Chesterton Community Sports Centre

Chesterton Community Sports Centre sits on the outskirts of Stoke-on-Trent and does exactly what it says on the tin - it's a proper working sports facility, not a tourist attraction in the conventional sense. The centre runs swimming pools, a gym, sports halls and activity rooms, making it the sort of place you'd actually use if you're staying nearby rather than pop in for a quick look.

This works best if you've got kids who need burning off or you're the type who can't resist a swim holiday. The pools are decent enough, and unlike some leisure centres, the place feels reasonably well-maintained. If you're camping at Castle Camping just down the road, it's a handy option for rainy afternoons when the novelty of the site's facilities has worn thin.

Unless you're genuinely after a swim or gym session, there's not much reason to make it a destination in itself. It's functional rather than inspiring. The real draw for a Staffordshire break would be the surrounding area - Stoke-on-Trent has proper history if you're into that sort of thing, and the nearby parks offer far more interesting days out. That said, if you're based at Castle Camping and the weather turns, you could do worse than an hour here. Just manage expectations - it's a community centre, not a leisure park experience.