Seahouses

Fresh crab sandwiches and the tang of sea salt hit you the moment you step onto the harbour front. This working fishing village on Northumberland's dramatic coast still pulls in the boats daily, their catches destined for the local restaurants that line the waterfront. Seahouses has managed that rare trick of staying properly authentic while welcoming visitors - no mean feat when you're the main jumping-off point for the Farne Islands.

Those islands are the real draw here. The National Trust runs boat trips from the harbour to these rocky outcrops where thousands of seabirds nest, including the famous puffins that arrive each spring. The crossing can be choppy - proper North Sea stuff - but worth every wave for the close encounters with grey seals and the cacophony of guillemots and kittiwakes.

When the boats aren't running, there's plenty to keep you busy on dry land. The Gunpowder Hut offers cracking views along the coast, while history buffs can seek out the Wreck of trawler "Children's Friend" and St Aidan R C Church. The beach stretches for miles in both directions, backed by dunes that provide shelter from the ever-present coastal breeze.

Getting here is straightforward enough - the A1 gets you to within spitting distance, then it's a short hop along the coast road. Alnwick is your nearest proper town, about 20 minutes inland. Staying at one of the holiday parks nearby puts you right in the heart of this spectacular coastline, with Bamburgh Castle just down the road and the entire Northumberland coast at your doorstep.