Shippersea Bay

The stretch of sand and shale at Shippersea Bay sits just south of Peterlee, a proper working-class corner of the Durham coast that hasn't been polished up for the tourists. You get limestone cliffs backing a decent beach, the kind where you can actually breathe without fighting crowds. Low tide reveals rock pools worth exploring if you've got kids in tow, though the shale can be sharp underfoot - proper shoes are essential.

This isn't Blackpool. There's no funfair, no pier, no gift shops selling inflatable novelties. What you get instead is a bit of peace, some decent walking along the foreshore, and views across to Hartlepool way. The cliffs are interesting geologically if you're into that sort of thing, and photographers sometimes show up for the light in late afternoon.

Walkers will find this works as part of a longer coastal route rather than a destination in itself. Allow an hour or two depending on tide times and whether the kids are keen on fossil hunting. It's free, obviously - just park near the bay and go.

Staying at The Barn at Easington, barely half a mile away, makes sense logistically. You're close enough for a quick beach morning before heading elsewhere. The 2.0-star Parkdean Resort down at Crimdon is further afield and honestly doesn't add much value. This bay works best as a pit stop on a Durham coast walk rather than your main event, but on a decent day it's worth the detour from Peterlee.