city funfairs

Essex's funfairs tend to pop up seasonally at local fairgrounds rather than existing as permanent theme parks, which means timing matters. You'll find the usual carnival rides - spinning teacups, dodgems, the inevitable big wheel - plus hook-a-duck stalls and candy floss stands that smell exactly as sickly as you'd expect. The closest base is Dunmow, a proper market town with decent pubs and bakeries if you need refuelling.

Kids absolutely lose their minds here, obviously. The rides aren't thrilling enough for teenagers after their first visit, but under-eights can easily spend a few hours working through everything twice. Adults mostly stand around looking at phones while supervising, though the retro fairground atmosphere has a certain nostalgic pull if you grew up with this sort of thing.

Admission is usually free - you just pay per ride or buy a wristband. Expect to budget £15-30 per person depending on how many goes they want. Summer weekends and school holidays get rammed, so go midweek if you can manage it.

If you're staying at Dairymeade Farm Glamping just down the road, a funfair visit works as a decent rainy-day option or an evening out, though honestly you're better off using your time exploring the countryside around Dunmow. The glamping site itself is the proper draw here.