Tower 5

Tower 5 sits on the Suffolk coast near Woodbridge, one of a chain of Martello towers that the British built as a defensive line against Napoleon. It's a squat, circular brick structure - the kind of thing that catches your eye on a walk along the marshes and makes you wonder what on earth it was doing out here in the middle of nowhere.

Inside, you get the real sense of how cramped life must have been for the small garrison stationed here. The gun emplacements, the quarters, the thick walls designed to withstand cannon fire - it all feels properly martial and purposeful. There's not much interpretive flourish; it's the architecture itself that tells the story. Walkers and history types will spend a solid hour here, though families with younger children might find it a bit spartan.

The surrounding landscape is what makes it worth the visit. The tower sits within flat, windswept marshland that hasn't changed much since the Napoleonic Wars. On a clear day you can see for miles, and the light does something special out here in the late afternoon. Bit bleak in winter, but that's rather the appeal.

You can base yourself at one of the nearby parks - Savage Glamping is closest at 2.8 miles, though Carlton Meres Holiday Park (4.9 miles) offers more traditional facilities if you're after something less boutique. The tower works best as part of a wider coastal ramble rather than a standalone visit. Access and admission details are best checked locally in Woodbridge before heading out.