AN “unsuspecting” seaside town in the UK is home to an amazing collection of sea glass, as well as dolphins and a bizarre mole sanctuary.
The North East is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the country, with miles and miles of shoreline to explore.
AlamySeaham is famous for the sea glass that can be found on its beaches[/caption]
GettyDolphins are frequently spotted swimming in the waters off the shoreline[/caption]
AlamyTommy overlooks the beach from next to the town’s war memorial[/caption]
The ex-mining village of Seaham in County Durham is no different, with its beach becoming well-known among locals as a place to collect treasures and spot amazing wildlife.
Dolphin sightings aren’t uncommon in the waters just off the beach, with Tiktoker Nathan Sayers (@nathansayers95) among many people to have reported seeing the porpoises in recent years.
He shared footage of the creatures leaping through the water at Seaham beach.
Another person to have been treated to a visit from the dolphins wrote on TripAdvisor: “Staying on the beach gave us a prime viewing of the pod of dolphins that swam along the coast catching fish – great photo opportunity.”
There’s much more to the town than dolphins however, with the shoreline previously coming third in the BBC Countryfile Magazine Awards’ ‘Best British Beach’ category.
One of the main draws for people to Seaham is the abundance of sea glass that can be discovered in among the pebbles and stones scattered across the sand.
The sea treasure is man made glass which has ended up in the sea, where it is then shaped by the water over several years before returning to the shore.
This is Durham claim: “The amount of glass and the different colours you can find at Seaham make it a ‘must-visit’ site for collectors.
“No two sea glass pebbles are the same, in shape or colour. You’ll find all sorts of different colours and types of glass.
“You can spot sea glass at any time during low tide, however some hunters choose to follow the tide out a few hours after hide tide. With every wave new sea glass is washed up onto the beach and snatched back, never to be seen again.”
Seaham is also known for Tommy, a statue of a First World War soldier that sits close to the seafront, near the town’s war memorial.
The bronze figure is nine foot tall and overlooks the beach from the road behind it.
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It’s just one of several heritage attractions in the town, which also include the East Durham Heritage & Lifeboat Centre, built into the old lifeboat station on the historic town dock.
Historic sites aren’t the only thing being preserved in the town, with wildlife also conserved right next to the beach.
A large patch of grass just above the beach is a designated mole sanctuary, with the subterranean rodents allowed to live peacefully in the soil beneath.
A sign declaring them to be “famous moles” sits next to the patch of grass, showing where the designated area is.
AlamyThe Durham Heritage & Lifeboat Centre is built into the old lifeboat station[/caption]
AlamyA mole sanctuary also overlooks the sea in the town[/caption]
Seaham has been described as an “unsuspecting destination” with much more going on than might first appear.
Its wildlife and impressive beaches are only added to to by its heritage and interesting history, according to Arts Culture, who included it on their list of must-visit seaside towns.
They wrote: “The ex-coal mining village of Seaham is a rather unsuspecting destination for those looking to enjoy a slice of the stunning North East coastline.
“But the heritage of the area undeniably adds to the character of the area.”
Lots of people agree, with the beach getting an overall score of 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor.
One person said after their visit: “Seaham Beach is lovely, we spent a couple of hours beach combing and came away with a reasonable haul of sea glass.
“We then walked along the promenade where there was lots of seating, stopped and had a look at Tommy.
“Fish and chips on the seafront completed a wonderful few hours in a beautiful seaside town.”
Meanwhile, this UK seaside town is almost like visiting a Greek island.
And you can watch dolphins from a music festival at this UK destination.
AlamyThe beach has sand and pebbles and is popular among locals and visitors[/caption] Read More