Scarborough

We live in one of the most urbanised countries on earth. By 2030 a staggering 92 percent of us will be living the urban life. Congested cities sprawl across our map, but they are not the only way to live. Smaller than a city, more intimate, more surprising: this series celebrates the forgotten world of the town.

A Yorkshire coastal town, Scarborough has had more ups and downs than a roller-coaster. It once had the biggest fish fair in Western Europe, it was a leading health spa and holidaymakers flocked to Britain's first seaside resort. Geographer and adventurer Nicholas Crane finds out what has happened to the town since its heyday and whether our fondness for foreign holidays has left this port high and dry.