Fakenham

Race days at the market town bring proper buzz to what can feel sleepy otherwise. Fakenham sits in the heart of rural Norfolk, and it's the weekly Thursday market that still draws crowds from surrounding villages - though the famous racecourse gets the bigger roar when National Hunt season kicks off.

The town centre has that authentic market town feel, complete with independent shops that haven't been swallowed by chains. Coffee's decent at the local cafés, and the pubs do a proper job with Sunday lunch. It's not flashy, but that's rather the point.

What makes this spot work brilliantly as a base is the countryside sprawling in all directions. RAF Sculthorpe Heritage Centre tells fascinating wartime stories just outside town, while the village signs scattered around places like South Creake and Tattersett show off proper Norfolk craftsmanship - each one tells the local story in carved detail.

Getting here couldn't be simpler. Norwich is 25 miles southeast via the A47, while King's Lynn sits similar distance to the southwest. No railway station anymore, but the bus links from Norwich work well enough.

Staying at one of the nearby holiday parks makes perfect sense for exploring this slice of Norfolk. You're bang in the middle of prime walking country, with bridleways threading through farmland in every direction. The North Norfolk coast sits just 20 minutes north - close enough for day trips to Wells-next-the-Sea or Blakeney, but far enough inland to avoid the summer crowds that pack the coastal car parks.