Giant Helterskelter

Standing 20 metres tall on the Essex coast, this enormous spiral slide dominates the skyline near Clacton-on-Sea like something from a fever dream. The Giant Helterskelter isn't your typical seaside funfair attraction - it's a proper landmark that you can spot from miles away, painted in bright rainbow stripes that wouldn't look out of place at a music festival.

Kids will absolutely love hurtling down the corkscrew slide on their little mats, though parents should prepare for queues in summer and the inevitable requests for 'just one more go'. The views from the top are actually rather good - you can see across to the holiday parks dotted around St Osyth and the flat Essex coastline stretching towards the Blackwater Estuary.

Families staying at nearby parks like Valley Farm or Highfield Grange often make this a highlight of their holiday, though it's definitely more novelty than necessity. The whole experience takes about 20 minutes unless your lot are slide addicts. Worth combining with a trip into Clacton proper for fish and chips, but don't expect to make a full day of it unless you're easily pleased by giant playground equipment.