Southwold Maize Maze

Every summer, a sprawling maze carved into a maize field appears just outside Southwold - and it's the kind of thing that sounds daft until you're actually lost in it with your family, properly turned around after the third dead end. The maze changes design each year, so repeat visitors won't find the same path twice. It's genuinely challenging rather than a quick five-minute job; most people need a solid hour to crack it, longer if you're with small children who fancy exploring every wrong turn.

This works brilliantly if you're camping at Pigs in Blankets or Henstead Fields nearby and need a rainy-day alternative that doesn't involve sitting in a stuffy indoor play centre. Teenagers and adults who actually enjoy a puzzle will get more from it than toddlers, though under-eights still find the novelty of being lost in a field quite thrilling. It's free to wander in during opening hours, though details vary year to year so ring ahead or check their website before you go.

The real appeal is that it breaks up a seaside holiday nicely. Southwold itself is only a mile or so away - you've got the pier, the beach, and decent fish and chips - but the maze gives you something to do when everyone's had enough of sand. Allow a couple of hours including the inevitable photo at the entrance. Best visited on a dry day; trudging through mud kills the fun quickly.