Medieval abbeys, rivers for canoeing and horse-filled meadows: a slow-paced, relaxing break in East Anglia

There are hidden gems of nature in Great Britain where time really does seem to have stood still. And the centuries – especially from the 18th century to the present day – seem never to have passed. Probably because they did not want to ‘leave behind’ those paintings in which the greatest English artists, such as John Constable, William Turner, Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds, had immortalised them for eternity. In particular, East Anglia – and especially Essex – with its rivers to paddle down, medieval abbeys to discover, cottages to stay in, villages with timber-framed houses and thatched roofs to photograph, and meadows teeming with wild horses and sheep to wander amongst, deserve a leisurely and rejuvenating trip, accompanied by the ever-present clouds above our heads. Until you reach the coast bathed by the North Sea (perhaps following the itineraries suggested by VisitBritain, the UK’s national tourism organisation).