Murray Road Park

A sprawl of woodland and wet grassland just east of Ipswich, Murray Road Park is one of those reserves you stumble upon rather than plan for. It's proper Suffolk - unremarkable at first glance, but genuinely rewarding if you give it time. The main draw here is birdwatching. Depending on the season, you'll spot everything from common woodland species to the occasional rarer visitor if you're lucky. There's a network of paths threading through the trees and across open ground, nothing strenuous, mostly flat walking that suits families with young kids or anyone after a gentle couple of hours in the open air.

The reserve works brilliantly as a half-day addition to a camping holiday around Ipswich. Cosy Camping Suffolk and Bucklesham Park are both within five miles, so you could easily fit it in between other activities without faffing about with long drives. Early morning visits are best - birds are most active before the day warms up, and you'll have the paths largely to yourself. Summer can be a bit thick with midges near the wetter bits, so time your visit accordingly. There's no visitor centre or facilities that I'm aware of, so bring water and don't expect much in the way of infrastructure. It's free to access, which is always welcome. If you're camping nearby and fancy a proper walk that doesn't demand anything dramatic but keeps your eyes busy looking upward, this does the job.