Cromer

The first glimpse of those famous red and white striped cliffs tells you everything about Cromer's character. This proper Norfolk seaside town hasn't lost its Victorian soul, despite the summer crowds and modern developments creeping in around the edges.

Crab fishing boats still work from the shingle beach below the promenade, and locals will tell you the Brown Crab here beats anything you'll find elsewhere on the coast. The pier stretches into the North Sea like a Victorian finger, complete with its end-of-the-pier theatre that somehow keeps packing them in.

Beyond the town centre, the Norfolk countryside rolls away in gentle waves. St Martin's Church sits on the hill overlooking everything, while the coastal path leads to Overstrand Cliffs - a proper cliff-top walk with North Sea views that go on for miles. The villages scattered inland each have their character, from the painted village signs at Thorpe Market and North Repps to the medieval churches dotting the landscape.

Getting here couldn't be simpler - the A140 runs straight up from Norwich, about 45 minutes on a good day. The railway line still chugs in from Norwich too, though it's a bit of a scenic meander rather than an express.

Using one of the holiday parks around Cromer makes perfect sense. You're close enough to walk into town for fish and chips on the pier, but far enough out to escape the August madness. West Runton and the surrounding villages offer plenty of camping options, putting you right in the heart of this stretch of Norfolk coast without the town centre parking nightmares.