The Bury Bat

You'll find this curious bronze bat sculpture perched in Bury Saint Edmunds, a town that's spent centuries looking backward at its medieval abbey rather than forward. The Bury Bat itself is small but striking - a modern public artwork that does what public art should do: makes you stop and wonder what you're looking at.

It's the sort of thing that appeals more to those with a real interest in contemporary sculpture or local art trails than to families looking for a proper day out. You won't need more than five or ten minutes here, if you're passing through town anyway. Free to view, obviously, since it's outdoors.

The real value comes if you're staying at one of the nearby parks - West Stow Pods or Kings Forest Caravan & Camping Park are both within easy striking distance - and you're taking a proper wander around Bury Saint Edmunds itself. The abbey ruins are genuinely worth an hour or two, and the town centre has decent shops and restaurants. The bat works best as a quick stop on a longer loop, rather than a destination in itself.

If you're after proper wildlife you'll have better luck in the Suffolk countryside itself. But if you appreciate slightly unexpected public art and happen to be in town, it's worth a quick look. Don't go out of your way for it, though.