The Nook Campsite

If you’re after peaceful strolls in pretty countryside, you can wander lakeside in Watermead Country Park (15 minutes’ drive), home to swans, ducks and geese, while Bradgate Park and Swithland Wood Country Park (20 minutes) is another good bet for spotting wildlife, including herds of red and fallow deer. If you prefer a walk with a purpose, there are several golf courses within 15 minutes’ ride. If more activity is demanded, Rutland Water (35 minutes) is home to inflatable obstacle courses at Aqua Park Rutland as well as sailing, windsurfing and kayaking hire and instruction at Rutland Watersports. Younger kids will also enjoy the gentle rollercoasters and waterslides at Twinlakes Park (half an hour). Displays of rockets, satellites and interactive science exhibits at the National Space Centre (25 minutes) should keep most kids happy; there’s a Night Sky Tour available at the on-site planetarium too. If your offspring are more into nature than science, Tropical Birdland (half an hour) has colourful macaws, parrots and bright-pink flamingos in spacious aviaries.