Jenners Barn Pop-Up Camping

Animal-themed adventures beckon at Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens (15 minutes' drive); for a slightly more niche safari, check out Crocodiles of the World (25 minutes) – this last one's fairly self-explanatory, but it certainly makes a kooky addition to the rather proper market town of Witney (half an hour). Cirencester (20 minutes), aka the capital of the Cotswolds, is home to Cirencester Park (one of the best examples of geometric landscaping in Britain), a well-known antiques and collectables market and the Corinium Museum, a place that delves deep into the town's Roman roots. On the other side of the Cotswolds, Cheltenham (35 minutes) is a splendid spa town where you can stroll around grand and graceful squares or take a dip at Sandford Parks Lido. Ambling around the dreaming spires of Oxford is far from out of the question – the ancient university town and its world-class Ashmolean Museum are 40 minutes away by road. Counterbalance all that learned stuff with a spot of retail therapy – there are some great shopping options at the city's Westgate centre, while big-brand bargains can be snapped up at nearby Bicester Village (50 minutes).