South Gare

is an area of reclaimed land and breakwater on the southern side of the mouth of the river Tees in Redcar and Cleveland, England. It is accessed by taking the South Gare Road (private road) from Fisherman's Crossing at the western end of Tod Point Road in Warrenby.

Before the building of South Gare, permanent dry land stopped at Tod Point, at the western end of Warrenby and there was only Coatham Sands and the mudflats of Bran Sands. The creation of South Gare extends this by a further 2.5 miles (4.0 km). The building of South Gare offers a safe harbour in stormy weather to ships off the coast and allowed for the dredging of the river Tees entrance. South Gare itself was a settlement but the houses there were demolished many years ago.

Boat dwellings on the Tees estuary Haverton Hill Ship yard, Transporter bridge and ICI Billingham in the far distance

Seaton Snooks

A spit of sand extending into the mouth of the river Tees. Part of the southern end was submerged at high tide. In 1667 fortifications were built at the end to defend the mouth of the Tees. Buried under the sand dunes may be the remains of a chapel dedicated to the martyr Thomas Becket. Teesmouth has changed drastically since then. A slag wall has been constructed east and west across the end although this is now heavily eroded. The land to the east was tidal but has now been reclaimed from the sea.

Seaton Carew

Is a small seaside resort within the Borough of Hartlepool, in North East England with a population of 6,018 (2001). It is situated on the North Sea coast between the town of Hartlepool and the mouth of the River Tees. The area is named after a Norman French family called Carou who owned lands in the area and settled there, while 'Seaton' means farmstead or settlement by the sea.

The cranes of Swan Hunters ship yard Haverton Hill, can be seen in the far distance

Greatham Creek

Greatham Creek is a tidal channel with extensive areas of saltings. It also has adjacent saline lagoons to the north and south which are always worth a look during the summer for breeding Common Terns and spring and autumn for waders. An additional attraction here is the Common and Grey Seals that bask and rest on the banks of the Creek and are easily visible from the main A178 Tees Road.

Access to Greatham Creek is from the Teesmouth National Nature Reserve car park off the A178 on the south side of the road bridge. Walk up to the bridge to view both sides of the Creek.

The South Gare

Across the Blue Lagoon at night, looking across from the North Gare

Boat House

Between Seaton Carew and Redcar is Teesmouth

The Tees traditionally being the boundary between Yorkshire and County Durham. The Tees has one of Britain's most industrialised river estuaries with a dramatic and seemingly endless landscape of chimneys and `space age' towers. Compared to the mouth of the River Tees, the industries of the River Tyne and Wear seem almost insignificant.

Most notable of the industrial plants at Teesmouth, are the giant chemical complexes, the oil refineries, the steel works and a power station at Seaton Carew, to the north of the river. Despite the heavy industry, the area is surprisingly important for its wildlife and the partly industrialised Seal Sands on the north bank of the Tees are the Winter home to thousands of wildfowl and waders. Seals may also be regularly seen `basking' in their man made surroundings. Seal sands are only half their original size having been largely reclaimed for the site of an oil refinery and chemical works.