Kingston Maurward
This well-established tourist attraction welcomes more than 30,000 visitors a year. But there is so much space, it doesn’t feel that busy. The grade II-listed gardens are set around a large Georgian English country house (now an agricultural college) and tended with help from students on horticultural courses. Children will especially love the animal park, with its pigs, alpacas, cows, ponies, sheep, ducks and hens and plenty of room to play and have a picnic. Watch out for the goats though, they might try to nibble your sandwiches.
The park has recently become a member of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and is extending its range of rare breeds and breeding programmes.