A North Sea coast walk to a unique pub: the Marsden Grotto, South Shields

A bracing stroll past curious military relics ends in a pub carved into a cliff

I have lived and worked in the north-east of England for almost three decades and explored just about every mile of its coastline. The stretch between the rivers Wear and Tyne is often overlooked, perhaps because it’s partly concealed on the map by the Sunderland and Newcastle conurbation. On previous bike rides and walks I’ve come across old lighthouses, industrial and military relics and other curious features. Now I’ve strung them all together into a route that includes a succession of sandy bays.

I start at Roker, a suburb of Sunderland, and end at the Marsden Grotto in South Shields, a pub with rooms that have been hewn out of the cliff face. It has been significantly upgraded since my previous visit so I’m keen to give it a try.