Lou Taylor's Memorial Bench

A simple wooden bench overlooking the North Yorkshire coast - that's Lou Taylor's Memorial. It sits quietly in the nature reserve just outside Whitby, the kind of place you'd stumble upon while walking the cliffs rather than make a special trip for. Someone clearly loved this spot enough to leave a permanent mark.

The bench itself is unremarkable in the best way. What matters is the view and the fact that you're standing in an actual working nature reserve, not some manicured heritage site. Walkers get the most from it - it's a natural waypoint on longer cliff-top trails, and the surrounding grassland and coastal scrub attract birdwatchers year-round. The walk from Whitby seafront takes the better part of an hour depending on your pace and whether you stop to look at anything else.

There's no visitor centre, no café, no admission fee. It's free to access, open whenever you fancy it. Best visited on a decent day when you can actually see the coast rather than just hear the waves somewhere in the mist - which, let's be honest, is half the time round here.

If you're staying at Whitby Cliff Top Touring Park, you're practically on top of the thing. Even from further afield - Broadings Farm or Northcliffe - it's an easy afternoon ramble. Combine it with a proper walk along the coastal path and maybe a fish and chips in Whitby afterwards, and you've got a proper day out. The memorial itself takes five minutes to visit, but the location earns the trip.