Cromer is unashamedly, gloriously traditional British seaside — a Victorian pier stretching over the North Sea, streets full of gift shops and crab stalls, and fish and chips that genuinely live up to the reputation. On the north Norfolk coast, it is a town that has no interest in reinventing itself, and is all the better for it. Here’s what to know before you visit.

Easington Beach takes some finding — a cliffside walk from the village through ancient woodland and coastal paths, past wartime pillboxes and the echoes of a mining heritage that still shapes this corner of Durham. Much of this stretch of coastline is inaccessible by design, which means those who make the effort are rewarded with real solitude and some of the most striking cliff scenery on the north east coast. Here’s what to know before you go.