Pirate Play Park

The climbing frames here are shaped like ships, which is the whole pirate conceit, though honestly the theming is more an excuse for a decent adventure playground than anything historically accurate. Kids aged roughly four to ten will have a proper time scrambling over rope bridges and sliding down whatever passes for a mast. There's real woodland around it too - proper trees rather than the flattened park variety - which means it actually feels like a bit of an escape rather than just another municipal play area.

It's free to use, which helps, and you don't need to book ahead. Allow a couple of hours if you've got energetic children; less if they're the cautious type. The ground is reasonably soft and there's enough shade from the surrounding trees that you won't cook in summer. Bring a picnic - there's space for it and you'll need something to do while watching from the benches.

The real appeal is that it sits within a proper nature reserve rather than in the middle of town. Nottingham's only five miles away if you need shops or museums, but coming here feels like a proper outing into something green. It's well worth the short drive from Shelford Nurseries Caravan Park if you're staying thereabouts - definitely beats another rainy afternoon in the caravan. Parents will appreciate the actual woodland aspect. It's not fancy, but it works.