Carlisle Memorial Garden

A quiet patch of Norfolk just outside Wisbech where someone, at some point, decided to plant a memorial garden and let nature get on with it. That's rather the appeal. You won't find manicured flowerbeds or heritage roses here - this is a nature reserve that happens to be in a garden, not the other way round.

It's the sort of place where you'll actually spot things. Butterflies, birds, maybe a slow worm if you're lucky and keep your eyes down. The planting is thoughtful without being showy, which means locals and keen naturalists get far more out of a visit than someone expecting Chelsea Flower Show drama. A decent walk around takes 45 minutes, maybe an hour if you're photographing everything.

Families with restless kids might find it a bit thin on entertainment - there's no play equipment and the appeal is very much in the looking rather than the doing. But if you've got young ones who actually enjoy spotting wildlife, or you're staying at one of the excellent glamping spots nearby like Westerby Farm or Glamping with Llamas, it's a proper free addition to your day. The Llamas spot is barely a mile away, so it works nicely as a peaceful counterpoint to all that farmyard chaos.

Best visited in late spring or summer when the insects are active and the light's decent for photography. Free entry, as far as anyone can tell, and there's no pretence about it. Exactly what a local nature reserve should be.