The Whirlygig

You're standing on the edge of Wells-next-the-Sea, looking at one of Norfolk's stranger historical oddities: a working windmill that's been converting wind into motion for centuries. The Whirlygig is that rare thing - a genuine piece of industrial heritage that still does what it was built to do, rather than sitting prettily as a museum piece.

It's a proper working mill, which means you get to see the mechanics in action if the wind's cooperating. The sails turn, the gears grind, and for a moment you understand why your ancestors were obsessed with harnessing the weather. History types will find plenty to get their teeth into here - the engineering is remarkable when you actually look at it rather than just photograph it from the car park.

Families with patience will manage an hour, maybe ninety minutes if the kids are interested in how things work. Those after a quick photo op should allow thirty minutes. Wind-dependent attractions are tricky though - visit on a still day and you'll be watching stationary sails, which is considerably less thrilling.

Wells-next-the-Sea itself is a proper seaside town worth spending a day in, and the mill fits naturally into a wider coastal walk. You're well positioned for Pinewoods Holiday Park just a couple of miles out, or The Norfolk Brickyard if you're after something with more structured activities. The real appeal here is stepping back into how people actually worked the landscape - not polished, not packaged, just honest industrial heritage spinning in the Norfolk breeze.