Burnham-on-Sea

Tractors haul strange wooden platforms across the sand here, carrying people out to boats stranded by Britain's second-highest tidal range. This is Burnham-on-Sea, where the mudflats stretch for miles and the lighthouse sits right on the beach rather than offshore. It's proper old-school seaside, complete with donkey rides and a Victorian pier that's seen better days.

The seven-mile stretch of sand is the main draw, though swimming's a bit hit-and-miss depending on the tide. Florence's Aviary brings a touch of the exotic with tropical birds, while Carefree Amusements keeps the traditional seaside vibe alive with slot machines and arcade games. The town itself feels quietly faded - not in a depressing way, more like a favourite jumper that's got softer with age.

Brean Down dominates the southern horizon, a dramatic limestone headland jutting into the Bristol Channel. It's a cracking walk up there for views across to Wales on clear days. The Somerset Levels spread inland, a pancake-flat landscape of drainage ditches and cattle fields that floods spectacularly in wet winters.

Getting here means the M5 then a gentle drive through dairy country - junction 22 puts you ten minutes away. Weston-super-Mare's the nearest proper town, about eight miles north, though Burnham has enough shops and pubs to keep you going. The railway station connects to Bristol and beyond, though services aren't exactly frequent.

Staying at one of the holiday parks dotted around makes perfect sense. You're close enough to walk into town for fish and chips, but far enough from the main drag to hear the curlews calling across the mudflats at dawn.