Cresswell Bay Beach

The beach at Cresswell Bay sprawls out in front of you with a proper North Sea attitude - grey-green water, golden sand, and enough space that even on a decent day you won't feel crowded. It's the sort of Northumberland coastline that rewards a slow walk rather than a sprint, with rock pools worth investigating at low tide and cliffs rising up behind that give the whole place a bit of drama.

Walkers will love this stretch. The beach connects easily to wider coastal paths, so you can rack up a few miles without thinking about it. Families with younger kids get a couple of hours' entertainment out of the sand and shallow water, though it's not the kind of beach with amusement arcades or ice cream vans - you'll need to bring your own snacks. Photographers should time it for golden hour; the light here in late afternoon is genuinely good.

It's free to access and there's no time limit, though the weather will make the decision for you most days. Allow at least an hour if you're just having a look, longer if you're actually settling in. The nearest proper town is Morpeth, a few miles inland, which means the beach stays relatively uncommercial.

Golden Sands Holiday Park sits right on top of the action - literally 0.1 miles away - so if you're based there, you're sorted. Even from the slightly further Parkdean Resorts options, Cresswell Bay is close enough for a morning visit without mucking about. It's honest, unpretentious coastline.