Family-friendly things to do at Souter Lighthouse

Visitors at Souter Lighthouse and The Leas, Tyne & Wear — The start of a family day out at Souter | © National Trust Images/Annapurna Mellor

There are lots of family activities at Souter Lighthouse and The Leas to help make the most of your visit. Find out more about what's on and plan your visit.

May half term at Souter

Start the holidays on a seashore safari with the rangers on Sunday 26 May, searching Souter’s rocky shore for sea creatures galore. Find an outlet for all that springtime energy with free family games and mini-sports in the Foghorn Field on Tuesday 28 May, including archery, football and tennis. Head to our what's on page for all the details.

Planning your family visit

Baby-changing facilities are available
For safety reasons, back-carriers are not permitted inside the lighthouse.

Family-friendly events

Souter's year-round events programme offers lots for families to do, indoors and out. To find out what's on, head to our events page.

A woman and two children lean on a whitewashed stone wall at the base of Souter Lighthouse's red and white striped tower. They are laughing and lit by wintry sunshine with blue sky behind them. — Making the most of family time at Souter | © National Trust Images/Trevor Ray Hart

Family fun at Souter Lighthouse

Souter is a very special lighthouse to visit, it was the first in the world designed and built to be powered by electricity. You can discover how lighthouse keepers lived and how they helped to keep ships at sea safe. Get hands-on with interactive activities and climb 76 steps to the top of the tower, where you’ll find Souter’s huge, powerful lamp and views stretching for miles.

With the Foghorn Field outside and over two miles of open grassland on The Leas, there’s plenty of space to run, play and picnic.

'50 things to do before you're 11¾'

You can tick a few outdoor mini-adventures off your ‘50 things’ list any day of the week. Just for starters you could:

It doesn't matter if you’re over 11¾ - parents and grandparents can join in too.

Borrow a balance bike

Your little ones can borrow a balance bike free of charge when visiting Souter Lighthouse and The Leas. You don’t need to book anything; just turn up and get going. They're available during school holidays and weekends, as long as the weather isn't too wet or wild.