Hounslow Library

Hounslow Library is a proper working library - the kind with creaky wooden floors, actual humans at the desk, and the smell of paper that's been read a thousand times. You'll find the expected mix: computers for public use, a decent selection of books across fiction and non-fiction, and a local studies section worth browsing if you're interested in Surrey's past. It's also got a children's area, which keeps young readers occupied while adults have a nose around.

Who gets the most from it? Anyone wanting a quiet hour away from the caravan site during a family holiday, really. If you've got kids who aren't ready for the full theme-park experience, this gives them something to do that doesn't cost a penny. History buffs might spend time in the local studies section; readers chasing that next book will appreciate the lending system.

It's free to browse and borrow - membership's free too if you've got an address to register. Allow an hour or so, depending on whether you're actually hunting for something specific or just killing time. Opening hours are generous on weeknights - they stay open until 20:00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which is handy if your day's been packed.

If you're staying at Walton on Thames Camping and Caravanning Club Site, just 5.6 miles away, this makes a sensible wet-weather backup. Not thrilling, but it does what it says on the tin and you won't feel rushed.