Combe Down Cricket Stadium

You won't find crowds here on a quiet afternoon - that's rather the point of Combe Down Cricket Stadium on the outskirts of Bath. It's a proper local club ground where Somerset cricket gets played seriously, with views across the Avon Valley that distract you from tracking the ball. The stadium itself is understated, nothing fancy, but that's cricket in England for you.

This appeals to cricket obsessives more than casual visitors, to be honest. If you're staying at Bath Mill Lodge Retreat or CAMPWELL FARM nearby and you've got a passion for the game, a county match here beats watching it on television. The ground fills up for Somerset's bigger fixtures, though smaller games can feel almost intimate. Allow a full day if there's a match on - these things run from morning through to evening, and you'll want to soak it in properly.

Timing matters enormously. Check the Somerset County Cricket Club fixtures before you book your holiday park - there's no point turning up expecting action on a random Tuesday in November. When there is cricket on, admission is straightforward enough, though I'd confirm current costs before heading over.

It's a bit off the beaten track for tourists doing the Bath-to-Cotswolds circuit, which is precisely why it works so well. You're minutes from the city's Georgian terraces and Roman history, but this feels like belonging to something local. Park yourself at one of the nearby farms - CAMPWELL FARM has an excellent reputation - and base a proper cricket weekend around the fixtures.