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Family-friendly things to do at Souter Lighthouse

Young visitors running at Souter Lighthouse and The Leas, Tyne & Wear
Exploring the lighthouse on 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.

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 family in summer clothes plays basketball in the sunshine within the whitewashed stone walls of the Foghorn Field. A child is mid-jump as they throw the orange ball into the net.
Playing basketball at Souter | © National Trust Images/Annapurna Mellor

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. 

Adults and children look out the window of the lantern room in the Souter Lighthouse and The Leas, Tyne and Wear

Discover more at Souter Lighthouse and The Leas

Find out how to get to Souter Lighthouse and The Leas, where to park, the things to see and do and more.

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