Trinity Towers

Three squat stone towers stand sentinel on the Whitley Bay seafront, survivors from a time when coastal defence meant something rather different. Trinity Towers are the remnants of a 19th-century fortification built to protect the North East coast, and they're genuinely striking in person - far more imposing than photographs suggest.

You can walk right up to them on the promenade, which is the main draw here. It's not a ticketed attraction with exhibitions or guided tours; you're essentially having a look at three bits of old military architecture in situ. The towers themselves date back to around the 1860s and have that Victorian fortified look - solid, purposeful, a touch austere. Spend twenty minutes wandering round them, reading the plaques if you can find any, and you've got the measure of it.

Historically minded visitors will find them worthwhile, particularly anyone with an interest in Napoleonic-era defence systems or Victorian military engineering. It's the sort of thing that makes sense if you're already down at the seafront rather than something you'd make a special trip for, truth be told.

If you're based at Parkdean Resorts Whitley Bay Holiday Park just down the road, they're an easy leg stretch combined with the broader promenade walk. The nearby Old Hartley Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite also puts you within easy reach. Best visited on a clear day when the stonework shows properly. Admission is free, naturally - they're just sitting there on public land.