OXBURGH HALL, NORFOLK

WHERE: Oxborough, King’s Lynn WHY: Looking to go the whole hog when it comes to quintessentially English stately country pad, with Palace of Versailles-esque grounds thrown in for good measure? Oxburgh Hall ticks all the boxes, with adults free to channel their inner monarch, while kids can explore priests’ holes, run wild in huge open spaces and throw Poohsticks into the rippling moat that maroons the grand house. Forgot a picnic essential or two? Stock up at the Pantry Café. Want to lounge in the shadow of a lookout tower and read? The bookshop is right on hand. If picnic spots were ranked, this one would get a royal warrant.

PERFECT PICNIC: Take as your cue every The Crown banquet you’ve ever seen and serve up classics such as coronation chicken, pear and blue cheese tart, smoked salmon tartlets, and, for dessert, showstopper meringues, whipped cream and raspberries. Linen napkins will add to the sense of occasion.