England's eight best northern seaside towns

"Head to Blackpool or Scarborough, you will be rewarded with sugar-rush arcades and wall-to-wall crowds: Head a little further down the myriad B-roads and lanes, however, and you'll find a coastline that's wilder, moodier and edged with big skies and salt-bitten charm."

"From traditional fishing villages to faded Victorian resorts to RSPB reserves, deserted coves and teetering cliffs, the charm of the coastal north can be found in the allure of the bracing walks, excellent seafood and prices that make Brighton seem positively larcenous in comparison. From Northumberland to Cumbria, these are the seaside towns and villages worth knowing now."

"From the wide dunes that fan out from the north of the tidy centre of this North Eastern fishing village, you'll spot the vast, elongated battlements of Bamburgh Castle in the distance. It's a gorgeous view at dusk, but there's plenty of humble appeal to the village itself, still a working harbour first and seaside resort second."

"Down at the bijou harbour, fishing boats bob alongside tour vessels heading out to the Farne Islands; you're likely to spot grey seals on route and puffins, kittiwakes and eider ducks when you alight. But there's pleasure in staying put in town too, preferably eating fish and chips at Lewis' Seafood Restaurant and watching the light shift over the North Sea."

The north of England delivers a different seaside experience, with busier, classic resorts giving way to quieter coastlines with big skies and salt-bitten charm. Coastal towns range from working fishing villages and faded Victorian resorts to RSPB reserves, deserted coves, and teetering cliffs. The appeal centers on bracing walks, excellent seafood, and prices that are far lower than in places like Brighton. Seahouses in Northumberland features dunes, views of Bamburgh Castle, a working harbour, and wildlife sightings such as grey seals, puffins, kittiwakes, and eider ducks. Visitors can eat fish and chips at Lewis’ Seafood Restaurant, watch the light over the North Sea, and visit Swallow Fish, a traditional smokehouse operating since 1843.

Read at CN Traveller