Wigton Dog Park

The dog park in Wigton is exactly what it says on the tin - a proper space where dogs can run about without a lead, which is rarer than you'd think in rural Cumbria. It's nothing fancy: open field, secure fencing, a few benches for owners who actually want to sit down. The main appeal is obvious if you're travelling with a dog that's been cooped up in a car or caravan. Twenty minutes here and they'll be knackered, which makes for a far more pleasant evening back at Wallace Lane Farm Holiday Park down the road.

Walking distance from the town centre, so you can combine it with a quick scout around Wigton's local shops if you need supplies. The setup works well for families with pets - kids can let the dog loose while they run about themselves, though it's not a playground in any other sense. Fair weather matters here; in proper rain it turns into a bog.

Really, you visit because you need to, not because it's a destination in itself. But if you're based at one of the nearby holiday parks for a week and you've got a spaniel bouncing off the walls of your lodge, this saves your sanity. Free to use, as far as I can tell. Allow thirty minutes if you want to properly tire out an energetic dog. Not worth a special trip, but absolutely worth knowing about if you're self-catering with pets in the area.