Whitlingham Broad Campsite

It's not often a campsite can claim to be ideal for town and country and truly mean it, but Whitlingham Broad manages to feel remote whilst lying minutes from Norwich city centre. The site is made up of two flat meadows, with the main circular field having pitches for camping, bell tents and shepherd huts, and a smaller one just for campers. What began as a simple, perfectly formed little site has settled into its stride, and the small details still show: hand made signs, a play area for the children, campfires allowed and a lack of cars in the main field.

The site sits in the 80 acre Country Park right at the beginning of the Norfolk Broads, making it an ideal base to explore the waters. Canoes and kayaks can be hired at the nearby outdoor centre, or simply go for a cycle or stroll around Whitlingham Great Broad, which is a stone's throw from the site. For breakfast head to the Flint cafe over the road, which does good coffee and cooked breakfasts. Norwich is a very short drive, a 15 minute cycle, or you could travel there in style on the Riverbus. The medieval city has plenty of sights including great shopping, eating and drinking, so you may need a few laps of the lake to burn off the evening's excess.

One thing worth knowing before you book: pricing is per person rather than per pitch, with cars charged extra, and when the site is full the showers and loos can feel stretched, so pick a quieter week if you can.