Selbrigg Pond

You won't find crowds at Selbrigg Pond, which is precisely why it's worth the short drive east of Holt. This Norfolk nature reserve is a proper wetland - the sort of place where you actually see things if you stay quiet and patient. Reed warblers, water voles if you're lucky, and the kind of light on the water that makes you understand why people move to Norfolk in the first place.

The pond itself is small enough that you can walk the perimeter in under an hour, but that's missing the point. Bring binoculars. Bring a notebook. Bring someone who doesn't need constant entertainment, because this is a sit-and-watch kind of spot, not a tick-off-the-map attraction.

It's free to visit and open year-round, though spring and early summer are best for birdlife. Autumn brings migrating species through. Winter can be bleak but fewer people means better sightings. Allow a couple of hours if you're genuinely interested in what lives here, or just 20 minutes if you're passing through.

Staying at one of the caravan parks nearby - North Norfolk Camping is closest at just over two miles - gives you a good base for exploring the Norfolk coast. Selbrigg works best paired with walks around Holt itself or a visit to nearby woodland. It's not the sort of place that fills a whole day, but it's the sort that sticks with you afterward.