Blast Beach

About Blast Beach

Blast Beach lies just south of Seaham harbour at Dawdon, below Nose's Point. Once buried under colliery waste, it has been cleaned up as part of the Durham Heritage Coast and now has dark sand and pebbles. It shares Seaham's famous glass supply but is harder to reach, so it sees fewer collectors.

Sea glass at Blast Beach

Green, amber and white are the usual finds, from the same bottleworks waste as Seaham. A local guide calls it the best place to search near Seaham, ideally just after stormy weather as the tide turns and goes out, along the tide line; one visitor found it less productive, so results vary.

Visiting Blast Beach

Safety

Check the tide times before you go and head out on a falling tide, so you're never cut off. Keep away from the bottom of cliffs, wear sturdy shoes on rocks, and only take sea glass and other man-made rubbish: pebbles, sand and shells should stay on the beach.