National Trust - Felbrigg Hall, Gardens & Estate

The moment you walk through the gates at Felbrigg, you understand why the National Trust bothered to preserve this place. A proper 17th-century country house sits at the heart of 520 acres of Norfolk woodland and parkland, the sort of estate that makes you realise how the other half actually lived. The hall itself is worth a look if you're into period furniture and family portraits - there's genuine atmosphere rather than roped-off sterility - but honestly, the grounds are the real draw here.

The walled garden is immaculate. Kitchen gardens, formal beds, woodland walks that wind through ancient trees. You could easily spend three hours wandering without repetition, which is exactly what a proper Norfolk park holiday demands. The estate also runs paths past a working farm and through mixed woodland, so families with kids won't find themselves marooned in stuffy rooms. Teenagers might find the house dull, but the walks work for most ages.

It's free to roam the estate grounds, though the hall itself requires a ticket. Allow a full morning or afternoon depending on how much you want to see. East of Cromer, it sits brilliantly close to the caravan parks clustered around West Runton and Seacroft - you're talking ten minutes max from Manor Farm or Woodhill Park. That means you can base yourself at one of the camping sites and hit Felbrigg without committing to a full day trip to the seaside. The woodland setting also means it's worth visiting even in wet weather, when the coast gets properly grim.