Whitby Cemetery

The climb up to Whitby Cemetery is steep - properly steep - and you'll feel it in your legs by the time you reach the top. But that's rather the point. This Victorian burial ground sits high above the town on the East Cliff, commanding views across the harbour and out to sea that make the effort worthwhile.

It's a working cemetery rather than a museum piece, so you're walking among graves that span from the 1850s onwards. The headstones tell stories - local fishermen, ship captains, whole families lost in the sea. On a grey Yorkshire day, there's something quietly moving about it. Kids might find it a bit grim at first, but older children often become genuinely interested in reading the inscriptions and spotting the oldest graves.

You can wander freely, and it costs nothing. Allow half an hour if you're just poking about, longer if you're the type to sit and soak in the atmosphere. The real draw, though, is the vantage point. From the top, you can see right across to Whitby Abbey - which is worth a separate visit - and the whole sweep of the coast. On clear days, the view extends properly far.

If you're staying at Whitby Holiday Park just down the road, this makes a natural morning outing before heading into town for lunch. It's not a major attraction, but it's free, it's peaceful, and the views are genuinely good. Worth the climb.