Take a walk along Sunderland’s Roker Pier - without leaving your home

You can now take a stroll along Roker Pier from anywhere in the world with a new virtual tour.
The view back on the pierThe view back on the pier
The view back on the pier

Sunderland business, 360 Big Sky Media, has added Roker Pier to Google Street View which will allow anyone to walk to full length of the pier without leaving the comfort of their sofa. 

It’s hope the virtual tour will promote what Sunderland has to offer and is one of 12 attractions owner Nic Watson hopes to capture throughout the year. 

Roker PierRoker Pier
Roker Pier
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The 3D photographs, which were taken on Friday February 15, shows a sunny winter’s day on the pier in all of its glory. 

But when you search for the city’s pier on Google Maps the website still does not show the famous Roker Pier or its sister south pier in Hendon.This is despite calls from residents in the town back in December 2016 to put the two piers on the map.

Nic Watson, who set up 360 Big Sky Media in August last year, said: “People sometimes forget about us and what Sunderland has to offer.

“I decided to look at 12 tourist attractions in Sunderland that weren’t on Google Street View and give them a boost.”

Roker Pier is now on Google Street ViewRoker Pier is now on Google Street View
Roker Pier is now on Google Street View
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Since starting the company after he was made redundant last year, Nic has taken more than 500 photographs which have been viewed more than 270,000 times.

So far the 50-year-old has created tours of Ryhope Engine Museum, Roker Pier, the Northern Spire and hopes to picture Grace House and Hylton Castle in the coming months.

The virtual tour was posted live on Monday and has already received 1,000 views.

Councillor John Kelly, Sunderland City Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture said: “It’s only a few months ago that Roker Pier was named as one of the ten best in the world.

The start of the walk along the pierThe start of the walk along the pier
The start of the walk along the pier
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“A lot of coastal towns or cities have their pier, but few have a pier quite like ours which, at 2,000ft long, is more than a third of a mile in length.

“It’s a landmark that we can all be very proud of and I hope even more people can now see what a marvel it is and decide to come and see the real thing.

“And, of course, when people do visit and take a bracing winter walk or a pleasant summer stroll along our marvellous pier they can take in some more of our city’s many attractions.”

To see the Google Street View tour click here.