Upper Stratton Public Library

Upper Stratton's library sits quietly in a corner of rural Wiltshire, about five miles from Fairford, doing exactly what a proper village library should do - staying open for locals and visitors who need it. It's not the sort of place you'd plan a day around, but if you're based at one of the nearby parks - Nordic Glamping at Botswicky is genuinely lovely - it's worth knowing it exists.

What you'll find is a modest community space with books, reading areas, and likely some local information about the surrounding villages. The staff tend to be helpful, and there's something rather settling about spending an hour browsing shelves in a place that hasn't tried to reinvent itself as a café-bookshop hybrid. If you're travelling with kids during school holidays and need a quiet hour away from the weather, it does the job without fuss.

The real value here is practical rather than thrilling. You're in proper walking country around Fairford and the Cotswold Water Park - the library's handy if you need to pick up a map, ask directions, or simply escape a downpour. Opening hours can be a bit irregular for smaller Wiltshire branches, so ring ahead before you go. Free entry, obviously.

If you're staying at Second Chance Touring Park down the road, this is the sort of place that makes a village feel lived-in rather than just passed through. Worth five minutes of your time if you're nearby, but don't reorganise your holiday around it.