I’ll never forget the drive up to Whitby – rain lashing the windscreen like it had a personal grudge, and then, just past Scarborough, the sat-nav decided to throw a wobbly and sent us down a narrow lane that looked more like a sheep track. We ended up in a muddy field, laughing our heads off as I tried to reverse out without embedding the car tyres in Yorkshire peat. Typical me, always turning a simple journey into an unplanned adventure. But by the time we crested the hill and spotted the sea, that little mishap felt like the perfect teaser – Whitby was waiting, all dramatic cliffs and twinkling lights.

Pulling up to the holiday cottage, my heart did a little flip of anticipation. It’s this gorgeous, spacious retreat that sleeps six, dead handy for our family crew, with cosy vibes for mates or multigenerational get-togethers. Just half a mile from that epic long sandy beach, and close enough for day jaunts into the North York Moors’ pretty villages. First impressions? Spot on – we dumped the bags and cracked open a bottle of fizz on the patio, already plotting hot tub soaks after traipsing about.

What turned our stay into pure magic, though, wasn’t the obvious spots like the abbey ruins or the swing bridge. Nah, it was the hidden gems we stumbled on by accident, proper off-the-beaten-track treasures unearthed from getting gloriously lost. Take our first wander: instead of heading straight to the beach, we veered off down a winding path behind the cottage, chasing a glimpse of the estuary. Ended up at this secret cove near Sandsend, a pebbly nook where the waves chucked up fossils like confetti. We spent hours poking about, kids shrieking with delight over devil’s toenails – who knew geology could be such a laugh?

Next day, aiming for a moors hike, we took a ‘shortcut’ that wasn’t on any map. Lost signal, no bother – it led us to a tucked-away valley with a babbling beck and wildflowers nodding in the breeze. Picnicked there with cheese butties from the local deli, feeling like we’d gatecrashed Narnia. Evenings back at the cottage were bliss: movie nights huddled round the wood burner, or bubbling away in the hot tub, swapping tales of the day’s detours. One night, we got properly turned around on the clifftop paths near Runswick Bay – stumbled on an old smugglers’ lookout, empty but for gulls and the best sea views in Yorkshire. Pure serendipity.

Reflecting on it now, sat here with a cuppa, I reckon that’s the joy of Whitby – it rewards the wanderers. Us lot, always rushing about in daily life, learned to embrace the meander. No grand plans, just happy accidents that knit us closer. If you’re after coast and countryside without the crowds, this is your spot. Book it, get lost, make memories. You won’t regret it.