Mike Laycock and family enjoyed a traditional afternoon by the seaside when they visited Hunmanby Gap and Filey

No matter how much today's kids are into computer games and TV, they probably enjoy a trip to the seaside as much as previous generations ever did. And the delights of a visit to Hunmanby Gap, and the nearby resort of Filey, have probably changed little since today's parents went there as children themselves... sandcastles, a game of footy, a splash around in the sea...

The blazing heat of July has prompted many York families to head for the coast for a cooling dip in the North Sea. We joined the throng last weekend. Not that we made the mistake of using the A64, its stretches of single carriageway hopelessly unable to cope with the rush to Scarborough. We took the much quieter A166 to Bridlington via Stamford Bridge. This is a more scenic route involving a spectacular climb up Garrowby Hill, and then a run through Sledmere with its stately home and across the rolling Wolds to Hunmanby.

From this pleasant little town, we drove out to the coast via Sands Road, which leads you to a clifftop car park above Hunmanby Gap - and we even found a free parking space at the side of the road.

I reckon the Gap is one of the nicest beaches on the Yorkshire coast. You have a picturesque walk down a steep road to the vast expanse of Filey Bay. The fine sands never seem to get too packed, except perhaps at high tide. In the distance are the high and white cliffs of Bempton.

Behind the beach are less spectacular clay cliffs, which each year seem to have tumbled a little further onto the beach. A garage on the cliffside cracked up over the last year and looks ready to slide into the sea. But we were relieved to see a caf and takeaway was still there for at least another summer, and took some freshly fried chips with us on to the beach.

Matthew and his friends quickly blew up his inflatable boat and took to the sea. The beach shelves only slowly and they went no deeper than waist deep, but we kept a close watch just in case, having no desire to feature in headlines about air-sea rescues.

The North Sea has often looked on the dirty side during previous visits, leaving an unpleasant scum on the tideline, but it actually looked quite clean on this occasion, and I was almost tempted to take a dip myself. There was time for a little digging, and then a kickaround with a football before it was time to head for Filey.

If Scarborough and Bridlington are the big and brash teenagers of the Yorkshire coast, this resort is more of a sedate motherly figure - a family town with relatively few amusement arcades but plenty of cheap but not too tacky shops, some hearty fish and chip restaurants and takeaways, and some gentle fun for younger children along the seafront and beach.

There were no signs of donkeys on the beach on this occasion, but there were rides on roundabouts, and our children had a romp in a ball pool before we all had a go on the new, crazy golf course.

Fact file

To get there: Take A166 via Stamford Bridge to Fridaythorpe, and then B roads via Sledmere, Thwing, Burton Fleming to Hunmanby and Filey.

Alternatively, take Northern Spirit train to Filey, changing at Scarborough. For train times, call 0345 484950.

PICTURE: Three kids and a boat: Jonathan Milnes gets a push from friends Matthew Laycock and his sister Heather at Hunmanby Gap near Filey