Norwich

Centuries of salt air have shaped this stretch of Norfolk's coast, where red and white striped Happisburgh Lighthouse still guides ships past crumbling cliffs. The lighthouse stands as Britain's oldest working light, its beam sweeping across a landscape where the sea claims a bit more land each year - dramatic stuff that makes Happisburgh Beach both beautiful and slightly unsettling.

This is proper Norfolk Broads country, where waterways snake inland through reed beds and you'll spot more boats than cars on a summer's day. East Ruston Old Vicarage Gardens offers a spectacular contrast to the wild coast - 32 acres of exotic plantings that feel almost tropical against the big Norfolk skies. It's quite the trek from Norwich city centre, but well worth it for the Mediterranean garden alone.

The Deep History Coast tells a remarkable story. Ancient forests emerge at low tide, and you might find mammoth bones in the sand if you're lucky. Each village has its own painted sign - Walcott, Happisburgh, Lessingham - little works of art that capture local pride beautifully.

Driving here from Norwich takes about 40 minutes through proper countryside, though the coastal roads can get busy in summer. Staying at one of the nearby holiday parks makes perfect sense if you want to explore both the Broads waterways and this fascinating bit of coastline without the daily drive back to the city.