Flanked by a lone lighthouse out at sea at one end and a glorious white domed building at the other, Whitley Bay certainly has an eye-catching beach.
So much in fact that it has been named the second most Instagrammable beach in the UK in a recent study, coming second only to Brighton beach on the south coast. And while Whitley Bay may be at its most popular in the summer among sunbathers and those brave enough to take a dip in the North Sea, it's a year-round destination.
With promenades fit for a bracing walk spanning a couple of miles from Grant's Clock towards St. Mary's Lighthouse, a swathe of shops, restaurants and cafés and even an amusement arcade just off the beach, there are plenty of places to warm up in the winter. The fact that you can get there on the Metro helps when planning a day out there too!
Read more: The North East beaches you can easily reach by rail from Newcastle
Beach Access North East, a charity based in the town's Northern Promenade, which loans specialised equipment to disabled and elderly people so they can enjoy the beach, has grown to offer its service across the North East of England since being established in 2017. However, it all started off on Whitley Bay Beach, which remains a very special place to those at the charity.
Trustee Sue Rowley said: "The sea, the sand, I love the beach, I get into that childlike state where you can release your troubles. Nothing seems to matter.
"Whitley Bay is perfect, that's why it's our head office! You've got the promenade and it's a popular visitor centre too.
"You've got the campsite, people go and stay in the caravan and come to the beach every day. A lot of people specially select Whitley Bay to come and stay for their holidays, which has brought new business to the area, and people also come down for the day so it's good because people are using the cafes and restaurants."
And the charity, which is run by volunteers, also has a particular fondness for the beach because it makes their job easier. Sue continued: "People who use our service have often never been on a beach, or are part of a family who have never been on the beach together because on of them is in a wheelchair.
"The length of the beach and also because there's not a huge amount of soft sand, they're both perfect for wheelchairs and electric chairs. We're passionate that the beach is a place that should be accessible, everyone should have the right to feel the sea and the sand.
"I remember a long time ago when we first started, I'd often see school visits where there'd always be one child on the promenade who couldn't get onto the beach because they were in a wheelchair, so that's why we started it."
The only other North East representation in the top 50 came from Seaham and Druridge Bay, but the fact that the study by Dune London took into account Instagram data and many beaches in Northumberland struggle with signal, the list may not be the fairest representation!
Which North East beach do you think is the most picturesque in the region? Let us know in the comments below!
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