The Red Beach Hut

The Red Beach Hut sits right on Walton seafront, impossible to miss with its bright pillar-box paint job against the grey shingle. It's become something of a photo stop for visitors - the sort of thing that looks brilliant on Instagram and actually rather charming in person. The hut itself is a proper slice of old-fashioned seaside Britain, and you can spend a good ten minutes examining it properly, wandering round to catch different angles with the sea behind it.

It works best as part of a broader seafront wander rather than a destination in its own right. Walton on the Naze has a working pier and a decent stretch of beach, so you can easily kill a couple of hours here without feeling short-changed. Families with young kids will enjoy the novelty of it, and it photographs well regardless of the weather.

Access is free and unrestricted - you're just standing on the public beach. It's worth timing your visit for lower tide if you want easier access to the immediate shoreline. The weather dictates everything here; pick a blustery day and the wind'll nearly knock you over, but catch it on a calm one and the light's often lovely.

If you're staying at Parkdean Resorts Naze Marine just down the coast, this is practically on your doorstep. Even from Glamping at Lodge Farm inland, it's only twenty minutes away. Pair it with a fish and chips stop and a proper explore of the pier, and you've got yourself an afternoon that actually feels like a proper English seaside day.