Belle Vue Park

A few minutes' drive south of Lowestoft, Belle Vue Park is a proper little nature reserve that doesn't announce itself loudly but rewards a visit if you're into birds and wetland wildlife. The place is all reed beds, open water, and viewing areas - the kind of spot where you might see avocets, marsh harriers, or if you're lucky, bitterns in winter. There's something genuinely peaceful about standing still here, binoculars in hand, waiting for movement in the reeds.

Walkers and twitchers will get the most from Belle Vue. It's not somewhere to dash round in twenty minutes - you're looking at an hour or two if you want to actually see anything. The paths are accessible enough, though it can get muddy, and the place has a working feel to it rather than being overly manicured for tourists. Bring proper footwear and patience.

If you're staying at one of the nearby holiday parks - Azure Seas is just down the road, or Pakefield if you fancy being slightly closer to the seafront - Belle Vue makes a cracking half-day outing without the seaside chaos. It's free to explore and there's no admission charge that I'm aware of, which keeps it genuine. Spring and autumn are best for migrating birds, though winter can throw up unexpected rarities if you know what you're looking for. Best visited early morning when the light's good and the wildlife's active.