Wellington Farm

The Peak District National Park (10 minutes’ walk) may be the gateway to scores of walks and cycling trails, but you might also like to play a round at Westwood Golf Club (15 minutes’ drive), or explore the meadows and waterways of Deep Hayes Country Park (20 minutes). There’s plenty of local history to discover too. Cliffside Thor’s Cave (20 minutes) has remnants of prehistoric life as well as smashing Peak District views, while cute Edale village (45 minutes) is famous for sealing itself off from the world during the Great Plague of 1666. The Capability Brown gardens at gorgeous Chatsworth House (45 minutes and itself packed with arty treasures) make a great picnic pitstop, as do the ruins of hilltop Mow Cop Castle (40 minutes). And of course, one of Staffordshire’s biggest draws is Alton Towers Resort (20 minutes), where you can spend the day scaring yourselves silly on thrill rides and recovering with a pint in cosy theme-park taverns.