Regents Park Stansby Touring Park

Cracking Cheltenham and gorgeous Gloucester are both a breeze to ride along to from Regents Park Stansby by car or bus; take a day or two in each to cram in as much as poss.

After racing back from the gee-gees at Cheltenham Racecourse, wander around town with camera in tow to take in the Regency architecture: Cheltenham has been called ‘the most complete regency town in England’ and has three Grade I-listed buildings from the time of the Georges – the Pittville Pump Room, the Montpellier Rotunda and Thirlestaine House.

The town's also rather crafty and arty, as evidenced by the William Morris-inspired art, jewellery and furniture at Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum, many created by Cotswolds craftspeople inspired by William Morris.

A visit to Cheltenham will probably coincide with a festival no matter what the time of year: the Cheltenham Jazz Festival is among the best known and is held in spring; the Cheltenham Science Festival is in summer and the Cheltenham Literature Festival is in autumn.

And whether you’re a horsey fan or not, a glitteringly good day at the Cheltenham Gold Cup Festival in March should be a dead cert. From literature to jazz, food to science, big and small guests to Gloucestershire will be kept busy with the many festivals' events and activities.

In Gloucester five miles from Regents Park Stansby, many sightseers make their way to the seventh century cathedral as a first stop; the kids might also be persuaded to make its medieval acquaintance when you tell them its cloisters were used in three of the Harry Potter films…

Elsewhere, The Tailor of Gloucester steps away from the cathedral tells the tail, sorry, tale of Beatrix Potter and her animal chums, or you could go thoroughly modern with a shopping afternoon at Gloucester Quays. As its name might suggest, it’s by the waterside, so make time too for an amble around historic Gloucester Docks (there are guided tours in summer) and a 45-minute cruise along the canal from the National Waterways Museum.

The nearby Cotswolds are also well worth a wander, as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty where many of the country’s rarer flora and fauna hang out, and the home of the Arts and Craft Movement founded by William Morris at Chipping Camden.

Ancient towns and villages are peppered around here too, such as Roman Cirencester and the comely Cotswolds trio of Broadway, Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow on the Wold, home of many a limestone or listed building and historic church.

There are several nature reserves in the area managed by Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, but if you/the kids want to guarantee sightings, the Cotswolds have a good clutch of farm and animal parks: rare breeds at Cotswold Farm Park near Cheltenham; the biggest privately owned zoological collection in the country at Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens at Burford; and, for bird fans, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust centre at Slimbridge, the Cotswold Falconry Centre at the Batsford Arboretum, and Bourton-on-the-Water’s Birdland Park and Gardens.

Feeling bleu? For a really gouda day out, the campsite is just a 15-minute drive from Cooper's Hill, famous for the very best cheese-rolling competitions in Gloucestershire. Cheddar few pounds gently walking up the slope and settle in a top spot to watch these world-famous events - brie-liant fun for the whole family...