Hartlepool

The monkey legend alone makes this place worth a visit. Hartlepool's notorious tale of hanging a French spy monkey during the Napoleonic Wars captures the town's quirky spirit perfectly. This is proper working-class County Durham, where industry meets the North Sea and nobody takes themselves too seriously.

Chalking up dramatic coastal walks, the town sits on Durham's eastern edge with cracking views across the bay. Hart Reservoir offers peaceful fishing and walking just inland, while High Throston Golf Course provides elevated panoramas back towards the sea. The coastline here is raw and beautiful - no manicured resort nonsense, just honest cliffs and beaches that feel properly wild when the North Sea wind gets up.

History buffs will find plenty to poke around. Low Throston's deserted medieval village tells stories of centuries past, while the medieval fish ponds hint at how locals once fed themselves. Gin Cave provides an intriguing underground detour, though reaching it requires a bit of effort.

Getting here is straightforward enough. The A19 connects Hartlepool to Newcastle in 45 minutes or Middlesbrough in 20. Train links run to Newcastle, Durham and beyond, making day trips perfectly feasible.

Staying at nearby holiday parks makes excellent sense for exploring this stretch of Durham's coast. You're close enough for evening fish and chips in town but far enough away to enjoy proper countryside quiet. The surrounding area offers brilliant walking territory, and you can easily pop into Newcastle or Durham city for a change of pace. It's an honest base for an honest part of England that doesn't pretend to be anything it's not.