Queen's Hills Community Park

Queen's Hills sits just outside Norwich, a proper nature reserve that feels miles away from the city. You're walking through grassland and wetland that's genuinely wild - the sort of place where you spot reed warblers nesting in spring and common terns diving for fish if you time it right.

The reserve itself isn't massive, so don't expect to spend all day here. An hour or two is realistic, longer if you're seriously into birdwatching or photography. There are paths through the marshland, though they can get boggy depending on rainfall - bring proper footwear. The viewpoints over the water give you decent sightlines for spotting waterfowl, and the quietness is genuine, not the manufactured kind.

It's ideal for anyone keen on Norfolk's natural history. Walkers will find it pleasant but fairly flat and compact. Kids might get restless unless they're the type who genuinely care about identifying different bird species - there's not much else to do here, no playgrounds or cafés. If you're after dramatic scenery, this isn't it. It's understated, working landscape rather than showpiece.

Combine it with Moat Island Glamping just 6 miles away and you've got a solid weekend. Stay overnight, do an early morning walk when the light's right and the birds are most active, then head into Norwich for lunch. Queen's Hills works best as part of a Norfolk trip rather than a destination in itself, but that's exactly why it's worth knowing about.