For about six months there has been limited access to our local beach Marsden Bay in South Shields, but just before the new year the replacement steps were completed and today I took a quick drone photo and located some images of the old access steps.
Visitors to the beach would walk down a ramp and at the bottom would find a small concrete platform with some substantial concrete steps leading to the beach, they became badly damaged by stormy seas and work started in 2021 to replace them.
there was a building which was originally a cafe, then a life guard station and canoe store, the new hardwood and steel steps although well built are supported by the rocks that were once protected from the sea by the concrete that was removed , I do wonder how long they will last
The old cafe
The steps and lifeguard station
The cleared site
The new steps to the beach
Location added to Dronescene
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I agree. It maybe treated hardwood, but the elements will no doubt see that in need of replacement within the next decade. Despite aesthetically pleasing, it seems a rather odd design choice for its location.
Well folks I have heard that there has already been some damage to the lower section of the steps , there are photos on Facebook and they are suggesting it was caused by a rough high tide but it appears to be the banisters that have come off and I noticed when I first went down that they were softwood not hardwood so I’m wondering if it’s vandalism ( hardwood burns better on a log burning stove ) I suppose arson is a serious possibility , I might have a walk down at the weekend and see what’s happened
what are the concrete slabs above the steps - is that actually a walkway?
@skydiver yes that is the original stepped ramp which used to lead down to a very substantial concrete mini promenade with steps to the beach …replaced with this cheap flimsy timber structure
Had a dog walk down the beach this morning but I do wonder how long it will be before the new steps are unusable , take a look at the image above " cleared site " and note the rocks in the corner , again more in my drone image of the steps , and this is an image from my mobile today …more rocks ! The power of the sea never ceases to amaze me !
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looks as though it could get slippery in the Winter - must be 40 years since I was last down there…
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