Virley House Country Park

The marshland around Virley House pulls you into proper Lincolnshire wetland territory - all wide open water, reed beds, and the sort of silence you don't get near Skegness's seafront attractions. It's a nature reserve where you actually go to watch birds and spot wildlife rather than ride anything or buy sticks of rock.

You'll see waders, wildfowl, and if you're lucky, the occasional marsh harrier quartering the reeds. Walkers get a genuine dose of East Anglian landscape here, and birdwatchers will spend hours with binoculars. It's the sort of place where kids either think it's brilliant or monumentally dull depending on their attention span - no playground, no facilities, just nature.

The park sits just outside Skegness, making it a useful half-day break from the holiday park crowds if you're staying at Riverside, Grange Farm, or any of the caravan sites dotting the area. It won't take all afternoon - two hours is more than enough to walk the main paths and get the feel of it - but it's free access and genuinely different from the seafront attractions.

Best visited during spring and autumn migration seasons when bird activity peaks. Wear decent boots; the ground gets boggy even when it hasn't rained recently. Don't expect loos or a café - bring a flask and plan accordingly. It's worth including if you're doing a walking week in the Fens, but don't make a special trip unless you're serious about birding.