Orford Ness

Orford Ness is the largest vegetated shingle spit in Europe, a wild strip of the Suffolk coast holding a fifth of the continent's vegetated shingle, and for 80 years it was a secret military testing ground where the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment built six labs to test the components of nuclear weapons. The only way across the River Ore is the National Trust ferry Octavia from Orford Quay, on select days and by advance booking, with porpoises and seals sometimes seen on the crossing. Once landed you walk out over the grazing marshes of the old airfield, home to wading birds, Chinese water deer and hares, to the Bomb Ballistics Building of 1933, whose roof is a viewing platform over the site, the Black Beacon of 1928 and the Island of Secrets exhibition in the radar building; only Lab 1 is open, the pagodas reached on guided walks. Reviewers warn that seeing everything means 7 to 13 kilometres on foot, so wear stout shoes. Tips from visitors: there is no cafe, only tea and coffee for a donation in the bookshop, so bring a picnic.