Blyth Beach Huts

The rows of candy-coloured beach huts lining the sand at Blyth are the sort of thing that stops you mid-stride. Striped in pastels - soft blues, pinks, yellows - they're proper Instagram fodder, but genuinely charming without feeling forced. You're looking at the classic British seaside scene, the kind that makes you want to crack open a flask and settle in for the afternoon.

They're functional things, these huts. Locals rent them for the season, stash deckchairs and buckets inside, potter about on the beach. As a visitor, you can't hire one for an hour, but wandering along and photographing them costs nothing. The beach itself is decent enough - wide, sandy, backed by a promenade where you can grab fish and chips or a coffee. Low tide reveals a broader stretch; high tide pushes things a bit closer.

Walkers will appreciate the coastal path that runs through here. Kids get a kick out of spotting which huts are painted what colour. Photography types should aim for late afternoon light when the huts throw long shadows and the colours glow.

If you're staying at Parkdean Resorts Sandy Bay or Church Point, both just minutes inland, Blyth Beach is an easy morning outing. It's not a full-day destination - you're really here for thirty minutes to an hour - but it's the kind of authentic seaside detail that lifts a park holiday beyond the holiday park gates. Whitley Bay is just up the coast if you want to extend the trip.