Yaxley Library

You won't find Yaxley Library draped in the sort of architectural drama that makes postcards, but that's rather the point. This is a proper working library, the kind where locals actually gather to read, borrow books, and use the computers - no pretence, just service. It sits in the village of Yaxley, just a few miles east of Peterborough, and it's the sort of place that makes sense if you're basing yourself at Ferry Meadows or Nene Outdoors for a caravan holiday in the area.

What you get here is a straightforward community space with the usual range of fiction, non-fiction, and children's sections. It's free to enter and borrow books if you've got a library card, though visitor passes are typically available. On a rainy afternoon - and let's face it, you'll get those in Cambridgeshire - it beats sitting in the caravan playing cards. Kids might occupy themselves for half an hour with the children's corner, though don't expect them to be transfixed for hours.

The real value is contextual. If you're touring the region and fancy a quiet hour with a paperback, or need to charge your phone and check emails, Yaxley Library does that job. It's not worth a special trip from Peterborough town centre, but combined with a walk round the village or a visit to nearby Ferry Meadows' walking trails, it slots in fine. Don't expect magic. Expect functionality and a genuine slice of how people actually spend their time in rural Cambridgeshire.