Seahouses

The smell of kippers hits you first. Proper smoked ones, not the supermarket pretenders. This working fishing village clings to the Northumberland coast with admirable stubbornness, its harbour packed with crab boats and pleasure craft heading out to the Farne Islands. The high street runs straight down to the sea, lined with shops selling everything from wet weather gear to locally caught seafood.

Seahouses works as a base because everything worth seeing lies within easy reach. The Farne Islands sit just offshore - take one of the boat trips from the harbour to see puffins, seals and medieval chapels. Bamburgh Castle looms magnificent three miles north, while Holy Island and its ancient priory make for a proper day out when the causeway's passable.

Tughall Covert offers woodland walks if you need a break from the coastal drama. The beaches here are decent enough, though Bamburgh's golden sweep steals the show.

Getting here means the A1 then coastal roads - it's well signposted from Newcastle, about an hour north. The nearest railway station is Berwick-upon-Tweed, a fair trek away. Staying at one of the holiday parks around Seahouses puts you right in the thick of Northumberland's coastal action without the hassle of searching for parking every morning. The village gets rammed in summer, so having your own pitch sorted makes sense.