Heron's Rural Retreat

Rambles through Rushmere Country Park (five minutes' walk) will definitely be on the agenda, whether that entails taking the sculpture circuit and spotting wooden beasties, cycling on its well-maintained cross-country trails or watching over the kids at the play area. Psssst, can you keep a secret? Also close by is Bletchley Park (15 minutes' drive), a former stately home that was commandeered by the army during the Second World War and turned into one of the world's top code-breaking hubs. The exhibits here explain all about the cipher that turned the tide of the conflict, but also give insight into the daily lives of the individual boffins who ran the show. Other Milton Keynes-based adventures can be had at Daytona Outdoor Go-Karting (15 minutes) and Snozone (20 minutes). Out of town, animals like rhinos, tigers, elephants and bears can be surveyed from the comfort of your car at Woburn Safari Park (20 minutes), after which it's a toss-up between the top-rated Chafor Wine Estate (30 minutes) and the Silverstone Circuit (35 minutes).