Snakes and Ladders

The giant board game carved into the hillside near York is one of those things you'd never believe existed unless someone showed you a photo first. Snakes and Ladders sprawls across the landscape like something from a child's fever dream - an actual playable game rendered in permanent form, with squares you can walk between and snakes coiling down the slope while ladders climb back up.

It's utterly daft and completely brilliant. Kids lose their minds here, which is exactly the point. The walk between squares doubles as a bit of gentle exercise, and there's something oddly compelling about physically moving through a game you'd normally roll dice for. Adults find themselves grinning like idiots, moving counters around the board despite being well past the age where this should seem fun.

You'll want to allow 45 minutes to an hour depending on how long you dawdle and whether you actually play a full game. Go early on weekdays if you value peace - weekends draw families from York and across North Yorkshire. The ground can get muddy after rain, so decent shoes are worth the bother.

If you're based at York Meadows Caravan & Camping Park or one of the other sites nearby - Flaxton Meadows or Ravensdale Glamping - this makes a cracking afternoon activity without the faff of driving far. Pair it with a walk around York itself or a visit to one of the region's proper attractions, and you've got a solid family day that costs nothing. Don't expect cutting-edge entertainment, but do expect your kids to talk about it for weeks.