Burnham-on-Sea

Seven miles of sand stretch away from your feet here, backed by the kind of windswept dunes that make Somerset's coast feel properly wild. This isn't your chocolate-box seaside town - Burnham-on-Sea has a working feel, with its famous lighthouse standing knee-deep in sand at low tide and mudflats that seem to go on forever.

The beach dominates everything. At low tide, you can walk what feels like halfway to Wales across the rippled sand, dodging the wooden groynes that march out to sea. High tide brings proper waves and windsurfers making the most of the Bristol Channel's reliable breezes. The town itself keeps things refreshingly low-key - a decent high street, fish and chips that hit the spot, and pubs that don't try too hard.

Just down the coast, Brean takes things up a notch with its theme park and livelier holiday scene, while inland you've got the Mendip Hills rising up with their limestone gorges and ancient villages. Weston-super-Mare sits 12 miles north if you fancy a proper seaside resort experience, complete with pier and donkey rides.

Getting here is straightforward enough - the M5 runs close by, and Burnham's well-connected by the A38. The nearest train station is Highbridge and Burnham, though most visitors arrive by car given the rural feel of much of the surrounding area.

Staying at one of the holiday parks dotted around makes perfect sense. You're close enough to nip into town for supplies or a pub lunch, but far enough out to feel like you're properly away from it all. The parks here range from basic campsites to more upmarket setups, most within easy reach of both the beach and the Somerset countryside that stretches inland.