Plan your visit to Seaham Beach with North East Escapes. Hunt for famous Seaham sea glass on the Durham Heritage Coast and find nearby holiday homes. |
Visit Seaham Beach, Home of the World-Famous Seaham Sea Glass
Seaham Beach on the Durham Heritage Coast is one of the most distinctive beaches in England, world-famous among sea glass collectors for the extraordinary quality and variety of glass to be found on its shoreline. For over a century a glassworks near Seaham tipped its waste glass into the sea, and the waves have tumbled it over generations into the smooth, frosted, jewel-like pieces of sea glass that wash up here in colours from amber, green and clear to the rarest shades of blue, red and yellow. Even if sea glass collecting is not your primary interest, Seaham Beach is a beautiful stretch of coastline with dramatic limestone cliffs, excellent rock pools and a fascinating post-industrial town to explore.
Seaham is a former pit and port town on the County Durham coast, founded as a planned settlement in the 1820s by the Marquess of Londonderry to export coal from his inland collieries. Lord Byron spent his honeymoon at Seaham Hall in 1815, beginning the town's literary associations. The glassworks that gave rise to the sea glass phenomenon was established by the Londonderry family and operated from the mid-nineteenth century until 1921, tipping millions of tons of glass waste directly into the sea during its operation. This industrial legacy has paradoxically created one of the most treasured beach experiences in the country, drawing sea glass hunters from around the world to walk the foreshore below the limestone cliffs.
The beach below the town is the principal sea glass hunting ground, accessible from the main car park in Seaham and along the coastal path in both directions. Low tide exposes the widest foreshore and the most glass, so timing your visit with the tides gives the best results. The cliffs above the beach are a magnesian limestone feature of geological interest, supporting rare limestone grassland habitats above. The town of Seaham itself has a marine park, a small harbour with a lighthouse, and the excellent Seascape café. The wider Durham Heritage Coast footpath connects Seaham to Easington, Blackhall and beyond, providing outstanding cliff-top walking along one of England's most underrated coastal landscapes.
Seaham Beach is located at Seaham, County Durham, SR7 7AG. The main car park is in Seaham town centre, a short walk from the beach. The town is approximately 10 miles south of Sunderland and 15 miles east of Durham city. There is no charge to access the beach. The best sea glass hunting is at low tide, so checking tide tables before visiting is recommended. A range of cafés and shops is available in the town. The beach is dog-friendly.
North East Escapes offers holiday homes near Seaham and the Durham Heritage Coast, ideal for visitors wanting to explore this fascinating stretch of coastline at leisure. Staying near Seaham also gives you access to the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, Durham Cathedral and Castle, Beamish Museum and the wider County Durham landscape. Sea glass collectors often plan extended stays to explore different sections of the coast with the tides, and our Durham coastal holiday homes provide the perfect base for a unique and rewarding North East break.
