Chettisham Meadow

The Cambridgeshire fens can feel a bit bleak in winter, but Chettisham Meadow east of Ely is where you actually understand why anyone bothers with this landscape at all. It's a working nature reserve - nothing fancy, just open grassland and wetland that locals and serious birdwatchers treat as proper gold. You'll find the usual suspects: lapwings, snipe, the occasional bittern if you're lucky and patient enough to stand about for hours. The walking's straightforward, flat as you'd expect in fenland, and the light does something peculiar here, especially when it's low and wet.

This is genuinely one for the binoculars brigade rather than casual Sunday strollers. If you're not remotely interested in birds, you'll find it a bit underwhelming - it's not a scenic viewpoint, just a field where things happen to live. But if you're the sort who plans holidays around migration seasons, this is absolutely worth a morning. The reserve stays quiet because it lacks the car park infrastructure and visitor amenities of the big reserves, which makes it all the better if you want to avoid crowds.

You're just a short drive from Ely itself, which has proper cafes and the cathedral if the weather turns grim. Both Heatherbield Lodge and Hatters Meadows are within spitting distance, making this a solid addition to a caravan-based fen holiday rather than a standalone destination. Check local conditions before you go - it floods, and waterproof boots aren't optional.