Briston Common

The open heathland at Briston Common feels properly wild, especially once you're away from the car park and the sky opens up above you. It's Norfolk at its most honest - no drama, just gorse and heather, a few scattered pines, and that particular quality of light that makes the flatness feel infinite rather than dull.

This is walker territory, plain and simple. The paths meander without fuss, and it's the sort of place where you can spend an hour getting properly lost without any real danger. Birdwatchers do well here too. The habitat attracts some decent species, and there's a real sense of stillness that makes you actually notice the calls rather than just walking past them.

Families with young kids might find it a touch bare after thirty minutes - there's no playground, no water feature, nothing to clamber on. But older children and teenagers who can walk for a bit will enjoy it. The openness is oddly liberating after a day in more crowded attractions.

You're well placed for exploring the wider Norfolk coast if you're based at any of the nearby glamping spots. Ashcroft and Old Brick Kilns are both within spitting distance, which means you could easily do Briston Common as a morning or afternoon jaunt alongside proper seaside days. Free access, no faffing about with admission fees. Just turn up and walk.