Holker Hall & Gardens

The house itself is a proper Victorian showpiece - all red sandstone and mullioned windows, sitting on the edge of Morecambe Bay. You get the run of the ground floor rooms, which still feel lived-in rather than museum-y, and there's enough furniture and portraits to keep you occupied for a solid hour. The real draw, though, is the gardens. They sprawl across twenty acres, with formal terraces giving way to woodland walks and a working kitchen garden that actually supplies the estate. Bring comfortable shoes.

Historically minded visitors will get the most from a guided tour if one's running - the family connection to the Cavendish line comes up repeatedly, and the rooms tell you something proper about Edwardian country life. But families with younger kids might find it a bit heavy on the period detail. The grounds, however, work for everyone. There's space to roam, trees to explore, and in summer the gardens look cracking.

It's about fifteen minutes from Grange-over-Sands, so easily paired with a park stay at Willow Tree or Old Park Wood, both very close by. Allow three hours if you're taking it slowly, less if gardens aren't your thing. Admission is charged but reasonable. Best visited April through October when the gardens are actually showing off - March and November can feel a bit thin on the ground. Winter openings are restricted, so check ahead before you go.