WHITLEY BAY LIGHTHOUSE POSTCARD

Image of the iconic Whitley Bay lighthouse, also known as st. Marys Island. Reached between the tides via a short causeway from the car park, St. Mary's has all the fascination of a miniature, part-time island. Visitors can climb the 137 steps inside the tower to the lantern room to enjoy spectacular views along the North East coast of England. If you cannot manage the steps, a live video facility allows you to experience the same panorama at ground level. Other exhibits explain the history of the lighthouse and provide insights about the wildlife outside. The small, yet important Nature Reserve comprises rock pools, a beach, freshwater ponds and clifftop grassland and provides habitats for a rich variety of marine life and spectacular flights of resident and migrating seabirds and waders. Information from http://www.friendsofstmarysisland.co.uk/