Horden Beach
FreeA former colliery beach on the Durham Heritage Coast, mixed sand, shingle and rock with a steep slope that gives useful depth close in. Cod, coalfish, whiting, flounder and dab are the regulars, plaice turn up in summer, and thornback rays are a rare but real possibility.
Access: Free shore access, no rod licence needed for sea fishing
Parking: Parking in Horden village, footpaths lead down through the old colliery ground to the beach
Last updated: 7 September 2026
Species you can expect
| Species | Best season |
|---|---|
| Cod / codling | Autumn, Winter |
| Coalfish | Autumn, Winter |
| Whiting | Autumn, Winter |
| Flounder | Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter |
| Dab | Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter |
| Plaice | Summer |
| Thornback ray | Summer |
This is old colliery ground, decades of coal spoil dumped along the shore before the sea gradually washed most of it away, so the bottom varies a lot over short distances between clean sand, shingle and buried rock. Visit on a low spring tide through the daylight to check the ground before committing to a night session, since the steep slope that gives good depth close in also means the character of the seabed can change quickly as you move along the beach.
Caught something here?
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