Oak Tree Leisure Centre

The Oak Tree Leisure Centre sits on the edge of Mansfield, a proper working sports facility rather than a tourist draw. Inside you'll find a decent-sized swimming pool, a gym, squash courts, and a sports hall where local teams train most evenings. It's the kind of place where real life happens - not Instagram-ready, but functional and well-maintained.

If you're staying at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest just up the road, this won't be on your radar unless you've got a teenage gymnast in tow or you fancy a swim that's five minutes from the accommodation rather than walking across the park. That said, the pool is clean and the changing facilities are decent enough. Swimming lessons and aerobics classes run throughout the week. The gym equipment is standard leisure-centre fare - treadmills, weights, cross-trainers - nothing you couldn't find elsewhere.

This is absolutely worth knowing about if wet weather hits during your park break and you want to burn some energy without staying on-site. Admission charges apply (expect to pay a few quid for a swim, more for gym access), and it operates standard leisure centre hours, though these vary by season. An hour is enough for a swim; two hours if you're doing multiple activities.

Really, you're visiting because you need to, not because it's worth a special trip. But for that purpose - breaking up a park holiday or keeping active kids occupied during drizzle - it does the job.