Tree Ferns

The Tree Ferns stand in Swansea's Botanical Gardens, and they're genuinely worth stopping for if you're passing through the city. These aren't your typical garden plants - they're proper ancient-looking things, tall and architectural, with fronds that unfurl like something from the Jurassic period. You'll find them in a dedicated area where they tower above you, creating an almost otherworldly atmosphere that feels a world away from the surrounding suburbs.

They're free to wander round, and the whole visit takes about thirty minutes unless you're the sort who wants to sit on a bench and contemplate fern evolution for an hour. The Botanical Gardens themselves are pleasant enough - lawns, flower beds, the usual suspects - but the Tree Ferns are the real draw here. Families with young kids tend to enjoy them; there's something about the sheer size and strangeness of the plants that captures attention better than another flowerbed would.

If you're staying at one of the caravan parks nearby - Swansea Marina Tourer Park is only twenty minutes away, or Nicholaston Farm if you fancy something more rural - this makes for a decent rainy-day activity. It's not going to keep you entertained all afternoon, but combined with a walk through the gardens and perhaps a cuppa at whatever cafe they've got running, it breaks up a Swansea visit nicely. The real appeal is that they're unusual for Britain. You don't get ferns like these everywhere.