Lowestoft

The easternmost point of England comes with serious bragging rights. Lowestoft sits where the sun rises first over British soil, and there's something rather special about watching dawn break over the North Sea from these Suffolk cliffs. The town has a proper working feel - fishing boats still chug in and out of the harbour, and the smell of salt and diesel hangs in the morning air.

Trinity Ales Brewery keeps the local drinking scene interesting with their craft offerings, though you'll need to book ahead for tours. The harbour area remains the heart of things, where you can watch the catch come in or simply enjoy fish and chips with a view that stretches to the horizon.

Kessingland sits just down the coast, worth the short trip for its village atmosphere and the quirky Village Sign that locals are rather proud of. The beaches here are proper shingle affairs - not the soft sand you'll find elsewhere, but brilliant for long walks when the wind's up.

Getting here couldn't be easier. The A12 runs straight up from London, and while the train takes a bit longer via Norwich, the journey's lovely once you hit the Broads. Great Yarmouth is only twenty minutes north if you fancy a proper seaside resort experience.

Staying at one of the nearby parks makes perfect sense for exploring this stretch of coast. You're well-placed for day trips to Norwich (45 minutes inland) or even a ferry hop across to the Netherlands from Harwich. The surrounding Suffolk countryside offers proper rambling territory, with footpaths threading through farmland that seems to roll on forever towards the horizon.