Cromer Esplanade

The seafront at Cromer pulls you in with that proper seaside atmosphere - Victorian architecture, candy-coloured beach huts, and the sort of bracing Norfolk breeze that clears your head in seconds. The esplanade runs along the clifftop, giving you views across the North Sea and down to the shingle beach below. It's got that faded-glamour feel of the old English coastal resort, which is either brilliant or a bit melancholic depending on your mood and the weather.

What actually happens here is wonderfully simple. You walk. You stop for an ice cream or fish and chips. You watch the lifeboat station and the pier in the distance. Families spend hours on the beach or wandering the promenade, particularly in summer. Walkers get a cracking stretch of cliff-edge path, and if you're into coastal geography, there's something genuinely interesting about watching the glacial erosion at work here.

The real draw is the pier itself - Victorian, proper working, with amusements and a cafe. The esplanade is free to access, though you'll want an hour or two minimum to do it justice. The whole thing works brilliantly as a break during a caravan holiday - most of the local parks (Manor Farm, Forest Park, Seacroft) sit less than a mile or two inland, so it's an easy detour. Come when the weather's on your side though. On a grey November afternoon with horizontal rain, even the sturdiest seaside enthusiast might question why they're bothering.