John Weston Nature Reserve

Wildlife photographers get properly excited about this one. John Weston Nature Reserve sits just outside Walton on the Naze, offering a lovely stretch of coastal habitat that's brilliant for birdwatching. The reserve protects an important area of saltmarsh, scrubland and beach that migrating birds absolutely love.

Birders with bins slung round their necks make up most visitors here, scanning the reed beds for warblers and watching the mudflats for waders at low tide. Spring and autumn migrations bring the best action, though there's always something to spot year-round. The walking is easy enough for families, with well-defined paths that don't require hiking boots.

What makes this reserve special is its position on the Essex coast migration route. Rare vagrants turn up with surprising regularity, causing twitchers to dash down from London. Even if you can't tell a whimbrel from a curlew, the coastal views across The Naze are properly stunning.

Families staying at nearby Parkdean Resorts Naze Marine Holiday Park will find it's barely a mile away - perfect for an early morning walk before the kids wake up. The reserve works well as part of a longer coastal walk, linking up with The Naze itself for a cracking day out exploring this wild bit of Essex coastline.