Primrose Park

The reserve sits right on Filey's doorstep, a proper surprise if you're expecting just another seaside town. Primrose Park is a working nature reserve where you can actually see something - wet grassland, reedbeds, the lot - rather than just wander around hoping. Spring brings migrants through, and the summer wildflower display is genuinely worth timing a visit around, though you won't find the place rammed like some nature spots.

It's best suited to patient types: birdwatchers with binoculars, families keen to spot something other than gulls, and walkers who don't mind a gentle amble rather than a mountain hike. The paths are manageable, nothing steep or treacherous, though it can get boggy after rain. Allow an hour minimum, longer if you've got proper kit and know what you're looking for.

Stay at Haven Primrose Valley Holiday Park just up the road and you're metres away - genuinely convenient if you've got kids who want to burn energy between seaside sessions. Centenary Way, a short walk further on, offers a quieter base if you prefer caravans to holiday park infrastructure.

The reserve is free to explore, which is refreshing. Go early morning for wildlife; late afternoon light is better for photography. Don't expect the dramatic coastal drama you get further down the Yorkshire coast, but if you're after a morning's worthwhile nature spotting without the fuss, this works.