Donna Nook

The road to Donna Nook takes you through flat Lincolnshire farmland until suddenly you're at the coast, and it's proper wild. This is a grey seal haul-out site on the Lincolnshire coast near Louth, where between November and December you can watch hundreds of seals lounging about on the shore like they own the place - which, technically, they do.

You park up and walk down to the viewing area. There's a dedicated seal-watching platform where photographers and nature enthusiasts cluster together, keeping a respectful distance from the animals. The seals are genuinely indifferent to the spectators. They'll lumber about, scratch themselves, and occasionally lumber back into the water. It's mesmerising in a low-key sort of way, and nothing like what you'd expect if you've only ever seen seals in aquariums.

This isn't a day-long attraction. Most people spend an hour or two watching, maybe getting some photos if conditions are decent. Timing matters - tide and weather affect visibility, so check before you head over. Families with older kids enjoy it, but younger children might find the waiting game tedious. The site is free, and there's parking, though it gets busy during peak seal season.

If you're staying at Lakeside Park or Sunnydale just down the road, it's a decent half-day trip. Don't expect queues or facilities - it's essentially a muddy viewpoint with excellent wildlife. That's rather the appeal.