K

ids love Bamburgh’s ‘Blue Flag’ beach. There are rock-pools to explore, waves to jump, sandcastles to build and tons of space to spread out and play.

Even for grown-ups, it’s the kind of place that makes you want to kick off your flip-flops and sprint towards the shore (or take a ‘leisurely stroll’ if you’re feeling more ‘adult’).

Perched on the rather beautiful Northumberland coast, Bamburgh is ideal for a family break. Wash the sand out of your toes and take a look round the nearby castle, which has kept watch over the place for nigh on 1,500 years – albeit not in its current state.

Back in Medieval times it was a vital English outpost, which regularly came under attack from the Scots who launched raids from over the border. Shuffle your way along the worn stone floors of the keep, and you can find out all about it; there’s even a Medieval kitchen to explore.

Aside from history there’s nature, too. Head to Seahouses (about three miles down the coast) and you can hop on the good ship ‘Glad Tidings’ for a boat trip to the nearby Farne Islands – home to thousands of marine species including puffins and seals.

Of course, all that salty air inevitably leaves you peckish, so when you get back to Seahouses why not call in at Lewis’s – which serves the best fish and chips you’ll taste this year…