Fitzmaurice Park

The Broads around Wroxham are flat, reedy, and absolutely perfect for escaping crowds - and Fitzmaurice Park is where you'll actually find some proper woodland among all that water. It's a nature reserve that feels genuine rather than manicured, with paths that wind through native trees and undergrowth where you'll spot birds and the odd muntjac deer if you're lucky enough.

The walking here is gentle. Nothing steep, nothing that'll have your calves screaming, which is rather nice after a morning of navigating narrow boat channels or cyclepaths around Norfolk Broads Haven down the road. Most visitors spend an hour to ninety minutes wandering through, which fits perfectly alongside a broader Broads exploration. Combine it with a paddle on the water itself and you've got a solid half-day.

Families with younger kids will find the terrain manageable, though it's not a playground - this is about observing nature rather than swinging from things. Birdwatchers and photo types come here seriously. The reserve doesn't advertise heavily, which means it's refreshingly undercrowded even in summer.

What works best is going early morning in spring or autumn when migrant birds pass through. Winter's moody and atmospheric if you don't mind drizzle and bare branches. You'll want decent boots - it gets marshy - and binoculars if you're at all interested in the wildlife.

Free access, no facilities that I'm aware of, and it's the sort of place that rewards a slow pace rather than ticking boxes.