Wollaton Hall

The first thing that strikes you about Wollaton Hall is the sheer theatricality of it - all turrets and towers rising up from the Nottinghamshire landscape like someone's Victorian fever dream in stone. It's genuinely one of the most outlandish country houses you'll clap eyes on in the Midlands, designed by Robert Smythson and completed in 1588 for the Willoughby family. The building itself is the main draw, and walking around the exterior alone takes a proper amount of your afternoon.

Inside, it functions as a natural history museum with taxidermy collections and displays about the house's architecture and former residents. It's decent enough if you're into that sort of thing - the rooms still have some period furnishings - but honestly, most visitors spend more time photographing the exterior than poking around indoors. The grounds are where the real magic happens: there's a working deer park that's genuinely impressive, and you can wander for hours without feeling rushed.

Families with younger kids will get bored fairly quickly once they've explored the building, but older children and anyone who appreciates architectural oddities will find plenty to occupy them. Walkers should budget half a day minimum. Admission is free to look around the grounds, though there may be a small charge for the hall interior - worth checking before you visit.

It sits just outside Nottingham, making it an easy addition to a park-based holiday at Holme Pierrepont or Meadow View. Pair it with a wander through Sherwood Forest nearby and you've got a solid day sorted.