Druridge Bay Beach

Two miles of proper sandy beach stretching north from the village of Druridge, with dunes behind and water that's genuinely swimmable on decent days. You get the whole arc of it - soft sand nearest the car park, firmer ground towards the northern end, rock pools if you fancy poking about at low tide. The bay faces east, so morning light is lovely, and there's usually a breeze that keeps it fresh even in summer.

It's the sort of place where families can actually breathe. Kids run about without bumping into crowds, dogs have room to properly stretch, and walkers get a straightforward route along the shore or up into the dunes. The nearby holiday parks at Cresswell Towers and Golden Sands sit within a couple of miles, making this an obvious morning or evening outing if you're staying put for a week.

Morpeth sits inland and doesn't dominate the feel here - Druridge has its own rhythm. The sand holds up well for building, the water's cold but manageable in July and August, and the dunes are worth exploring if you've got time. It's not dramatic or wild in the way Scottish beaches can be, but that's rather the point. There's no entrance fee, no facilities to speak of beyond car parking, and you can easily spend three hours here without thinking about it.

Best visited when wind's coming from the south rather than the north, and definitely skip it on grey February days when the whole thing feels like the end of the world.