New Friarage

The New Friarage is Hartlepool's football ground, home to Hartlepool United. If you're staying at Crimdon Dene just down the road and fancy a match day atmosphere, it's worth checking what's on - the club plays in the National League, so the standard is decent without being Premier League prices. The stadium itself is fairly compact, which means you're never far from the action. On a Saturday afternoon with a decent crowd, the energy's proper good.

It's really only worth your time if there's a match on. Hartlepool's a coastal town with plenty else going on - the marina's nice for a stroll, the Historic Quay's got real character - so you wouldn't trek here just to look at an empty football ground. But if you're staying at Crimdon Dene with football fans in tow, catching a Hartlepool United game beats sitting around the static caravan. Ticket prices are reasonable compared to bigger clubs, and it's an easy walk from the town centre. The ground's been there since 1886, so there's some proper history baked in, though the modern facilities are what you'd expect from a modern National League setup.

Go on a match day, arrive an hour before kick-off to soak in the matchday buzz, and grab chips from one of the local spots afterwards. On non-match days, save your time for Hartlepool's seafront.