Leicester Ivanhoe Cricket Club

Cricket isn't everyone's idea of a day out, but Leicester Ivanhoe Cricket Club is worth knowing about if you're staying at one of the nearby caravan parks and fancy catching a match during the season. It's a proper community club - the sort of place where locals actually know each other and the tea tent does decent sandwiches.

The ground itself is modest compared to Grace Road, Leicester's county venue, but that's rather the point. You get genuine club cricket here, which means unpretentious cricket. Families watching kids' matches on a summer evening, league games on Saturdays, the occasional friendly match. It's grassroots stuff, and if you're staying at The Paddocks or Charnwood Acres - both within easy reach - it's a fine excuse to get out without overthinking it.

Timing matters. Weekday evening games during summer are your best bet for a relaxed atmosphere. Weekend league matches draw bigger crowds and more atmosphere, though you'll need to check the fixtures beforehand as timings vary. Most matches run three to four hours depending on the format.

It's free to watch from the boundary, and you can usually grab a drink and something to eat without fuss. Don't expect facilities on the scale of larger grounds - it's a club, not a stadium. But that's rather the charm. If you're a cricket enthusiast, this scratches an itch for real, unvarnished cricket. If you're not, an hour's walk or drive to check out the local sporting life isn't time wasted, particularly if children are keen.