Holiday rentals in Bridlington

Nicknamed the “lobster capital of Europe,” this friendly Yorkshire town is an old-fashioned, Northeast-style seaside resort. What Bridlington lacks in azure tranquillity, it makes up for with nostalgic fun and down-to-earth charm. The peachy sands of Bridlington’s two beaches are a magnet for ice-cream lickers, as they were a century and a half ago, when the first holidaymakers poured in to paddle in the North Sea in their knickerbockers. The promenade is crammed with kids’ rides and amusements, and fish and chips are wolfed gleefully in the bustling harbour — alas, most of the lobster hauled in here is currently exported to Europe, but there are plans to build up the local foodie scene.

A string of sandy beaches runs south along the East Riding coast, while to the north lie the monumental white-chalk cliffs of the Flamborough Headland Heritage Coast. Bempton Cliffs are like Ibiza for breeding seabirds in summer, when half a million gannets, puffins, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, and other breeds flock here to get it on.

To make the most of the beaches and coastal walks, come between late spring and early autumn, when the weather will usually be kinder. Like any seaside community, school holiday weeks and hot weekends find the area bristling with visitors. Those who can dance the jitterbug or have a penchant for twinsets with pearls and World War II Army uniforms should come in June, when the Old Town hosts its annual 1940s festival. Expect live swing bands and gallons of tea. April to October is prime time to see the huge populations of seabirds on nearby Bempton Cliffs. Gannets hang around into October, while short-eared owls arrive for the winter with other migrant species.

Old Town

Set back from the harbour, the Old Town was once a separate city, and makes for some very pleasant exploring. Interesting buildings include an inn dating to the 15th century;, a 900-year-old priory, once the largest in Yorkshire; and little independent shops, galleries, and pubs.

Bempton Cliffs

The epic, 120-metre-high Bempton Cliffs tower above a crashing inferno of waves, sea caves, and bird shrieks. The migratory seabirds gathering on a 5-kilometre stretch protected by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds create one of Britain’s greatest natural spectacles, and other interesting species such as skylarks can be spotted among grasslands above the cliffs. Hikers can follow the coastal path a few miles from Bridlington, looking out for Bronze Age earthwork, Danes Dyke, and the Flamborough Head Lighthouse.

Bondville Model Village

If the joy of being in a vast natural environment that makes you feel small and insignificant isn’t your vibe, try Bondville Model Village and feel like a giant. After completing a quiz as you explore the miniature hamlet, head to the cafe for delicious, and thankfully life-size, scones and afternoon tea.