Henny Riverside Camping

You have a huge choice of activities in the area: stroll the Stour Valley Walk from the site, go kayaking and paddleboarding along the river – in fact, guided paddles are available from Stour Kayak (five minutes’ walk). If you fancy having a go at axe throwing or archery, make a beeline for White Dragon Activity Centre (10 minutes’ drive), where you can also try duelling with (plastic) swords. Any animal lovers among you can get your fill at Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park (45 minutes), home to donkeys, ostriches, peacocks, reptiles and even polar bears in well-kept enclosures. In need of more animal therapy? You can feed red pandas and giraffes at Colchester Zoo (half an hour), as well as listen to a range of keeper talks. If you’re also keen to inject a little culture into your Suffolk break, Lavenham (20 minutes) is a ridiculously pretty medieval village full of topsy-turvey half-timbered cottages. You can discover the paintings of Thomas Gainsborough at his namesake house in Sudbury (10 minutes), or tour the grounds and interior of stately Tudor-era Kentwell Hall (20 minutes) – and just in case you need another animal fix, there are lambing weekends at the hall in spring.