Swallow Barn

This is a highly peaceful place to stay, and you may well need it after an action-packed day out at Alton Towers (20 minutes' drive), where you can spend many an hour trying out all the rides and attractions, including the world’s first 14-loop rollercoaster. If that all sounds like a bit too much, plan a day at the Trentham Estate (20 minutes) instead, strolling around the Italian Gardens, visiting the Monkey Forest and browsing the various shops. Want to see more than monkeys? Pay a visit to Peak Wildlife Park (20 minutes) to see polar bears, wallabies and other exotic beasts. Visitors with an interest in crafts and culture may then want to explore the area's pottery-linked history with visits to the Gladstone Pottery Museum (15 minutes) and World of Wedgwood (20 minutes). Meanwhile, outdoorsy folk should set off for the Peak District National Park and sights like Thor’s Cave or Dovedale (both half an hour).