Norfolk Coast Walk

The Norfolk Coast Walk is a proper long-distance trail that runs for 47 miles along one of England's most underrated stretches of coastline, starting near Hunstanton and snaking east towards Cromer. You don't have to do the whole thing - most people tackle it in sections, which is exactly the right approach. The path takes you past salt marshes, shingle beaches, and those distinctive Norfolk cliff faces, with wide open skies that make you feel properly small. Walkers dominate here, especially those after a good day out without needing mountains or dramatic scenery to justify the effort. Families with older kids will manage the flatter sections fine, though younger ones might tire on the longer stretches. The beauty of basing yourself at one of the nearby parks - Searles Leisure Resort or Parkdean Resorts Manor Park are both within a few miles of Hunstanton - is that you can dip in and out of the walk as suits your mood and energy levels. Pick a section, walk it, head back for lunch. No pressure. Spring and early autumn work best; summer gets rammed with holidaymakers, and winter winds can be fierce along the exposed bits. Allow half a day for a decent stretch, or a full day if you're planning to properly explore. It's free to walk, obviously - just turn up. This isn't a polished tourist attraction with visitor centres and gift shops. It's a genuine working coast, and that's precisely why it's worth your time.