White Post Farm

White Post Farm sits just outside Newark, a working rural property that's been around longer than most people realise. It's one of those places that rewards curiosity - the sort of spot locals know about but rarely make it into the guidebooks. The farm itself offers a genuine slice of Nottinghamshire countryside life, though you'll want to check ahead for what's actually open to visitors on any given day, as opening hours aren't widely advertised.

For families with young children, this beats the heavily branded attractions hands down. There's a real, unpolished quality to it that kids find genuinely interesting - animals that aren't behind glass, proper farm activity rather than theme park theatrics. Walkers doing loops around the Newark area will find it a decent waypoint. History types get something too, given how long rural properties like this have sat in the English landscape.

You're looking at spending an hour or so here, maybe two if the kids are engrossed. It's free admission as far as anyone can tell, though ring ahead to be certain. The location works brilliantly with the camping and caravan sites dotted around - Lurcher Farm is barely a mile away, and if you're after something slicker, Center Parcs Sherwood Forest is four miles south. Sherwood Pines Camping, rated 4.3 stars, is also within striking distance if you want proper facilities. White Post Farm won't blow your mind, but it's the kind of unvarnished experience that often turns out to be exactly what a holiday needed.