Aqua Springs

The indoor pool at Aqua Springs, just outside Colchester, is the sort of place that keeps families sane during the unpredictable Essex weather. You get a proper swimming pool with what looks like decent facilities - the kind of setup that works whether you're teaching a five-year-old to float or just fancying some proper laps.

It's genuinely useful if you're staying at any of the caravan parks nearby - Colchester Country Park is barely two miles away, Ardleigh even closer - because let's face it, sometimes you need a break from the campsite routine. Kids will happily burn off energy for an hour or so, and there's something quite nice about a straightforward public pool that doesn't try to be a theme park.

Practically speaking, you'll want to check their current opening hours and admission prices before you set off, as details aren't readily available online. On a rainy afternoon in summer, or during half-term madness, it's worth knowing this place exists. Not a destination trip on its own, but exactly the kind of backup plan that makes a park holiday with younger children actually workable.