Haven Nature Reserve Aldeburgh

The shingle beach at Haven Nature Reserve might look bleak at first - grey pebbles stretching out under East Anglian sky - but spend twenty minutes here and you'll understand why birdwatchers travel from across the country to stand in this exact spot. Aldeburgh's reserve sits where the Aide estuary meets the coast, a thin strip of land that acts as a magnet for migrating waders, terns and the occasional rarity that gets twitchers excited enough to abandon their breakfasts.

It's free to explore, and the walking is straightforward - mostly flat paths along the shingle with proper viewing points. Depending on the season and tides, you might spot avocets, little terns or curlews. Binoculars matter here; without them you're basically staring at distant dots. Allow two to three hours if you're serious about it, or pop in for half an hour if you're just curious.

Families with young children will find it a bit unpromising - the landscape doesn't wow kids the way a woodland or beach does - but keen junior naturalists or anyone learning to identify birds will get proper value. Winter brings larger numbers of waders; spring and autumn see migrants passing through.

It sits comfortably between Leiston and Aldeburgh town itself. If you're camping at Beach View Holiday Park or one of the other options nearby, this makes for a genuinely quiet morning out. The shingle isn't glamorous, but it works.