The Leys splash park and playground

The Leys is where Witney families actually go when the school holidays hit and you need somewhere the kids can burn off two hours of energy without you spending a fortune. It's a proper splash park with the usual water jets and interactive features, plus a decent playground alongside it - swings, slides, climbing frames, the works.

In summer it's lively, obviously. Weekday mornings tend to be quieter than weekends, which matters if your kids get overwhelmed by crowds. You'll want to bring a towel and a change of clothes; the splash element isn't optional, it's the whole point. Fair warning: it gets busy on hot days, so arriving early pays off.

It works brilliantly as a pit stop during a Cotswolds caravan holiday, especially if you're based at one of the nearby parks like Cotswold Edge just 1.2 miles away or Grove Farm Glamping Pods a bit further out. You can knock it off mid-afternoon when energy levels dip and the weather's warm enough to justify getting soaked. Older kids and teenagers might find it a bit basic after half an hour, but under-10s will genuinely love it.

The location in Witney itself means you can combine it with a browse of the town's shops or a pub lunch without too much faffing about. Not revolutionary, but exactly what you need when you're on a family holiday and the weather actually cooperates.