Arriving and parking without the pre-beach meltdown

Filey is a compact town, and once you are parked you can walk almost everywhere you need to go. The trouble is the getting there. On a sunny school-holiday morning the approach roads slow to a crawl from around half nine, and the two main car parks nearest the beach — the clifftop one by the Country Park and the seafront one near the Coble Landing — are usually full by ten. Arrive before 9.30am if you want a stress-free start, and after that, expect to queue or park further up the hill and walk down.

• Clifftop car park: best for the Country Park, Filey Brigg and the grassy areas where children can run off steam before the beach.
• Seafront car park near the Coble Landing: closest to the sand, the slipway and the toilets, but the first to fill.
• Street parking in the town: cheaper and quieter, but check for permit-only zones and time limits — a ten-minute walk downhill is usually worth it.

Take a photo of the car park sign or note the location on your phone. A long beach day makes everyone tired, and hunting for a car in an unfamiliar town with a grumpy four-year-old is nobody's idea of fun.

Beach safety with young children

Filey's bay is one of the gentler beaches on the Yorkshire coast, with a long, shallow shelf of sand that suits paddling and sandcastle building. That said, it is still the North Sea, and the tide moves fast across flat ground.

• Check the tide times before you set out and again on arrival. At high tide the usable beach narrows dramatically, especially near the Brigg, and there is very little sand left in places.
• Stay between the flags when lifeguards are patrolling in the summer season, and never let children swim near the rocks at Filey Brigg, where currents are stronger and the footing is uneven.
• Watch for the incoming tide around the Brigg. People get cut off there every year by walking out along the rocks and not noticing the water returning behind them.
• Dress for wind. Even on a warm day, the breeze off the sea can chill small children quickly. A lightweight windproof layer and a spare fleece in the bag earn their place.

Toilets, changing and quick escapes

Public toilets sit close to the seafront and near the Coble Landing, with further facilities in the town centre. Baby changing is available at some, but not all, so it is worth using the ones near the main car parks as your base. Bring your own supplies: nappy sacks, wipes and hand gel disappear quickly on a beach day, and shops in a small town can be busy at peak times.

If you need a break from the wind, the promenade below the Crescent offers a stretch of shelter where you can sit with a pushchair and still keep an eye on older children on the sand. It is also the quickest route back to the car if the weather turns.

Snack stops and picnic logistics

Filey does seaside food well, and there is no shortage of fish and chip shops, cafés and ice cream stops within a few minutes of the beach. The trick is timing. Between noon and half one, queues build quickly, and hungry children do not queue patiently.

• Eat early or late. Aim for 11.30am or after 2pm for the shortest waits.
• Buy chips to take away and eat them on a bench overlooking the bay rather than sitting in a crowded dining room.
• Pack a backup picnic. Fruit, sandwiches, water and a flask of tea cover the gap if the queues are long or the little ones run out of patience.
• Freeze a bottle of water overnight — it doubles as a cool pack for the bag and is drinkable by mid-afternoon.

Sheltered spots for windy or drizzly days

The exposed cliff top is wonderful on a still, bright day and thoroughly bracing on a windy one. When the breeze picks up, head inland a little.

• Glen Gardens sits away from the seafront and offers trees, lawns and a play area — a good choice when the wind is coming off the sea.
• The Country Park has grassy banks and pockets of shelter behind the higher ground, plus room for ball games and kite flying.
• Crescent Gardens provides a more formal, sheltered sit-down spot close to the town and the promenade.
• Behind the sea wall and along the promenade you will often find a calm patch even when the beach itself is blowing a hooley.

A picnic blanket, a windbreak and a couple of firm cushions turn almost any of these into a comfortable base for an hour or two.

A simple plan for the day

Arrive before 9.30am, park near the seafront if you can, and start with the beach while the tide is low and the sand is at its best. Move to a sheltered green space or the promenade around midday for food and a slower hour. Use the afternoon for rock pooling near the Brigg, a walk along the cliff path or a final paddle as the tide turns. Leave before the late-afternoon exodus, when the car parks empty at once and the roads out of town clog up. Pack layers, sun cream, water and a spare bag for wet clothes, and Filey will reward you with one of the easiest and most enjoyable family seaside days in Yorkshire.