Chester Library

Chester Library sits right in the heart of Chester itself, which makes it genuinely handy if you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks - Fir Trees is barely two miles away. It's a proper working library, not some twee heritage attraction, so don't expect Tudor beams and dusty manuscripts. What you get instead is a solid public library with decent opening hours (opens at 8am weekdays, half nine on Sunday) and stays open until 11pm most nights.

The appeal here depends entirely on what you need. If you're passing through Chester on a rainy afternoon with restless kids, it's free and warm. Families might find the children's section useful; historians could dig into local records if the staff point you right. But let's be honest - it's a library, not a destination attraction. You're not clearing your afternoon for this one.

What makes it work during a park holiday is proximity. Chester itself is proper worth exploring - the city walls, the river, the medieval streets - and the library sits within that mix. If you're staying at Birch Bank Farm or Oakwood Farm further out, it's only a short drive in. Pop in if you need to kill an hour or track down something specific, but plan your day around Chester's actual sights rather than the library itself.

Free admission as far as I can tell, though opening hours suggest it's council-run so ring ahead to check. Realistically, give it thirty minutes maximum unless you've genuinely got research to do.