Levington Lagoon

The lagoon itself is an old gravel pit that's been left to nature, and it's become rather special. You get water, reeds, the occasional glimpse of birdlife if you're patient - it's the sort of place where you actually need to stop and look rather than just walk past. The whole area around Levington, just east of Ipswich, feels quietly removed from anywhere busy, which is precisely the point.

What makes it work is the simplicity of it. There's no grand visitor centre or café nonsense. You come here to walk around the water, spot what birds are about, maybe sit for a bit. Birdwatchers will get genuine mileage from it, particularly in spring and autumn when migration brings interesting things through. Walkers doing a longer route around the Deben Estuary area can easily work it into a day out. Kids under seven might find it a bit slow unless they're already keen on nature.

It's free to visit, naturally. Allow 30 to 45 minutes if you're just doing a quick loop, longer if you're taking it seriously with binoculars. The ground can be wet depending on season, so decent boots make sense.

If you're staying at one of the nearby holiday parks - Felixstowe Beach, Suffolk Sands, or Steadings Park are all within five or six miles - it's worth a morning's outing. Pair it with a walk along the coast or a proper day in Felixstowe and you've got a decent day's work done. On its own, though, it's more of an add-on than a destination.