Malthouse Broad

The water here is dark and still, ringed by reeds that seem to go on forever. Malthouse Broad is one of those Norfolk lakes that rewards patience rather than spectacle - it's not the sort of place you'll find queues of tourists, which is precisely why it's worth the drive east from Great Yarmouth.

This is serious birdwatching territory. Bring binoculars and a field guide because you'll spot swallowtail butterflies, marsh harriers, and if you're lucky, bitterns booming across the reeds at dusk. The walk round the perimeter takes a couple of hours at a gentle pace, and it's genuinely lovely for photographers hunting that Norfolk light. The paths are flat and straightforward, so it works for most fitness levels, though the wind can be relentless this far east.

It's not a place to entertain restless kids for hours - they'll get bored after the first ten minutes of reed-spotting. But for serious naturalists, walkers wanting solitude, and anyone staying at the nearby caravan parks like Norfolk Broads Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite or Clippesby Hall, it's an easy morning or evening jaunt. Free access, no facilities, so bring what you need.

The real appeal is how untouched it feels. You won't leave feeling you've ticked a box. You'll leave feeling you've actually stepped into the Broads rather than just passed through them.