Blyth Cricket and Rugby Club

The cricket square at Blyth is properly maintained, with rugby pitches alongside - the kind of place where you can watch a proper match on a Saturday afternoon if you time it right. It's a working sports club rather than a tourist attraction, but that's rather the point. You'll find locals of all ages turning out for fixtures, which gives it an authentic feel that manufactured attractions simply can't replicate.

Unlike theme parks or heritage sites, this is somewhere for sports enthusiasts or anyone who wants to see community sport as it actually happens in the North East. If you're staying at one of the nearby holiday parks - Parkdean Resorts Sandy Bay or Church Point, both within five miles - it's worth checking the fixture list and popping along. Cricket season runs summer months, rugby from autumn through spring. Admission details vary by match, so ring ahead before you head over from Ashington.

The grounds are a short drive from the holiday parks, making it a pleasant half-day outing rather than a full day's activity. Bring a picnic and settle in for the afternoon if there's a match on. It's not flashy or touristy, which is exactly why it works. Real sport, real people, proper slice of Northumberland life. Families with children who play cricket or rugby would get the most from it, though anyone who appreciates grassroots sport will find it worthwhile.