Fun for all the family

Want some inspiration for family-friendly ways to spend your time on the coast? Here's a few ideas to get you started.

• Find out more about the rich marine life at Robin Hood's Bay in the National Trust's visitor centre in the Old Coastguard Station. 

• While you're there pick up a Family Tracker Pack and go on a fossil hunt on the beach once the tide goes out. The pack also contains information for carrying out a rockpool recce and a route map for a two kilometre walk along the bay and cliff path to the delightfully secluded cove of Boggle Hole.

• Boggle Hole, a hiding place for hobgoblins, is an amazing place for rockpooling and fossil hunting. Hidden Horizons can take you on a guided hunt that may well turn up some dinosaur prints as well.

• Discover the ghostly side of Robin Hood's Bay on a walk with Rose, the Whitby Storyteller, listening to stories of the strange and supernatural, combined with historical anecdotes. Suitable for all ages. 

• Learn about the richness of local life in Robin Hood's Bay Museum, housed in what used to be the Coroner's Room and Mortuary.

• Hire a bike from Trailways at Hawsker and follow part of the traffic-free former Scarborough to Whitby railway (the 'Cinder Track') for four miles back to Whitby. You'll be treated to spectacular coastal views and get to pedal over Larpool Viaduct's impressive 13 arches.

• Find ammonites of all kinds on display at Whitby Museum as well as exhibitions on a range of subjects from Cook and Scoresby, to archaeology, witch posts, model ships and local jet.

• Start your Staithes exploration in the Captain Cook & Staithes Heritage Centre, featuring a recreated 1745 street scene.

• Pick up a free, fun sticker trail and follow in the footsteps of CBeebies' Old Jack's Boat which was filmed in Staithes. The leaflet is available in the village, just look out for posters.

• Follow the Staithes Illusion Trail around the village created by trompe l'oeil artist Paul Czainski.

• Take a walk along the Grade II-listed Victorian pleasure pier in Saltburn, marvelling at the view below through the gaps in the wood floor. Look out for the latest colourful yarn-bombing!

• Take a trip on the Saltburn Miniature Railway running from Cat Nab Station close to the beach for about half a mile inland to Forest Halt in Saltburn Valley Gardens.