The Durham Coast’s Quieter Shore
- Rating: Fair Beach
- Terrain: Easy
- Level: Beginner – Intermediate
- Dog friendly: Yes- dogs welcome all year round, no seasonal restrictions
- Location: Crimdon, County Durham, North East England
- Sat Nav: TS27 4DW
- Common colours: Green, white, brown
- Rare colours: Cobalt Blue, Black, Lavender, Red
Best For:
- Beginners
- River-mouth hunting
- Rock pool searching
- Strandline scanning
- Post-storm hunting
- Families
- Easy low-tide walks
- North Sea beachcombing
Why Crimdon deserves a look – with honest expectations
Crimdon Dene sits at the southern end of the Durham Heritage Coast, eleven miles from Seaham and a world away from the crowds that gather there. It’s a long stretch of sandy beach with patches of pebbles and rock pools towards the northern end, backed by the Durham Coast’s only sand dunes and the limestone gorge of Crimdon Dene nature reserve behind.
This is a Fair Beach. The glass is here, Crimdon sits on the same Durham Heritage Coast as Seaham, receives material from the same North Sea, and has its own modest industrial history to draw on. But the dominant terrain is sandy, which means glass gets buried rather than concentrated on the surface. Finds tend to turn up in the pebble and rock pool sections at the northern end of the beach, around the dene mouth, and along the strandline after significant North Sea swell.
A typical visit produces a handful of pieces rather than a haul.
What Crimdon offers that Seaham can’t is space and quiet. Back in the 1950s, Crimdon was one of the most popular spots on the coast with day-trippers from the working towns inland. Since then, things have become a lot quieter. That quietness is the point. If Seaham is busy, if you want somewhere to walk your dog along a long stretch of Durham coast without another sea glass hunter in sight, Crimdon is the answer.
Combine it with Seaham or Hartlepool on a longer Durham day, and you won’t be disappointed.
What you’ll find here
Colours commonly found: Green, white, brown
Occasional finds: Blue, Aqua, Amber, Turquoise
Rare finds: Cobalt Blue, Black, Lavender, Red
Bonus: Rock pools at the northern end of the beach alongside the dene mouth occasionally produce older, better-tumbled pieces. The pebble patches in the same area are the most consistent section for glass on an otherwise sandy beach.
When to go
Crimdon faces east into the North Sea – the same aspect as Seaham and the rest of the Durham coast. Easterly and northeasterly swells push directly onto the beach, and post-storm conditions are your best opportunity. The longshore drift runs north to south along this coast, which means material produced further north at Seaham and the industrial beaches around Sunderland gradually works its way south.
The rock pool sections at the northern end are only accessible at lower tides. A spring low tide after a North Sea blow is the ideal scenario – it exposes the maximum amount of pebble, empties the rock pools, and freshens the strandline.
One important timing note: Crimdon Beach is a very important breeding ground for the Little Tern. These birds arrive every year in May from West Africa, and the site is monitored by volunteer wardens who erect temporary fencing to protect the eggs and chicks from predators.
The fencing affects sections of the beach from May onward. Respect the marked areas and give the wardens space to do their work.
Autumn and winter are the best seasons: no tern fencing, a quieter beach, and a more active North Sea. October through April is the prime window.
Today’s tide times & Sea Glass Score
Crimdon Dene faces east into the North Sea on the southern Durham Heritage Coast, with a tidal range of around 4–4.5 metres on a spring tide, generous exposure that reveals the rock pool and pebble sections at the northern end of the beach at low water. The tidal pattern is semi-diurnal with two highs and two lows per day.
The widget below uses Hartlepool tide data – the nearest UKHO standard port, to show today’s Sea Glass Score, tide curve and best hunting window. Aim to arrive on an ebbing tide and head straight for the northern end of the beach where the pebble sections and dene mouth give the best conditions for glass to concentrate.
Where to look on the beach
The beach is around a mile long with soft, fine sand for most of its length. The pebble patches and rock pools are concentrated towards the northern end, near the dene mouth where Crimdon Beck meets the sea.
Start at the northern end, the dene mouth area is where the river mouth concentrates material, the rock pools trap glass between tides, and the pebble patches give glass somewhere to sit on the surface rather than burying in sand. Work the strandline carefully in both directions from here.
The southern section of the beach is predominantly sand and less productive for glass, but worth a scan along the high-tide line after any significant North Sea swell when material gets deposited in the wrack.
Key Tip:
At Crimdon Dene, don’t spread yourself across the whole beach. Focus on the northern end near Crimdon Beck, where pebble patches, rock pools and the river mouth combine to trap glass that would otherwise disappear into the sand.
The main steps and ramps down to the beach can be difficult for pushchairs and wheelchairs, and the bottom stairs are sometimes covered in sand. Factor this in if visiting with mobility equipment.
Difficulty Level
Beginner → Intermediate
Mostly approachable because:
- wide open beach
- easy scanning terrain
- clear productive zones
- gentle learning curve
The more advanced side comes from:
- reading river-mouth deposits
- checking rocky northern sections properly
- timing visits after swell
Hunting Style
“River-Mouth Hunting”
Meaning:
- focus on substrate changes
- check pebble interruptions
- work strandlines after storms
- prioritise dene outflow zones
Dog friendly?
Dogs are allowed on the beach at Crimdon all year round with no seasonal restrictions. There are grassy sand dunes followed by a beautiful sandy beach with plenty of space for a dog to enjoy. Trigger has the full beach at any time of year, one of the more straightforwardly dog-friendly locations on the Durham coast.
Do be mindful of the Little Tern nesting fencing from May onwards, keep dogs away from marked nesting areas and follow any requests from the volunteer wardens on site.
For dog-friendly café and pub recommendations near Crimdon, check our Yappy Places listings for the Hartlepool area.
Practical information
Parking: There is a free car park close to the beach with ample parking spaces. Postcode TS27 4DW. A new parking order came into effect in February 2025. Check the Durham County Council’s website for the current terms before visiting, as charging arrangements may have changed.
Toilets: The nearest toilets are located near the entrance to the car park and in the holiday park.
Food and drink: Dunes Café is situated next to the car park. An ice cream van occasionally parks up in the car park in summer. The Parkdean holiday park has a bar and restaurant. Hartlepool, three miles south, has a full range of town centre options.
Getting there without a car: Crimdon has no direct bus service to the beach. The nearest connected town is Hartlepool, served by trains on the Durham Coast Line from Newcastle and Middlesbrough. From Hartlepool station, a taxi or local bus north on the A1086 coast road is the most practical option.
Accessibility: The main steps and ramps down to the beach can be difficult for pushchairs, wheelchairs and people with mobility problems. The beach itself is flat and sandy once accessed.
What to bring
- Flat comfortable footwear – this is an easy, flat beach but the rock pool sections at the northern end can be slippery
- A small container for finds – quality over quantity at Crimdon
- Layers – the Durham coast is exposed, and the North Sea wind is relentless even in summer
- A tide table – the rock pool sections are the most productive and most accessible around low water
- Patience – this is a methodical hunt on a predominantly sandy beach, not a Seaham-style haul
The history behind the glass
Crimdon sits at the southern end of the Durham Heritage Coast – the same eleven miles of coast that includes Seaham, Blast Beach, Easington and Blackhall Rocks. Coal had by far the biggest impact on this entire coastline. Its rise and domination of Durham’s coast began in the 1830s, with the earliest collieries at Murton, Easington and Seaham opening in the 19th century. Vane Tempest, Dawdon, Horden and Blackhall collieries followed in the 20th century, with spoil heaps spilling onto the beaches for decades.
The former mining villages of Blackhall Colliery and Blackhall Rocks, immediately north of Crimdon, were built to serve Blackhall Colliery, opened in 1909 and operating until closure in April 1981. A working colliery generates glass from the domestic waste of mining communities, from the provisioning of industrial sites, from the accumulated everyday life of thousands of workers and their families living within sight of the sea. That glass has been entering the North Sea along this coast for over a hundred years, and the tidal drift carries it south towards Crimdon.
The beach itself has its own unexpected history. With the onset of local collieries being sunk along the Durham coast in the early 1900s, miners and their families came from all over Britain to seek work in the new pits. An entrepreneur named Mr Lowes built huts, a shop, tennis courts and an aerial ropeway to transport people across the dene to the beach.
From the 1920s Crimdon became a popular summer holiday resort for miners and their families. During the 1960s, Butlins took an interest in buying the holiday park, but the sale was declined as Butlins intended to charge people to use the beach. Crimdon Park’s popularity declined from the 1970s with the advent of cheap foreign package holidays.
The glass from those decades of mining community holidays bottles brought to the beach, waste disposed of along the dene, the accumulated domestic output of a resort that was once one of the busiest on the Durham coast, is part of what the North Sea returns to this beach today. It’s a quieter story than Seaham’s Victorian bottleworks, but it’s a real one.
From beach to jewellery
The Durham Heritage Coast produces glass with a quality of tumbling that reflects a century of North Sea tides working the same stretch of coastline. At Mermaid Tears, every piece of jewellery starts exactly where you’ve been standing, hand-hunted from UK beaches and made into something lasting. Browse the collection.
Disclaimer: Tide times, parking charges and beach conditions change regularly. Always verify before visiting. A new Durham County Council parking order came into effect February 2025 – check durham.gov.uk for current charges before visiting. Little Tern nesting fencing is in place from May onwards. Respect all marked areas and follow warden guidance. Information on this page is provided in good faith.
Last updated: May 2026
Frequently asked questions
Is Crimdon Dene good for sea glass? It’s a Fair Beach – you will find glass, but the predominantly sandy terrain means it’s not as consistently productive as the rocky and pebbly Durham coast beaches to the north. The pebble and rock pool sections at the northern end near the dene mouth are the most reliable area. Combine with Seaham for a fuller Durham coast day.
When is the best time to visit Crimdon for sea glass? Autumn and winter on an ebbing spring tide, after easterly or northeasterly North Sea swell. The rock pool sections at the northern end are the priority, arrive at low water and work them carefully before the tide turns.
Are dogs allowed at Crimdon Beach? Yes – dogs are welcome all year round with no seasonal restrictions. Be mindful of Little Tern nesting fencing from May onwards and keep dogs away from marked areas.
What is the Little Tern connection at Crimdon? Crimdon Dene is one of Britain’s most important Little Tern breeding sites. The birds arrive from West Africa in May, and volunteer wardens erect temporary fencing to protect nesting areas. Crimdon is one of only a few locations in the UK where you can observe this rare seabird breeding in the wild.
How do I get to Crimdon without a car? Crimdon has no direct rail or bus connection to the beach. The nearest rail station is Hartlepool on the Durham Coast Line, served by trains from Newcastle and Middlesbrough. A taxi or local bus north on the A1086 from Hartlepool is the most practical car-free option.
Is Crimdon worth combining with Seaham? Yes, they’re eleven miles apart on the same Heritage Coast, and a day combining both gives you the best of the Durham coast. Hunt Seaham at low tide for the main haul, then drive south to Crimdon for a quieter end-of-day walk along the dunes. The contrast between the two beaches is striking.
