Emily's Meadow Camping

The county town of Hereford (25 minutes’ drive) sits on the banks of the River Wye and its cathedral is home of the medieval Mappa Mundi and Chained Library. There are lovely riverside walks, plus indie shops to explore along Church Street – and if you hit the odd rainy day, there’s a cinema and theatre too. You can’t move for majestic houses and parkland in Herefordshire. Westonbury Mill Water Gardens (20 minutes) has madcap mosaic follies, while Hampton Court Castle (25 minutes) is a glorious mash up of Elizabethan and Victorian architecture with a notoriously difficult maze. Once you’ve found the kids again, they can run around and let off steam in Queenswood Country Park and Arboretum (20 minutes), an ideal spot for family picnics too. You get to sample the wares after a guided tour of Chase Gin Distillery (35 minutes) and can learn about the cider-making process and vintage machinery at the Hereford Cider Museum Trust (25 minutes).