Seaton Carew Beach stretches for more than a mile in each direction from the centre of the seaside resort. The beach, cycling and traces of the past offer different ways to shape your stay: you can plan a stay by the water, consider a cycling route, or focus on the coastal landscape and architectural history. When looking for a holiday rental, the first question is which of these aspects you would like to define your stay.

Beach and cycling route

There is room on the beach for games and building sandcastles. Cyclists can use the promenade at Seaton Carew Beach. Cycle Route 2: Hartlepool South is a good option: it follows the promenade beside the beach to Seaton Carew. The route is flat and easy, and runs mostly on traffic-free cycle paths. Beach activities and cycling offer different focuses: games and sandcastles take centre stage on the beach, while the cycling route follows a specific course along the promenade.

Landscape and wildlife

Seaton Common is wet grassland grazed by cattle. It provides a habitat for resident and migratory wading birds, as well as invertebrates and mammals. Both the wildlife and the landscape shaped by agriculture are part of the area’s character. Seaton Dunes, meanwhile, are among the largest dune systems between Lindisfarne and the Humber. The landscapes are distinct: Seaton Common is characterised by wet grassland and its wildlife, while the dunes stand out for their size in the wider coastal context.

Coastal history and buildings

Near Seaton Carew are the remains of an 18th-century English oak collier brig, which was probably washed ashore during a storm. The wreck is not visible all the time: its location becomes visible only when the sediment level falls, and visibility depends on the tides and sediment conditions. If you would like to see the wreck, it is worth taking the tide level into account.

The Church of the Holy Trinity also offers a tangible insight into architectural history. It has a nave and a tower dating from 1831, as well as a chancel dating from 1842. The church is designed in the 13th-century style; this style should be distinguished from the stated construction dates of the building’s parts. Dressed limestone and Welsh slate roofs round out the architectural description. Another listed building in the town is the Bus Station, which is Grade II listed.

Seaton Common is also home to remnants of the former salt industry, ridge-and-furrow field patterns and an old sea wall. These traces broaden the picture beyond individual buildings to the area’s historic landscape.

Golf and crazy golf

The links golf course, now known as Seaton Carew, is also part of the area’s history: Dr Alister MacKenzie was commissioned to design it in the mid-1920s. Lofty’s Crazy Golf offers a different kind of game: a themed 10-hole mini-golf course. Its theme draws on Hartlepool’s past and present; it was designed for players of all ages and abilities. Check the opening hours before visiting. The links golf course and the themed mini-golf course therefore offer two different golfing options.

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