Woburn Lido

The lido at Woburn sits in proper countryside, a proper refreshing contrast to the Milton Keynes sprawl just a few miles away. It's an outdoor swimming pool with that slightly retro feel - the kind of place where families actually splash about rather than lap swim in silence. The water's heated, which matters more than you'd think in the English climate, and on a decent summer day it's genuinely pleasant.

You'll see a mix of local families and day-trippers from Milton Keynes making the short drive out. The setting is green and open without feeling abandoned - there's a proper community feel to it. It's not a massive complex with slides and flumes; this is straightforward swimming and paddling in a traditional lido format. Families with younger kids get the most out of it, though older swimmers won't find it boring if the water's decent.

If you're camped at The Old Dairy Farm Camping and Caravanning just down the road - barely four miles - you've got a brilliant afternoon sorted without driving far. Even from Gullivers Campsite it's under seven miles, so works as a break in the day. Check opening times before you go, as outdoor pools get temperamental with the weather.

It's the sort of place that doesn't pretend to be anything grander than it is. No pretence, just a working lido doing its job well. On a hot day, that's exactly what you need.