Walled Garden

Four acres of Victorian kitchen garden sprawl behind high brick walls at this proper working estate, restored to grow heritage vegetables and cut flowers just as they did 150 years ago. The glasshouses alone are worth the walk - original structures housing tomatoes, cucumbers and exotic plants that would have graced the big house's table.

History enthusiasts will love the attention to detail here. Victorian gardening methods are still used, from the forcing pots for rhubarb to the espaliered fruit trees trained against south-facing walls. Kids might find it a bit slow after the first twenty minutes, though the massive pumpkins usually grab their attention.

The garden sits within the Holkham Estate near Peterstone, making it an easy add-on if you're staying at one of the nearby holiday parks like Pinewoods or Woodhill Park. Best visited in summer and early autumn when the produce is at its peak - though the winter structure of bare trees and frost-covered beds has its own stark beauty.

Allow about an hour for a proper look around, longer if you're genuinely interested in heritage horticulture. The restored potting sheds and tool displays give a real sense of the army of gardeners who once kept this place running. It's a lovely spot that shows how the other half lived, even if some might find the admission fee a touch steep for what's essentially a very grand vegetable patch.