Whitemoor Nature Reserve

The Fenland stretches flat and vast around March, and Whitemoor Nature Reserve sits right in the thick of it - a proper working landscape where water, sky and wildlife take centre stage. This isn't a manicured garden or a marked trail system. It's a real reserve, managed for the birds and wetland creatures that depend on it, which means you're visiting on their terms.

What you get is open water, reedbeds, and if you time it right, some serious birdwatching. Winter brings wildfowl in numbers. Spring and summer reward early risers with migrants and breeding species. The flat terrain means easy walking, though the paths can be muddy and there's no escaping the wind when it picks up - this is the Fens, after all. Bring binoculars. Leave the pram at home unless you're comfortable with uneven ground.

It suits walkers and proper nature types far more than families wanting a quick stroll and an ice cream. Allow two to three hours if you're serious about it; locals do dawn visits and call it a day. Free access, as far as reserves typically go, though always check locally before heading out.

If you're camped at Fenland Camping and Caravan Park or Knightsbridge just down the road, this is an obvious addition to your mornings - no petrol wasted, and you'll see the reserve at its best when the light's good and most people are still asleep.