The Old Bakery

You'll find the old bakery tucked away in St Albans, a building that's genuinely worth a look if you're staying in the area. It's a proper slice of working heritage - the kind of place where you can actually picture people going about their daily business decades ago, rather than just reading about it behind a velvet rope.

What makes it stand out is the authenticity. The ovens are still there, the baker's equipment scattered about like someone just stepped out for a moment. There's something quite moving about that. Families with kids will find it engaging enough for twenty minutes or so - the hands-on element keeps children interested longer than a standard museum display might.

If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Cherry Green Trees has brilliant reviews if you can get in - the bakery makes a decent half-hour detour on a rainy afternoon. Commons Wood is closer if you're in a caravan. St Albans itself is worth an afternoon anyway, so you might as well combine it with a wander through the town centre.

Admission details are a bit vague, so ring ahead before you visit. It's the sort of independent attraction where opening times can shift seasonally. Worth the effort though - it's the real deal, not some over-polished heritage theatre. You leave feeling like you've actually learned something about how ordinary people lived.