East Kirkby Aerodrome Memorial

The airfield at East Kirkby carries the weight of wartime history. Once a Royal Air Force station, it's now a nature reserve that lets you walk the perimeter where Lancaster bombers once taxied. You'll find yourself on open Lincolnshire fenland with wide skies and the occasional plane overhead from the working airfield next door.

It's more contemplative than thrilling. The memorial aspect - honoring the crews who flew from here during the Second World War - gives the walk real purpose, but don't expect visitor facilities or interpretation boards. This is a straightforward ramble across flat ground, ideal for walkers who want solitude and a bit of local heritage without the crowds. Families with young children might find it flat and rather exposed, depending on the weather.

Free to access, and you can do a circuit in an hour or so. The fenland birds are decent if you've got binoculars, and on clear days you get proper expansive views across the fens toward Boston, which sits about eight miles southwest. It works well as a quiet morning stop if you're based at one of the nearby camping spots - New Farm Holidays and Wood Farm Camping are both within a couple of miles. Timing-wise, go when the light's good and the wind's not howling across from the North Sea. Spring and autumn are gentler than summer, and winter can be bleak even for the most committed walker.