A beautiful lighthouse in the northeast of England has been named as the nation's best - and it's not the iconic structures at Beachy Head or The Needles. TripAdvisor ranks attractions across the UK based on reviews, taking into account the quantity, quality and recency of them to give you a clearer picture of the most popular destinations.

Topping its ranking of the best lighthouses in England is St Mary's Lighthouse, a beloved landmark in Tyne & Wear that dates back nearly 130 years. It's located on St Mary's Island, a popular "part-time" island north of Whitley Bay. The tiny islet is a designated Local Nature Reserve (LNR) run by the local council, where visitors can see grey seals and sometimes dolphins in the surrounding waters, as well as a wide variety of marine birds.

It's only accessible at low tide, with visitors needing to walk across the exposed 900-foot causeway from the mainland during designated times to reach it.

But it's equally well known for its impressive decomissioned lighthouse, which was built in 1898, and operated until 1984 when modern navigational techniques meant it ceased to be neccessary.

Now, it and the former keepers' cottages there are operate as a visitor centre by North Tyneside Council.

"Visitors can climb 137 steps to the top of the lighthouse for spectacular views of the North East coast" from the lantern room, the local authority's website says.

"You can also use a video facility at ground level that allows you to experience the same views, live and in colour. Other exhibits detail the Lighthouse's history and local wildlife of St Mary's Nature Reserve."

It is beating out the likes of Portland Bill Lighthouse and New Flamborough Lighthouse as the top rated lighthouse with a score of 4.5/5 bubbles from 926 reviews.

One person, who visited in March this year, wrote: "St Mary's Lighthouse is not to be missed if you are visiting Whitley Bay. Its 1.5 miles from Whitley Bay and very walkable on the beach (if the tides out) or the prom if not.

"Its recently been repainted and looks absolutely fantastic."

Another wrote: "A great walk out to the lighthouse and to see the seals, basking in the the sunshine! Just be aware of the tide times or you will be stuck as the causeway floods over."

A third said: "I have been coming to the lighthouse for almost 6 decades. It's lovely to see the seals now that an area has been cordoned off for them.

"We only saw them out at sea when I was a child. Still plenty of rock pools to explore but definitely less wildlife in them now."

A fourth said: "This place is amazing! I've been three times now, and each visit just blows me away. It's a proper part-time island, connected by a narrow strip of land that vanishes at high tide."

Visitors must always check the Safe Crossing Times North Tyneside Council provides, as the causeway is submerged for extended periods twice a day.

Also, while the causeway is flat, it can be very slippery due to being submerged, sometimes with lingering hazards like green algae and seaweed.

Additionally, authorities have been discussing the possibility of repairing the aging walkway due to deterioration over the years, so it's important to stay vigilant when crossing.