There's plenty to do at Roker Beach any time of the year

Roker Beach has changed over the years. It was once the backdrop to Roker Park, the home of Sunderland AFC. The pier and lighthouse were built between 1885 and 1903 when Sunderland was a major port. It provides a brilliant view as you park at the top of the front and work your way down to the beach area. In the summer or is a lively beach with plenty of visitors. In the other months of the year when the weather isn't good enough for your swimming gear then there are people walking dogs, beachcombers with metal detectors and many cyclists. It is a lovely part of the world, especially when the fun is shining.

There has been some money ploughed into the area and a selection of cafes and restaurants await any hungry visitor. The Roker Hotel has a great choice at the top of the cliffs with some great views. At the bottom near the sea there are a few options, including a a fish and chip shop. It is a haven for cyclists, dog walkers and photographers. The opportunity of getting that great shot at the start or the end of the day brings a flurry of photographers and the options are a beautiful picture of a calm sea or stunning shots of the crashing waves.

It's not far from the sights of the marina, the docks, the National Glass Centre and the Stadium of Light - the new home of Sunderland AFC. It is good to make the most of those last good days of 2016. Sunday was a brilliant morning to spend time near the sea.

I urge you all to spend some time in and around the Sunderland seafront when in the North East of England. It is always underrepresented by the media and travel guides but is a real gem that should be explored. The illuminations in October and November in the run up to Christmas is a great little at to take it all in too.

Redcar and Saltburn are a great place to spend some time (and eat) on an Autumn day

It didn't look like it was going to become a nice day from the start but Saturday turned out to be a really nice day. It started with a trip to Teesside Park for a small scale version of retail therapy.

But once the boring bit was out of the way it was on to Redcar and Saltburn to get those last few hours of seaside time before the weather really is too poor to be able to enjoy it all. The weather turned out quite nice in the end and it was warm in the sunshine, although not really warm enough for sitting on the beach. There were plenty of people in and around Redcar making the most of it.

Redcar is an interesting town with a seafront, a town centre that isn't as bad as many in the North East, the vertical pier and a few places to grab something to eat. Lemon tops are a local favourite and they are a welcome change from the standard fayre of seaside resorts - the vanilla ice cream. They are essentially a vanilla ice cream topped with a type of lemon sorbet and the mix of the two tastes great whether you are having one in the baking sun of mid Summer or strolling along the promenade in late Autumn.I heartily recommend one whenever you go to Redcar with Pacittos being the long-time local favourite place to get one.

The Zetland Lifeboat Museum and Redcar Heritage Centre gives an insight into the past of Redcar and how it was a centre for fishing until fairly recently. It is a mall museum but gives enough detail so that you can get a real feel of the area. The shutting down of many of the local industries also goes a long way to explaining some of the economic deprivation seen today in the area.

Saltburn is another place altogether. The official title is Saltburn-by-the-Sea and was formed by John Pease, a Quaker, Although the sea and beach feel as though you are just a short hop away from Redcar, the place has a more serene and austere feel to it. There are still areas of social deprivation but they sit among nice tea shops, antique centres and a lively surfing scene. Saltburn has become one of the places to be on the coast in this area.

We got there after lunch on a good Autumn day so parking was at an absolute premium. It takes a long time to get the right parking spaces in Saltburn so if you are going for a few hours try to get there in the morning or prepare to do a little walking - especially up and down the cliffs. In the summer months there is an operational cliff lift that is a joy to watch or ride on but this closes for the winter.This is a Victorian seaside resort that has kept some Victorian values and updated it with quality fish and chips (The Ship Inn is the best choice but you can't go wrong anywhere!)

If you haven't been to Redcar or Saltburn then I recommend you take a trip. If there are any more decent weekends left this year then get to the coast and have a walk along the seafront at both of these locations. You won'tr be disappointed!