Nottingham Nature Lakes

Sporty folk should find plenty to keep them busy around here – if you fancy having the run of a 100-acre lake, get in touch with the friendly local boating club (10 minutes’ walk) to sort lessons or freestyle sails. Joggers, cyclists, dog walkers and the like will find similar amounts of space (and peace and quiet) at Spalford Woods Nature Reserve (10 minutes' walk). The nearby market town of Newark (20 minutes' drive), meanwhile, is a hive of local history – here you can stroll around high castle walls, delve into England's 17th-century past at the National Civil War Centre or learn about all things aeronautical just outside town at the Newark Air Museum (15 minutes). For more grand old buildings and narrow cobbled streets, head 20 minutes up the road to Lincoln. Kids clamouring to be entertained? Sundown Adventureland (15 minutes), with its giant soft play area and Angry Birds zone, is a tried-and-tested hit with younger tots, while older teens may well prefer zapping each other at Frontline Combat Lasertag (15 minutes). Animal fans of all ages should set their sights on Messingham Zoo (40 minutes), where fuzzy, furry and spiky beasts abound.