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A HUGE family hotel in Germany has been called ‘insane’ for how much there is for kids to do there.

Ulrichshof Nature and Family Hotel in the Bavarian Forest is set across huge grounds with both indoor and outdoor attractions for kids and parents.

One attraction is the Indoor Adventure Land, which is spread across six floors spanning 10,000sqm in total.

Inside, visitors will find trampolines, a multi-storey climbing course, a teens lounge with a PS5 and X-Box and even a movie theatre and an escape room.

There are also a number of bouncy castles in the Adventure Land too.

Parents can sit back and relax while kids play though, as there is a coffee lounge in the play attraction, that opened earlier this year.

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Also inside, visitors will find a bumper car track, where up to eight vehicles can race at a time.

The hotel even has its very own dwarf-like guardian spirits, which are known as ‘Schrazel’.

The hotel’s website states: “According to legend, Schrazel were small earth dwellers who lived in the Bavarian Forest in long tunnels and caves underground.

“Cute to look at, they hid there from humans and used to have fun with them from their caves.”

Families can explore the Schrazel’s home, which is spread across 400sqm, that has a number of different play structures, two slides, a Bobby Car race track and lots of secret passages.

There is also a themed baby lounge with miniature seesaws and cribs.

The hotel has a bowling alley as well, ideal for when the weather isn’t too great.

Or if your kids are a little more sporty, head to the indoor basketball court.

On the other hand, if the sun is shining then you can head to the Waldspielplatz (forest playground) which has a climbing tower and a pirate ship water playground.

Here, visitors can hire e-bikes, bikes, golf cars and sledges too.

Or if your kids are wanting to feel a little more grown up, they can even have a go at driving mini land rovers around.

Animal lovers can head to the stables as well, where there are pony rides and small animals.

In the winter, snow is common and just 20 minutes from the hotel is a skiing area with six kilometres of slopes and two toboggan runs.

The hotel has a few water attractions as well, such as Felsen-BAD and Wald-BAD and the Natur-BAD in the Eltern-SPA.

At Felsen-BAD there is a blue lagoon baby pool, indoor children’s pool, adventure pool with an 81 metre water slide, pirate ship, rock wall and waterfall, a whirlpool and a children’s outdoor pool with a water cannon.

Then at Wald-BAD there is a sports pool, indoor pool and outdoor pool with massage jets.

Eltern-SPA then features a number of areas for ultimate relaxation such as a Finnish panoramic pond sauna heated to 80C, a bio sauna with increased humidity, a herbal steam bath, aroma steam bath, infrared cabin, relaxation rooms where you can lie on a waterbed and a fire lounge to cosy up in.

Mini.Jetsetter on Instagram, commented: “This is hands down the most insane family hotel we’ve ever stayed at!”

The hotel has three main shops for guests to use, including Lifestyle-BOX, UH-BOX and Beauty-BOX, which sell everything from unique clothes to everyday items such as newspapers.

When it comes to finding a spot to eat, visitors won’t be short for choice either, with spots such as Garten Eden, which is located in an old Bohemian vault of a former farmhouse.

Parents wanting a tipple can head to the Crazy Horse Saloon as well and have a go on a mechanical horse or get competitive in the games room.

The hotel also offers childcare everyday, between 9am and 8pm.

Family suites start from €233 (£203.98) a night, but there are basic rooms, luxury suites and suites with pools too.

The closest airport to Ulrichshof is Munich, which is about a two-hour drive away.

For other family-friendly hotels, is this the best one in England – with as many pools as a foreign resort and a huge kids play centre.

Plus, English hotel named the best for families in the UK that has ‘milk butlers’, film screenings and cookies at bedtime.

Brits looking for a city break often overlook this city, but it can be a great budget option offering plenty of historic sites and culture, as well as cheap beer and lively nightlife

Budget airline Ryanair has revealed its top destinations for 2026, and at number one is a historic European city that’s often overlooked by tourists despite cheap food and drink and a number of breathtaking historic landmarks.

Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, welcomes about one million tourists annually, compared to nearby Prague’s six million visitors, and the nearly nine million who visit Vienna. However, its numbers are expected to rise in 2026, with new Ryanair routes from European cities and tourists seeking cities with fewer crowds.

At the heart of the city is Bratislava Castle, which sits atop a hill overlooking the medieval old town. This baroque-style fortress dates back to the 13th century, where its strategic position 80-metres above the River Danube helped keep the city safe. It’s worth visiting to see its spectacular interiors trimmed with gold leaf, wander round the Baroque Garden full of statues, or climb the Crown Tower for amazing views across Bratislava.

The old town is also home to Michael’s Gate (Michalská brána), a 14th-century medieval gate, and the pretty Old Town Hall, which dates back to around the same time and has been turned into a local museum. St. Martin’s Cathedral (Dóm svätého Martina) is also popular with tourists thanks to its gothic interiors with dramatic high ceilings.

Bratislava is a compact, walkable city, and the old town in particular is a pleasant place to explore its winding streets. You’ll find many charming cafes and rustic restaurants serving Slovakian cuisine. A favourite with visitors is the Bratislava Flagship, which is set in a renovated old theatre with dark wooden walls and sparkling chandeliers. It’s a great place to try local cuisine such as Bryndzové Halušky, potato dumplings with sheep cheese topped with crispy fried bacon.

Many local restaurants either brew their own beer, or serve Slovakian brews. A large beer will generally set you back between €2-3 in the touristy areas, which is around £1.70-2.60. Beer is extremely cheap in supermarkets, with many travellers claiming that it’s cheaper to buy a beer than a bottle of water.

A distinctive building you may come across in the east of the old town is the Blue Church. Its facade, mosaic, and roof are a beautiful shade of blue, and attracts visitors due to its unique Hungarian Art Nouveau style, which makes it a popular sight on Instagram feeds.

If you’d like to see a more modern side to the city, visit the UFO Observation Deck. a 95-metre high tower topped by a flying saucer shaped structure. Zip to the top in an elevator and you can enjoy 360-degree panoramic views, and there’s even a cocktail bar that opens late into the night so you can see the sun go down across Bratislava.

Not quite ready for bed yet? Bratislava is well-known as a party destination, and the old town is the hotspot for nightlife with clubs that open until the small hours. There’s a mix of traditional pubs where you can simply get a pint in cosy surroundings, and chic cocktail bars with DJs and dancing. The music scene is also diverse, from small venues offering live music to large clubs playing EDM and techno until dawn.

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Ryanair flies from Edinburgh, London-Stansted, and Manchester to Bratislava with a seasonal route from Leeds-Bradford, or there’s a Wizz Air route from London-Luton that runs year-round. Flights start at two hours 20 minutes from London, with fares from Stansted from £37 one-way.

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Russian drone strikes on Ukraine overnight have left more than one million people in the southeastern region of Dnipropetrovsk without heating and water supplies, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister says.

Oleksiy Kuleba added that work was continuing to restore services following the large-scale attack, which damaged infrastructure across the southeast.

Electricity supplies were also disrupted for thousands more people in neighbouring Zaporizhzhia, state grid operator Ukrenergo said late on Wednesday. It has since been restored, according to the energy ministry.

Russia has recently intensified attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, aimed at paralysing power supplies during a harsh winter.

“Repair work continues in Dnipropetrovsk region to restore heat and water supply for more than one million subscribers,” Kuleba said in a statement on Telegram.

Hospitals, water facilities and other critical services were operating on backup systems, the energy ministry said, while residents were urged to limit electricity use to avoid further strain on the grid.

“Ukraine’s energy system is under enemy attacks every day, and energy workers are operating in extremely difficult conditions to provide people with light and heat,” Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko wrote on Telegram, adding that deteriorating weather conditions were compounding pressure on critical infrastructure.

Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Centre for Countering Disinformation, described the attacks as a “deliberate terror against the civilian population and an attempt to create a humanitarian catastrophe”.

DTEK, Ukraine’s biggest private energy provider, is living in permanent crisis mode because of Russian attacks on the grid, its chief executive told the BBC last month, with most of Ukraine suffering from lengthy power cuts during winter.

Maxim Timchenko, CEO of DTEK, which provides power for 5.6 million Ukrainians, said the intensity of strikes had been so frequent “we just don’t have time to recover”.

As the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion approaches, Timchenko said Russia had repeatedly targeted DTEK’s energy grid with “waves of drones, cruise and ballistic missiles” and his company had found it difficult to cope.

The attacks come as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said European allies have not given him sound guarantees that they will protect his country in the event of new Russian aggression.

Following talks in Paris on Tuesday, the UK and France signed a declaration of intent on deploying troops in Ukraine if a peace deal is reached – a move Moscow warned would make foreign forces a “legitimate target”.

Zelensky also said he believes Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine could be brought to an end in the first half of 2026. Speaking at the opening of Cyprus’s presidency of the Council of the European Union, he said negotiations with European partners and the United States had entered a new stage and stressed that the EU should play a central role in any settlement.

A MASSIVE new waterpark with record-breaking rides is set to open this year.

Aquarabia will be part of the massive Qiddiya City complex in Saudi Arabia.

The desert-themed waterpark will have 22 rides, across nine themed zones as well as 22 dining outlets and seven shopping stores.

Set to cost $750million (£556million), it makes it one of the most expensive waterparks every built.

Four of the rides will break the current world records, including Junoon Drop, the world’s tallest and longest watercoaster at 12-storeys high.

The tallest water slide, tallest mat racer slide and tallest drop body slide will inside the water theme park.

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The Entry Plaza will have dining and shopping, along with the Arabian Peak.

Other themed areas include Dhub Grotto, which will have the world’s largest waterplay structure with climbing, bridges and slides.

Wave pools and rapids will be in Wadi Wadi while an ‘underwater’ adventure ride will be part of Viper Canyon.

An on-site surfing lagoon will also be part of the complex, with lessons for both beginners and experts.

Extreme water sports will be part of the attraction too.

Kayaking and rafting as well as canyoneering and cliff jumping at the Herding Ground.

It doesn’t have an official opening date yet but it is rumoured to be in early March.

Ticket prices are also yet to be confirmed.

It comes after the opening of the new Six Flags in Riyadh, also with its own record-breaking attractions.

This includes Sirocco Tower, the world’s tallest free-standing shot tower ride, and Falcons Flight, the world’s fastest and tallest rollercoaster

Inside will be six themed lands – Steam Town, City of Thrills, Twilight Gardens, Grand Exposition, Valley of Fortune and Discovery Springs.

It is the first Six Flags park built outside of North America.

Also at Qiddiya City, will be a two-level racetrack, which hopes to one day be the host of the Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Called Speed Park, the track is set to open in 2027.

The water bubbles up hot from the earth and sunlight filters down through the branches of mighty oaks.

But before you can soak in Santa Barbara County’s highly popular Montecito Hot Springs, you’ll need to hike a little over a mile uphill, threading your way among boulders, oaks and a meandering creek. And before the hike, there are two other crucial steps: getting to the trailhead and knowing what to expect.

The trail to Montecito Hot Springs.

These rustic spring pools are about 95 miles northwest of L.A. City Hall, just upslope from well-to-do Montecito, whose residents include Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Though the trail and hot springs are part of Los Padres National Forest, the trailhead is in a residential neighborhood of gated mansions. Beyond the trailhead parking area (which has room for eight or nine cars), the neighborhood includes very little curbside parking. After visitation surged during the pandemic, some neighbors were accused by county officials of placing boulders to obstruct public parking. Parking options were reduced further when county officials added parking restrictions earlier this year.

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Bottom line: Unless you can arrive on a weekday between 8 and 10 a.m., you’re probably better off taking a rideshare service to get there. Whenever you arrive, you’re likely to have company. And you might want to wait until the landscape dries out a bit from the rains of recent weeks.

As Los Padres National Forest spokesman Andrew Madsen warned, “the foothills of Santa Barbara are especially fragile and hiking is especially precarious in the aftermath of heavy rains.”

All that said, the hike is rewarding and free. From the Hot Springs Canyon trailhead at East Mountain Drive and Riven Rock Road, it’s a 2.5-mile out-and-back trail to the hot springs, with about 800 feet of altitude gain on the way.

Arriving at 10 a.m. on a Tuesday, I got the last parking spot at the trailhead, stepped past the signs forbidding parking before 8 a.m. or after sunset, then stepped past another sign warning that “this is a challenging and rugged hike.” Also, there are no bathrooms or trash cans on the trail or at the springs.

“It’s important that people know what’s going on up there before they show up,” said Madsen. “It’s not all that glamorous.”

Even though it’s only 1.2 or 1.3 miles to the hot springs, plan on about an hour of uphill hiking. Once you’re above the residential lots, you’ll see pipes along the way, carrying water down the hill, along with occasional trailside poison oak. As you near the pools, you’ll pick up the scent of sulfur and notice the water turning a strange bluish hue. Then the trail jumps across the creek — which I initially missed.

But there was a silver lining. That detour gave me a chance to admire the stone ruins of a hotel that was built next to the springs in 1870s. After a fire, it became a private club. Then it burned in the Coyote fire of 1964, which blackened more than 65,000 acres, destroyed more than 90 homes and killed a firefighter. The hot springs and surrounding land have been part of Los Padres National Forest since 2013.

Hikers look west from the ruins near Montecito Hot Springs.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

On a clear day with the sun in the right place, you can stand among the overgrown ruins, look west and see the ocean, a few old oil platforms and the long, low silhouette of Santa Cruz Island. This is what the native Chumash would have seen (minus the oil platforms) through the many years they used the springs before European immigrants arrived.

Pleasant as that view was, I was ready to soak, as were the two couples who got momentarily lost with me. (We were all Montecito Hot Springs rookies.) Once we’d retraced our steps to the creek and crossed it, the trail took us quickly past a hand-lettered CLOTHING OPTIONAL sign to a series of spring-fed pools of varying temperatures.

A dozen people were already lazing in and around the uppermost pools (one woman topless, one man bottomless), but several pools remained empty. I took one that was about 2 feet deep and perhaps 90 degrees. In one pool near me sat Ryan Binter, 30, and Kyra Rubinstein, 26, both from Wichita, Kan.

Hikers Ryan Binter and Kyra Rubinstein, visiting from Wichita, Kan., soak at Montecito Hot Springs.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

“She found this,” said Binter, praising Rubinstein’s internet search savvy.

At the next pool were Emanuel Leon, 20, of Carpinteria, Calif., and Evelyn Torres, 19, of Santa Barbara. The last time they’d tried this hike, they’d strayed off-track and missed the hot springs, so this time, they were savoring the scene.

“Revenge!” said Leon, settling in.

The soaking was so mellow, quiet and unhurried that I was surprised to learn that the pools were not erected legally. As Madsen of the Los Padres National Forest explained later by phone, they were “created by the trail gnomes” — hikers arranging rocks themselves to adjust water flow and temperature, with no government entities involved.

Legal or not, they made a nice reward after the hike uphill. The downhill hike out was easier and quicker, of course, but still tricky because of the rocks and twisting trail.

On your way out of Montecito, especially if it’s your first time, take a good look at the adobe-style grandeur of the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church building, which looks like it was smuggled into California from Santa Fe. For food and drink, head to Coast Village Road (the community’s main drag) or the Montecito Village Shopping Center on East Valley Road. Those shops and restaurants may not match the wonder and comfort of a natural bath in the woods, but for civilization, they’re not bad.

Health authorities are warning of yet another potential health threat in Gaza: leptospirosis. Dr. Bassam Zaqout says widespread flooding and lack of basic sanitation make the devastated strip a perfect breeding ground for the bacterial disease also known as swamp or rat fever.

KEEPING the kids occupied over weekends and half term holidays can be difficult in the colder months.

So we’ve rounded up the best indoor waterparks across the UK.

With a mix of high-thrill slides and rides, relaxing spa treatments and adults-only zones, these waterparks are the perfect place to spend a day indoors.

Here’s three top picks for a splashing family day out.

Waterworld, Stoke-on-Trent

Waterworld is home to over 30 different rides and attractions, and describes itself as the “number one indoor tropical aqua park”.

The waterpark is home to a popular wave pool and rapids which swirl you through its waters.

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There’s also plenty to keep adrenaline junkies entertained.

The famous Thunderbolt ride is known for being the UK’s first trap door drop waterslide – a water flume which shoots you down at 25mph.

Meanwhile one of the newest rides, Hurricane, descends at 17mph with spooky lightning effects.

The popular Python ride has also been recently refurbished, with slithery twists and turns gentle enough for toddlers.

There’s also calming bubble pools, relaxation areas, and a restaurant serving up pizza, bubble waffles and milkshakes.

And if you visit in the warmer months, there’s an outdoor pool and loungers to soak in the rays.

The waterpark is within Waterworld Leisure Resort, which is also home to the tiki-themed Adventure Mini Golf and the new M Club Spa and Fitness facility.

General entry starts at £24.00.

The Wave, Coventry

This indoor waterpark in Coventry holds the record for the largest wave pool in the UK.

The famous wave pool churns a whopping 20 million litres of water per day, with waves that deepen gradually as you wade in.

The indoor waterpark also has six slides, ranging from The Rapids water coaster to The Riptide – a rubber ring ride set at an exhilarating 90° angle.

The Cyclone is one of the waterpark’s fastest rides, swirling riders around in an open bowl before falling into the pool.

The Wave is also home to a lazy river which whisks swimmers around a winding path, as well as a splash zone for younger children named The Reef.

Adults visiting can enjoy a dedicated pool for lane swimming, fitness centre or a trip to the dedicated spa.

The Mana Spa has a steam room, sauna and offers a variety of massages and facials.

Tickets for ages 12+ start at £14.50 (off peak). Junior tickets start at £12.50, and infants aged 1 and under go free.

Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool

This indoor waterpark is the UK’s largest, with your pick of waterslides and flumes for the kids, as well as a spa for the adults to unwind.

Here you can treat yourself to a tropical holiday in Blackpool, as this waterpark is set in a tropical 84° climate.

The park boasts 18 waterslides, including the UK’s longest indoor rollercoaster.

Family friendly slides range from the Treetops Water Chutes, multi-lane slides perfect for little ones, to the pirate-themed HMS Thunder Splash.

The waterpark is also home to 5 record-breaking “white-knuckle rides” – exciting options for the thrill-seekers in the family.

The Sidewinder is the world’s first Indoor half-pipe waterslide, whilst the Masterblaster has been named the UK’s longest indoor rollercoaster waterslide.

The Caribbean Storm Treehouse, on the other hand, is an interactive water climbing frame – complete with a giant coconut that pours 600 gallons of water onto unsuspecting swimmers every few minutes!

And if you want a break from all the screaming and laughter, the Sea Breeze Spa has a sauna, steam room, foot spas and even an aromatherapy room.

The spa costs £7 per person and must be booked alongside an admission ticket.

There’s also a “Tiki Cabana” experience for ultimate relaxation.

For £60 per person adults can unwind in a private area with a flatscreen TV, fridge stocked with cold drinks, and a private hot tub.

The price also included full-day admission, lunch and access to the spa.

General entry starts from £24.95 for ages 12+, £15.95 for kids aged 3 – 7, and under 3s go free.

Fire replaces water as the elemental character in James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash.” It’s even weaponized by Varang (Oona Chaplin), the ruthless leader of the volcano-dwelling Ash People, in their war against the rest of the Na’vi tribes.

“After figuring out water in all its complexity in [‘The Way of Water’], we focused on fire,” Cameron said about his VFX Oscar front-runner. “Fire is very much the same — you have to be very observant of [this] in the world. This is where having an understanding of physics — which I do — helps, and this is where a lot of real-world photography and reference comes in handy.”

Creating more realistic-looking fire in CG required Cameron to apply his understanding of fuel and how it burns, including flow rates, the interaction of temperature gradients, the speed of an object that’s burning and the formation of carbon and soot.

In essence, fire became the centerpiece of every scene — and a character with its own escalating drama. That’s where the VFX wizards of Wētā FX in New Zealand came in. They developed Kora, a high-fidelity tool set for physics-based chemical combustion simulations. Kora increased the scale of fire while providing more artist-friendly controls. The film contains more than 1,000 digital fire FX shots, ranging from flaming arrows and flamethrowers to massive explosions and fire tornadoes.

“Physical fire is really hard to control, so we had to come up with how to bend the physics towards the direction that Jim was giving it,” said Wētā senior VFX supervisor Joe Letteri. “Because he was very specific where he wanted the fire, what kind of speed, rate, size, how much or how little energy. He very carefully crafted every component, guiding your eye across it.”

“Fire serves two roles,” added Eric Saindon, a VFX supervisor at Wētā. “There’s always a little bit of low fire going on during quiet moments, but then you get fire that becomes much more destructive whenever there’s an attack sequence.”

In the film’s best scene, where archvillain Col. Quaritch (Stephen Lang) and Varang meet for the first time in her tent, fire takes on a more subtle, mysterious quality. She gives Quaritch a trippy “truth drug” to ascertain his real agenda, seductively playing with fire with her fingers like a sorceress. The scene turns surreal with camera distortion and zoom shots to convey his hallucinatory point of view.

Then Quaritch surprises her with his superpower: the truth. He proposes a partnership to provide his military weaponry so she can spread her fire across the world and he can rule as her co-equal. “In a strange way, they become the power couple from hell,” Cameron said. “He wins her over by sharing his vision.”

The physical properties of fire drove much of the visual effects work in “Avatar: Fire and Ash.”

(20th Century Studios)

Meanwhile, the subtle flicker of fire with cool blues around the edges of the flame is like a magic trick. “She knows it’s about theater, so she presumably has some kind of a gel or makeup that’s on the tips of her fingers so that they just don’t burn away in the first few seconds,” Cameron continued. “She’s able to dip her fingers in some kind of inflammable oil and light them and have them burn like candles. Of course, in his mind, it’s all enhanced much more due to the hallucinogen.”

Cameron praised both actors in the scene, but singled out Chaplin’s performance for the force she brings to Varang’s shamanistic authority. “She understood how the character would manifest her power psychologically and how there was a flip in the scene, where the flow of power runs the other direction at a certain point.”

The director also commended Wētā’s facial capture animation team for achieving a new level of photorealism, thanks in large measure to more realistic muscle and skin movement. “The way Oona’s performance comes through so resoundingly in the character is a tribute to a lot of R&D, a lot of development in the facial pipeline. But I think it really demonstrates how the idea of CG as a kind of digital makeup really does work. What I’m proud about in that scene is that it’s a culmination of an almost 20-year journey in terms of getting exact verisimilitude in the facial representation of the characters as an extension of the actors’ work.”

“It was really fun showing Varang to Jim because he knew what he had in the performance,” added Dan Barrett, a senior animation supervisor at Wētā. “And he included Oona’s idiosyncrasies in the final animation. He was very respectful of the performance.”

In fact, Cameron argues, Chaplin’s performance as Varang is Oscar-worthy. “It may be counterintuitive, but I would argue that it’s a more pure form of acting,” he suggested. “Now, you may say that it’s cheating in terms of the cinematography in the sense that the cards are stacked in our favor because that perfect performance will always be there and will be repeatable as I do my different camera coverage. But it’s not cheating in terms of the acting.”

Cameron has recently been more proactive in demonstrating how the performance-capture process works to academy and SAG-AFTRA acting members so they can better understand it. “It was just us, working on capturing a scene, and I even wrote new scenes so it wasn’t a made-up dog-and-pony show. And they were blown away,” he added.

The crumbling cliff edge is just metres away. An automatic blind, which I can operate without getting out of bed, rises to reveal an ocean view: the dramatic storm-surging North Sea with great black-backed gulls circling nearby and a distant ship on the horizon. A watery gold sunrise lights the clouds and turbulent grey water.

I’m the first person to sleep in the new Kraken lodge at Still Southwold, a former farm in Easton Bavents on the Suffolk coast. It’s a stylish wooden cabin, one of a scattering of holiday lets in an area prone to aggressive coastal erosion. The owner, Anne Jones, describes the challenges of living on a coast that is rapidly receding in the face of climate-exacerbated storms: the waves have eroded more than 40 hectares (100 acres), and the family business “is no longer a viable farm”. Instead, it is home to low-carbon cottages and cabins, “designed to be movable when the land they stand on is lost to the sea”. The latest projects include a sea-view sauna and a ‘dune hut’ on the beach for reflexology treatments “with the sea and waves as the backdrop”.

By train, bus and on foot, I’m here for the beaches, marshes, heathland and villages. Arriving at sunset, Still Southwold feels wild and remote, with lapwings flapping through the twilight like huge bats, but Southwold pier is just an easy 10-minute walk away. Heading to the bus stop next morning, I notice plumes of spray behind the beach huts. Waves are crashing over the concrete promenade near the pier. There’s a contrast between the brightly painted row of huts, with their candy stripes and stained-glass dolphins, and the heaving, uncontainable ocean behind them. It’s a worrying sign, as the path I’ve chosen today is only walkable at low tide. Erosion means the official coast path between Lowestoft and Southwold has been mostly rerouted inland and the soft cliff edges are perilous.

A 20-minute bus ride from the end of Pier Avenue brings me to Kessingland, a village just south of Lowestoft. Heading for the coast, with supplies from Bushells Bakery, I soon reach Rider Haggard Lane. The author of King Solomon’s Mines, H Rider Haggard, spent several summers in a holiday home on the cliffs in Kessingland, where he was visited by his friend Rudyard Kipling. Haggard planted marram grass to stop the sea encroaching and, climbing down steps on to the beach, I find there’s still a wide marram-grass-covered band of shingle. The sandy cliffs include layers of clay and fossil traces of steppe mammoths, hippos and sabre-toothed cats.

At the far end of the beach, near flood management works, a Natural England sign warns that the beach-walking route from here to Southwold is impassable near Easton Bavents. The owners of Still Southwold give visitors a code for a gate between their clifftop farm and Covehithe Beach. I press on, looking warily at the mess of washed-up kelp and driftwood that winter waves have hurled on to the land.

A hardy hiker is heading the other way in shorts, with a battered rucksack. He’s one of only three people I meet all day, and I check the state of the beach ahead. Is it safe? Is it walkable? “There’s a storm surge,” says the hiker. “The tide’s been much higher than expected. The wind’s from the north and the North Sea’s wider at the top than the bottom – it’s like someone blowing on a teacup.” The image stays with me all day, intensified by the milky-brown colour of the water, as the giant-tea-cooling waves roll into the sandy shore.

Benacre Broad is unexpectedly lovely. A loop of woods and marshes surrounds a beautiful and fragile lake, cut off from the sea by a shifting bank of sand and shingle, decked with salt-bleached roots and tree trunks like a natural sculpture garden. The coast here has retreated more than 500 metres in the last couple of centuries, and salt water now often breaches the bird-rich lake. I eat my sandwich in the sheltered bird hide, listening for resident warblers in the reeds, but hear only the roar of the sea.

The atmospheric ruins of a huge medieval church stand on the cliffs above Benacre. St Andrew’s, Covehithe is now just the tall 14th-century tower and a smaller thatched building, under decaying arches, with the old octagonal carved font inside. At the end of the lane from church to coast, a red warning sign says “Footpath Closed” where the old coastal path ends abruptly on the collapsed cliff edge.

Later, the warm bar of the Swan in Southwold is extra welcome after a chilly day on windswept beaches. There’s port-laced mulled wine on offer, as well as creamy Baron Bigod brie from the Fen Farm Dairy or slow-cooked Blythburgh pork with apple.

Next day, I meet friends in the scone-scented Bloom cafe on Southwold High Street and we stroll across Southwold Common to Walberswick. We’re following a section of the nightjar waymarks of the Sandlings Walk, a long-distance hike through surviving fragments of heathland between Southwold and Ipswich. Since medieval times, 90% of what was once a continuous stretch of Suffolk heath has been lost.

The last autumn colours are glowing across Walberswick Common, with its bracken and birch trees. We head back along boardwalks by the Dunwich River, remembering the drowned town of Dunwich not far away under the waves, a kind of Suffolk Atlantis. The wind has dropped today and the marsh is full of noises: the sudden trilling of a Cetti’s warbler and the rare song of a bearded tit from the miles of whispering reedbeds. We cross the Blyth estuary by rowing boat ferry for lunch at the harbourside Sole Bay Fish Company, before heading back towards Southwold as the sun sets.

Accommodation was provided by Still Southwold (cabins from £617 for three nights) and transport by Greater Anglia (singles from Norwich to Lowestoft £10.10, advance singles from London to Lowestoft from £17).