The Duke of Wellington

The atmospheric ruins of a 14th-century Carthusian monastery are just one of the highlights at Mount Grace Priory, House and Gardens (15 minutes’ drive), where you can also visit a manor house with elegant Arts and Crafts decor (including a William Morris carpet). And, of course, the gardens are well worth a stroll at any time of year, with seasonal spectacles like spring bluebells and Japanese maples providing autumn colour. On the banks of the River Tees, Preston Park Museum & Grounds (half an hour) has heaps of activities to keep the kids entertained, from an adventure play area and a skate park to woodland walks and Butterfly World, a tropical environment where you can stroll among colourful butterflies. At the seaside town of Whitby (one hour), you can climb the 199 Steps to a windswept clifftop with the ruins of Whitby Abbey, said to have served as inspiration for Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’. You can also go on a whale-watching tour or grab fish and chips at one of the many restaurants along the lively harbour.