Newark

Clock towers and cobbles tell only part of Newark's story. This market town sits where the River Trent bends through Nottinghamshire, creating something of a crossroads between the industrial Midlands and rural England. The castle ruins still dominate the riverside, though these days most visitors come for the antique shops and twice-weekly markets rather than medieval sieges.

Newark feels properly lived-in rather than polished for tourists. The high street runs the usual gamut of chains and independents, but venture down to the riverside and you'll find decent pubs with views across to the meadows. The town's position on the East Coast Main Line makes it surprisingly accessible - London's just over an hour away.

Sherwood Forest country begins just minutes from Newark's edges. Sherwood Pines Forest Park offers mountain biking trails and walking routes through ancient woodland, while the more adventurous can tackle the high ropes course at Go Ape! Sherwood Pines. Bilsthorpe Heritage Museum provides context to the area's mining past, though the countryside now feels refreshingly green.

Center Parcs Sherwood Forest brings families in droves, drawn by the Subtropical Swimming Paradise with its Wild Water Rapids and Tropical Cyclone attractions. The 12-metre Activity Pool and Grand Cascade keep children occupied for hours. Outside the dome, Boathouse Beach provides a sandy alternative when Nottinghamshire's weather cooperates.

Basing yourself at one of the forest holiday parks makes perfect sense. You're close enough to Newark for supplies and restaurants, yet surrounded by woods like Rook's Wood and Cutts Wood for proper countryside walks. The A1 runs nearby, making day trips to Lincoln or Nottingham entirely feasible from your woodland base.