athletics track, tennis courts and a car park. Together they form the main hub for organised sport on this side of town, linked by a footpath along a former railway line.

Best for: Best for bowls, tennis, athletics and organised sport with plenty of open space.

Most of these spaces are within a short walk or a single Metro stop of the town centre, and several sit right beside the seafront, so it is easy to string a couple together. Marden Quarry and the Brierdene reward a slower, wildlife-minded visit; the Links and Whitley Park suit a quick blast of fresh air; Souter Park and Churchill are the place to head for a game.

Have we missed a favourite green space, or is there a Friends group we should mention? Get in touch.