North Bay Beach

The long sandy stretch of North Bay curves away from Scarborough's town centre in a generous crescent, backed by promenade and the sort of Victorian seafront architecture that feels properly seaside. It's the working beach - families with buckets, paddlers splashing about, the occasional surfer when conditions allow. Nothing fussy about it. Free to access, naturally, and you can spend as little or as much time here as you fancy. An hour's paddle and fish and chips, or a full day if the weather holds and the kids are content digging holes.

The bay gets busy in summer, particularly around the main beach facilities near the town, but head further along toward Peasholm Park and it thins out considerably. You get decent views back toward the seafront if you're into that sort of thing. The sand's good enough - not quite as fine as some Yorkshire beaches, but it drains well and doesn't turn to silt when the tide's out.

If you're staying at Scarborough Camping and Caravanning Club just over a mile away, or Prospect House Farm Glamping closer to Cayton, North Bay makes an easy morning or evening excursion. It's particularly worth the walk on quieter days when the whole thing feels less chaotic. Worth pairing with a stroll around the headland if you've got legs - the path up to the castle gives proper views back across the bay. Not revolutionary, but it's a proper seaside beach that does exactly what it says on the tin.