Attraction of Sunderland

Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens

Visit the Museum & Art Gallery where you can learn about the region’s social history through fascinating exhibitions and displays and even venture into lost worlds. Or why not stimulate your senses with a visit to the spectacular Winter Gardens. The £13 million Sunderland Winter Gardens is the City’s jewel in the crown. An amazing glass and steel structure creates an environment where many exotic plants thrive.

Address:
Burdon Road,
Sunderland
Tel: (0191) 553 2323

National Glass Centre

Opened in June 1998, the £16million centre celebrates Sunderland’s place in the history of glass and provides a world focus for today’s best glass makers. You can visit the interactive Kaleidoscope Gallery, witness some of the world’s best exhibitions and watch live glassblowing demonstrations.

Address:
Liberty Way,
Sunderland
Tel: (0191) 515 5555

The Centre is situated in a superb natural setting embracing 100 acres of parkland on the north side of the River Wear. Designed by Sir Peter Scott, it is the third largest in Europe, with a fascinating collection of wildfowl ranging from swans, geese and ducks, large numbers of migrating fowl and a magnificent flock of Chilean pink flamingos. The park also provides a habitat for many other animals and plants. Water voles, hares, rabbits, stoats, weasels and moles may be seen. Children can feed the birds and see the fluffy ducklings, goslings and cygnets in spring and summer; they may wish to identify the different species with the help of checklists, information boards and picnic areas.

Address:
Pattinson,
District 15,
Washington
Tel: 0191 416 5454

Hetton Lyons Country Park

Situated on the outskirts of the City of Sunderland the park offers a wide range of opportunities for passive and active recreational use to keep the whole family occupied. The Park covers 100 acres of reclaimed land, part of which was the former Hetton Colliery. The site is serviced by a field sport changing pavilion and Visitor Centre overlooking Lyons Lake and you can enjoy many sporting activities from watersports, mountain bikes, rollerblading and orienteering.

Address:
off Downs Pit Lane,
Hetton-le-Hole,
Sunderland
Tel: 0191 553 4682

Mowbray Park

A striking landmark in the heart of the city centre, Mowbray Park is ‘the people’s park’. Having been restored to its former Victorian splendour it is once again awash with colour and life. There are fantastic features such as the Ornamental Lake, amazing public art including Victorian Lawns, Rose Arbours and the Bronze Walrus whilst not forgetting the Sebastopol Cannons replicas, General Henry Havelock’s statue and the expertly recreated bandstand. To keep you entertained there are bowling greens, an amazing children’s play area and special Historical and Botanical Tours of the park operate during the summer - please call to request an events leaflet for further details.

Address:
Burdon Road,
Sunderland

Herrington Country Park

Another magnificent park situated on the outskirts of the city. A recent redevelopment Herringto Country Park provides a haven for walks, picnic areas and major events such as the County Show.

Address:
off A183 opposite Penshaw Monument,
Chester Road,
Houghton-le-Spring
Tel: 0191 553 8786

James Steel Park

The James Steel Park stretches along the River Wear from the Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre in the east, to Fatfield in the west, with contrasting areas of countryside linked by the river. It is named after the Lord Lieutenant of Tyne & Wear from 1974 to 1984, who was also Chairman of Washington Development Corporation from 1964 until 1977.

Visitors can walk through woods, open spaces, through farmland or by the river. Many of the woods are owned by the Woodland Trust. There are oak trees, beech sycamore, elm, willow, ash, hawthorn and blackthorn; you can see greater woodrush, burdock, ragwort, bulrushes, parsley, bryony, blackberry and rosebay willowherb. Dozens of different birds can be seen, from thrushes and yellow hammers to kingfishes and sparrowhawks; you may even see some of the rabbits, stoats, weasels, voles, mice and foxes in the park. There are vantage points for exploring the view,, such as Worm Hill, and opportunities for fishing, horse-riding or cycling.

Marine Activities Centre

The £1m Marine Activities Centre (MAC) was opened in 1994 by round the world yachtsman Chay Blyth. The four storey building houses a range of organisations and facilities including Northumbria Police, Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the Scout Association (Sea Scouts), Wear Boating Association, Sunderland Foyboatsmen, and an italian restaurant complete with panoramic views. There are also shop units, changing, shower and toilet facilities available for use by tenants, Marine licensees, boat crews and, where appropriate, the public. The Marina can accommodate around 200 vessels and at least 75 fully serviced pontoon berths.

Address:
North Dock,
Roker,
Sunderland
Tel: (0191) 514 4721

Shadows In Another Light

St Peter’s Sculpture Trail - ‘Shadows in another Light’. Guided Walks along St Peter’s Sculpture Trail are available through members of the Sculpture Support Team. Contact Bob Mattimore on 0191 5292221 for further information.

Seaburn Beach

The whole of this wide, sandy beach is backed by a traffic-free promenade. Nearby attractions and amenities include a children’s outdoor play park, amusements, Seaburn Centre, restaurants and catering outlets. Activities include windsurfing, surfing, canoeing, sailing and jet ski-ing. Beach facilities include cafes and restaurants. Access facilities include deckchair hire, a lost child centre, first aid, lifeguards, dog restricted area and dog exercise area. There is plenty of free car parking at the rear of the Seaburn Centre, road parking and disabled parking.

Seaburn Centre

The Centre enjoys a seafront location and hosts a wide range of events from Royal Shakespeare Company and Opera productions to Model Railway Exhibitions and horticultural shows. The centre offers a two court sports hall which can cater for five-a-side football, badminton, volleyball and basketball. Indoor and outdoor play facilities are also available for children and hot and cold meals and snacks are served in the cafeteria. There is good surface car parking facilities at the rear of the centre and there is also an adequate supply of toilets along the seafront.

Seaburn & Roker

The resorts of Seaburn and Roker are situated three miles from the City Centre. The golden sands, the rugged cliffs and rocks to the north and south provide a continuous series of seaside surprises. The twin resorts provide the perfect setting for a traditional seaside holiday. Sandy beaches, ice cream and candyfloss, combined with a Victorian park, watersports and crazy golf ensures plenty of entertainment. Roker is certainly a popular holiday and weekend destination for those wanting to sail, jet-ski, windsurf or fish. Seaburn on the other hand, offers hours of entertainment with its traditional seaside amusements, sports centre and the ever popular Pirates Play Park.

Roker Beach

The rocky shore to the north of the wide, sandy beach is considered to be of great geological interest with its magnesium limestone cliffs and ‘cannonball’ limestone. Nearby attractions and amenities include the Victorian themed Roker Park with bandstand, boating lake, bowling green and multi-use games area. The promenade and pier, the Marine Activities Centre, the National Glass Centre and the Sunderland Yacht Club are excellent venues to unwind! Watersport activities include windsurfing, surfing, canoeing, sailing and jet ski-ing. There are also a number of cafes and restaurants, and facilities such as beach deckchair hire, a lost child centre, first aid, lifeguards, dog restricted area, dog exercise area.