Play park

There's a proper nature reserve just outside March where kids can actually run about without you fretting they'll disappear into traffic. The play park sits within the wider reserve, so you get both supervised play equipment and open space to explore - the sort of place where a six-year-old can burn off energy while you have a cup of tea on a bench.

The Fenland landscape isn't dramatic. No hills, no woodland cathedral moments. What you get instead is sky - lots of it - and the chance to spot birds without needing binoculars or pretending to care about waders. It's flat, it's open, and frankly it suits families far better than those creaky old castle ruins parents drag themselves round.

Timing matters here. Early morning is quieter, and if you're camping at Fenland Camping and Caravan Park just down the road, you could be there when the place feels almost yours. The park's within walking distance of your pitch, which beats spending half an hour in the car just to let the kids off the lead. Fields End Water and Knightsbridge are both close enough too if you fancy a different base.

Allow an hour if you've got young ones, maybe two if they're the type who stop to examine every insect. It's the sort of spot that works best mid-week when school's in - weekends bring half of Cambridgeshire. Completely free, and you'll find it's well worth the visit if your holiday priority is somewhere the children actually want to go back to.