From Craster kippers to Cornish crab: Take a food tour along Britain's beautiful coastline and enjoy the ones that didn't get away

• Dorset is home to fresh, seasonal produce and an influx of celebrity chefs
• Northumberland provides oak-smoked kippers and views of the North Sea
• And renowned chefs will be sharing tips at Cornwall's Newlyn Fish Festival

By Katie Rowe For The Mail On Sunday

Published: 18:47 EST, 11 July 2015 | Updated: 18:47 EST, 11 July 2015

The coastlines of Britain are beautiful at this time of the year and offer an abundance of seafood ready to sample.

From Dorset, where celebrity chefs appear to be flocking in great numbers in order to make the most of the plentiful fish on offer.

To oak-smoked kippers in Northumberland - which also offers spectacular views of the North Sea - and the Newlyn Fish Festival in Cornwall, here is a round up of the best Britain has to offer. 

The beautiful British coastlines offer an abundance of seafood, which is perfect to sample this time of year

Why chefs are head over heels with Dorset

Dorset is home to fresh, seasonal ingredients by the shedload, so it’s no surprise that celebrity chefs flock there. Mark Hix’s Oyster and Fish Bar in Lyme Regis uses the daily catch from along the World Heritage Jurassic Coast – you can admire the scenery from your table. 

Meanwhile, 2009 MasterChef winner Mat Follas hosts a weekend pop-up restaurant at The Casterbridge in Dorchester. 

Along with celeb chef offerings, food-lovers will adore exploring local delis, farmers’ markets, village pubs and beach cafes, such as the Hive in Burton Bradstock. Tuck into tempura-battered cod and chips with mushy peas as you gaze out to sea.

Over in South Devon, visitors can join the Rockfish Crab Party along Dartmouth’s South Embankment

Enjoy fresh seafood in Cornwall and Devon

Feast on some of the freshest seafood you’ll ever taste as you celebrate Newlyn’s fishing heritage with the locals. Each summer, the town in south Cornwall puts on the Newlyn Fish Festival to showcase its delicious home-caught produce, alongside a packed programme of events which includes live cookery demonstrations, a fish auction, musical performances and a host of children’s entertainment.

Over in South Devon, you can join the Rockfish Crab Party along Dartmouth’s South Embankment. Feast on local crab, Devonshire ice cream and a host of other delicious local specialities while admiring views of pastel-hued fishermen’s cottages teetering over a harbour that’s bustling with yachts.

Renowned chef Angela Hartnett will be there to share top tips, and there’ll be music from the Nauti Boys. Drop off your bags at one of Coast & Country Cottages’ luxury Dart Marina apartments, on the edge of the River Dart, and you’ll have everything right on your doorstep.

Visitors to Northumberland can tuck into Craster kipper pate and crab sandwiches while gazing at the sea

An authentic taste of Northumberland

Northumberland’s coast is peppered with friendly foodie establishments offering some of the finest seafood around, including L. Robson & Sons in Craster, who make the most of their unique coastal position, just as locals here have done for hundreds of years.

On smoking day, the smell alone is enough to tempt you to try some oak-smoked kippers. Ask nicely and they may even let you have a nose around the original smokehouses, where they still use the same methods as they did 170 years ago.

Alternatively, build up an appetite as you lap up the sea air on a clifftop ramble to the dramatic 14th Century ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle. Don’t forget your camera for some spectacular shots.

On your return, head to the Jolly Fisherman on the aptly named Haven Hill, to tuck into Craster kipper pate and crab sandwiches while gazing out at the North Sea.

For more holiday ideas, go to visitengland.com.