Ascot Heath Library

A proper library in the heart of Bracknell Forest - Ascot Heath Library is the kind of place you might overlook on a park holiday, but shouldn't. It's housed in a straightforward brick building just outside Bracknell town centre, and while it won't win any architectural awards, the interior does the job well.

You get the usual - a solid selection of novels, non-fiction, and children's books, plus computers for internet access if you need them. The children's section is bright enough that younger kids won't kick up a fuss if the weather turns grim. There's a quiet reading area that actually stays quiet, which is rarer than it should be. Parking nearby is easy, and it's close enough to Warfield Park and Scotlands House Campsite that you could easily pop in during a camping trip.

It's not a tourist attraction in any conventional sense. No one books a holiday to visit a library. But if you're staying in the area and fancy a morning out of the rain, or you've run out of reading material, it's a solid, zero-fuss option. Free to use - just bring proof of address or a library card from another branch. Allow an hour if you're browsing, less if you know what you're after. Staff are helpful without being intrusive, which says something.

Worth the detour? Not really. Worth knowing about? Absolutely, if you're camping nearby.