St Mary's Lighthouse, Whitley Bay

St Mary's Lighthouse sits on a small tidal island just north of Whitley Bay, reached by a concrete causeway that floods at high water. The white tower, the curving causeway and the rocky wave-cut platform make an instantly recognisable subject, and the low headland gives clean sightlines out over the North Sea with almost nothing tall to snag a line of sight. Most pilots launch from the grassy clifftop or the car park side rather than the island itself, which keeps you clear of the busiest wildlife area and lets you catch the causeway at mid-tide. The rocks below are a designated nature reserve with nesting and roosting birds, so keep height and distance from the flock and avoid the breeding season crush. It is a genuinely popular spot with dog walkers and photographers, so you will rarely be alone. Newcastle Airport's flight restriction zone lies roughly fifteen kilometres inland to the west, so this coastline sits well outside it, but always recheck a live map before flying. Time it for a rising or falling tide so the causeway is partly exposed, and go early or late to dodge the crowds and get warmer light on the tower.