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Coatham Sands, Redcar

Redcar's wide main beach — spacious, dependable, and overlooked by Teesside's industry.

Redcar & the Tees · North YorkshireDirections

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● Spot · shaded: the wind directions that work here. It is not a riding area or a permitted kite zone. Two fingers to move the map.

Location & launch

Know before you go.

Launch
Wide sand west of Redcar town, with promenade access and a large beach at most states of tide.
Wind
WNW · NW · NNW · N · NNE · NE · ENE · E · ESE winds work here.

The shaded area shows the wind directions recorded as working here. It is not a permitted kite zone or a safe launch boundary. Check local signs.

Local rules, hazards & spot guide

Need to know

The things that catch people out here.

  • Coatham is the main Redcar beach; South Gare on the breakwater at the Tees mouth is a separate, more exposed spot for experienced riders.
  • The setting is industrial and the water quality is variable — check before you go in after heavy rain.
  • The North East Kitesurfing Club is active here and is the best source of current local information.

Conditions

NESW
  • Best
  • Works
  • Offshore
Works in
WNW, NW, NNW, N, NNE, NE, ENE, E, ESE
Best in
NNW, N, NNE
Offshore (careful)
SE, SSE, S, SSW, SW, WSW
Wind quality
moderate
Water
Flat to choppy
Depth
standing
Best tide
Low to mid
Spring range
5 m
Beginner
Good
Intermediate
Ideal
Advanced
Good

Hazards

Most serious first. The level is in words as well as colour.

  • medium

    shipping The Tees estuary and South Gare breakwater are immediately north-west, with commercial traffic.

  • medium

    pollution Industrial catchment; water quality varies and has been the subject of local concern.

  • medium

    current Streams run strongly around the Tees mouth and South Gare.

Access & rules

Launch
Wide sand west of Redcar town, with promenade access and a large beach at most states of tide.
Permit
Not required
Insurance
Third-party liability expected
Tuition
Permitted
Facilities
toilets, cafe, shop, pub

Parking

  • Coatham / Redcar seafront

    paid

Safety

Who is around if it goes wrong. None of it makes the water safe.

Lifeguards
Seasonal cover on the main beach.
RNLI
Redcar RNLI
Nearest A&E
James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough (~25 min)
Water quality
Designated bathing water — sufficient

The spot

Coatham Sands runs west from Redcar town towards the mouth of the Tees. It is a wide, sandy beach that works across a broad range of directions and has an active local club in the North East Kitesurfing Club.

The setting is unmistakably industrial — Teesside's works are the backdrop, and water quality here is variable and has been a subject of local concern. South Gare, out on the breakwater at the Tees mouth, is a separate and more exposed spot for experienced riders.

Links & local

Clubs, forums & groups

Sources

Where this record came from, and how confident we are in it.

Confidence: medium · 2 independent sources · status needs-review · updated 2026-09-07

Verify locally. Coordinates 54.6202, -1.0862. Conditions, access arrangements and beach rules change; check them on the day before you rely on anything on this page.