6 Mile Loop

This is the 3rd section of the Way of Learning. From Whitburn, the route follows the coastline passing beaches, arcades, cafes, lighthouses, a park and pier before turning to follow the north bank of the River Wear past the National Glass Museum and St Peter's Church before finishing at the iconic Wearmouth Bridge.

This stretch of the walk does not pass through any forests, however it takes in a beautiful stretch of the North East coast, an historic lighthouse, old lime kilns, nature reserve, water tower and windmill, overlapping with Bede's Way and the England Coast Path.

Bede's way is a 12 mile walk linking the twin monastic sites of St Paul's in Jarrow and St Peter's at Monkwearmouth in Sunderland. The walk is split into 6 easily walked sections which can be walked individually or all together. So why not follow in the footsteps of pilgrims and explore the North East's religious heritage. This the 5th section begins at Whitburn with a stroll through the village and into Cornthwaite Park before following the seafront to Seaburn Park

Bede's way is a walk linking the twin monastic sites of St Paul's in Jarrow and St Peter's at Monkwearmouth in Sunderland. The walk is split into 6 easily walked sections which can be walked individually or all together. So why not follow in the footsteps of pilgrims and explore the North East's religious heritage. This the 6th section begins at Seaburn Park before passing through Roker before finishing at St Peter's Church.

This riverside section of the England Coast Path follows the mouth of the Wear from Roker to Hendon finishing at the Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens in the city centre. The Wear was famous for its shipbuilding, all now long gone, but its religious past and glass making industry are still present. Alongside new developments the changing face of Sunderland is very evident in this walk.

This section of the England Coast Path includes some of the most spectacular and varied coastline in the North East. Heavily industrialised in the past, the coastline is slowly being reclaimed by nature and includes busy marinas, seaside resorts and wild clifftops supporting a range of flora and fauna. The area also has many denes, steep wooded ravines, which can be explored as side trips from the main England Coast Path. This section utilises the Durham Heritage Coast Path.

This section begins at Souter Lighthouse and follows the England Coast Path through Whitburn and Seaburn to Roker. The England Coast Path itself runs along the cliff tops and is a narrow footpath from Souter Lighthouse to South Bents where it joins the main public footpath. From there, the promenade can be followed to Roker. The end of this section overlaps with the Weardale Way allowing walkers who have arrived from Weardale to continue their walk.

This walk covers urban areas at the beginning and end, and in the middle a pleasant walk alongside the River Don. However fields will be in view throughout the walk. As such, some of the walk is along busy roads and includes a level crossing.