Dearne Valley Leisure Centre

The leisure centre sits on the edge of Rotherham, a proper working facility rather than a tourist draw. What you get here is a swimming pool, gym, and sports halls - the kind of place locals actually use rather than somewhere you'd queue to visit. It's useful if you're staying at Sunnyview Touring Park nearby and the weather's turned grim, or if someone in your group wants a proper swim rather than mucking about in the caravan.

Families will find it does the job. The pool facilities are straightforward, and there's enough going on to burn off restless kids for an hour or two. Swimmers will appreciate having somewhere genuine to do lengths rather than a paddling pool. Whether you're worth the detour depends entirely on what you need - if you're just passing through Rotherham, skip it. If you've got teenagers desperate for a gym session or you need to keep younger ones occupied on a rainy Tuesday, it makes sense.

Contact Rotherham directly for current opening hours and admission prices, as these can shift seasonally. Allow a couple of hours if you're swimming, less if you're just popping in for a quick activity. It's three miles from Sunnyview, so manageable if you're park-based in the area. Not somewhere you'll write home about, but handily placed when you need it.