Brandon

RAF bases dot the landscape like forgotten tokens from another era, and Brandon sits right in the middle of this curious corner where Suffolk meets Norfolk. The town feels quietly industrious, its red-brick streets lined with proper working buildings rather than the chocolate-box cottages you'll find further south. It's proper Breckland here - that strange sandy heathland that stretches across the county boundary like nowhere else in East Anglia.

Saint Mary the Virgin anchors the town centre, but the real character comes from Brandon's role as a gateway to the military heartlands. RAF Feltwell Golf Course sprawls nearby, while Mildenhall Museum tells the story of wartime life with a thoroughness that puts bigger attractions to shame. The WW1 practice trenches are still visible if you know where to look - a sobering reminder carved into the heath.

Barton Mills Nature Reserve proves the Brecks aren't all concrete and runways. Wild ponies still graze here, and the sandy soils support flora you won't see anywhere else. Eriswell Wild Flower Meadow bursts into colour come spring. Both feel wonderfully remote despite being minutes from the A11.

Getting here means the A11 from either Cambridge or Norwich - Brandon's about halfway between the two. It's not grand countryside, but there's something honest about this landscape that grows on you.

Staying at one of the nearby parks makes perfect sense. You're central to the Brecks' oddities, close enough for day trips to both Norfolk and Suffolk proper, yet tucked away from the tourist hordes. Kings Forest Caravan & Camping Park and Grange Farm Touring Park both offer decent bases, while the glamping options at West Stow Pods give you a bit more comfort after days exploring this fascinating, slightly melancholy landscape.