Severn Banks Camping

If the kids are on board for the trip, let them burn off some energy on zipwires and treetop rope courses at Go Ape Forest of Dean (20 minutes’ drive), and get up close to exotic creepy crawlies at Wye Valley Butterfly Zoo (35 minutes). If it’s shaping up to be a warm day, pack a picnic to eat on a vintage steam train along Perrygrove Railway (25 minutes). To become as one with nature, take a canoe safari around the wetlands at WWT Slimbridge (50 minutes) to spot ducks, geese and flamingoes, or follow the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail (20 minutes) to see installations featuring deer, dolphins and goblins (oh, and keep your eyes peeled – you just might see a wild boar snuffling around). And you’re close to all the rural charms of the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (30 minutes), with riverside walks leading to Symonds Yat (30 minutes) viewpoint on the river. If you’d like to ramp up activity levels, the adrenaline will soon get buzzing with rock-climbing adventures, abseiling or even a bit of gorge scrambling.