The Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons)

The headquarters of the Blues and Royals sit just outside Burton-on-Trent, a working military establishment that's part of Britain's oldest continuous cavalry regiment. This is active history rather than a museum - you're looking at actual barracks and parade grounds where mounted guards still drill and maintain traditions dating back to the English Civil War.

What you get depends entirely on what's accessible on the day you visit. Sometimes you can watch the horses being exercised or catch the mounted sentries during their change of guard. The parade ground itself has real weight to it, with centuries of military protocol playing out in front of you. If you're lucky enough to see the horses - and they are genuinely impressive - it's worth standing around for a bit.

This works best for military history enthusiasts and anyone who finds the pageantry of British ceremonial cavalry genuinely interesting. Kids might manage twenty minutes if they catch the horses moving, but don't expect to occupy them for hours. The site isn't set up as a tourist attraction with visitor facilities, so check ahead about access before making the trip from Burton-on-Trent.

If you're staying at Kingfisher Holiday Park nearby, it's a straightforward drive and breaks up a day nicely alongside other local attractions. Worth the detour if you're into regimental history or mounted ceremonial, but don't plan your entire trip around it. Ring ahead first - your access depends on what operational commitments the regiment has that day.