Adventure Bark

Adventure Bark is an outdoor activity centre near Sawbridgeworth where you can have a proper go at climbing, abseiling, and rope work in a natural woodland setting. The whole operation revolves around getting people up into the trees and testing themselves on courses of varying difficulty - some are designed for kids just finding their feet, others will have experienced climbers thinking twice.

It's the sort of place where families with restless teenagers actually have a fighting chance of a peaceful afternoon, because the kids are genuinely occupied rather than trailing behind on a walk. Adults keen on outdoor challenges will appreciate the technical side of things without it feeling like you need to be some sort of extreme athlete. You'll need a couple of hours minimum if you're doing more than one course, longer if everyone wants multiple goes.

The woodland location means you're not overheating in summer, and there's something satisfying about working with the natural landscape rather than against it. Bring decent footwear - ground conditions vary with the weather, and there's usually mud about.

If you're staying at The Wild Retreat at Redricks Lake just four miles away, Adventure Bark makes a solid half-day addition to your park holiday. It's hands-on enough to break up a schedule that might otherwise be heavy on lounging about, and the physical engagement keeps people engaged.