Haywood Oaks Golf and Country Club - Fun Days Out

Wollaton Hall is an Elizabethan country house, built in the 1580s on a prominent hill in Wollaton Park, Nottingham. Its bold, heavily carved exterior is largely intact, and the Grade I listed building now houses Nottingham's Natural History Museum, with the Industrial Museum in the outbuildings. Inside, the great hall has a fake hammerbeam ceiling, and its gallery holds a hand-blown pipe organ thought to date from the end of the 17th century.

Guided Hidden History Tours take you down to the Tudor kitchens and cellars. The Prospect Room at the top of the house, reached on an escorted tour, gives wide views over the park and surrounding country.

Outside, the park is home to herds of red and fallow deer. There are cafés and shops on site, and dogs are allowed on leads. Wear comfortable footwear and keep a safe distance from the deer.

Tip: Book the Hidden History Tour to see the Tudor kitchens and basement, and pay for parking by the RingGo app or by card on site.

Gulliver's Kingdom is a theme park in Matlock Bath, aimed at children aged 3-13. It sits on a hillside on the edge of the Peak District National Park, so many of the rides come with views over the Derwent Valley. The Crows Nest Quest is there to climb, and the log flume runs high above the valley.

The park began in 1978 as a model village and grew from there. Its main rollercoaster is named after the Victorian Switchback ride that once stood nearby. There are rides built with younger thrill-seekers in mind, so it suits families with little ones who want a full day of rides rather than anything too extreme.

Tip: Leaving the car behind? Matlock Bath station is a 10-15 minute walk away, and a valid public transport ticket can bring a discount on entry.

Nottingham Castle stands on Castle Rock, a natural promontory with cliffs that dominate the city skyline. The Norman fortress is long gone, but the gatehouse and parts of the ramparts remain, and a 17th-century ducal mansion now houses the museum and galleries. Inside you'll find the Nottingham Lace Gallery, the Craft Gallery, the Rebellion Gallery, the Museum of the Mercian Regiment and the Robin Hood Adventures, with interactive and immersive displays.

Outside, there are grounds to wander and an adventure play area with timber structures for children to climb, swing and slide. Optional cave tours take you into the depths of Castle Rock, and there is also a dungeon tour. It suits families, history fans and anyone who wants the real setting behind the Robin Hood legends, and there's plenty to fill a wet day.

Tip: Cave and dungeon tours are optional add-ons to the main admission ticket, so book them when you buy your tickets.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park is a zoo and conservation centre on the outskirts of Doncaster, South Yorkshire. You explore on foot, with three walk-through animal reserves and themed lands that recreate habitats from around the world. Highlights include Project Polar with its polar bears, Land of the Tigers with a raised walkway, Lion Country, Lemur Woods and the African Plains, where giraffes and zebras share a large paddock.

There are ranger talks and live shows, a dinosaur-themed Pangea area and six indoor and outdoor play areas, so younger visitors have plenty to do. Next to the entrance, The Yorkshire Hive has shops and places to eat, plus Planet Putt, an indoor adventure golf course that is handy if the weather turns. Families and animal lovers will get the most from a visit.

Tip: Booking tickets in advance is cheaper than buying on the day, and Planet Putt next to the entrance is a good wet-weather add-on.

Newstead Abbey, in Ravenshead, Nottinghamshire, began as an Augustinian priory, founded by Henry II as a penance after the murder of Thomas Becket. Despite the name, it was never an abbey. After the dissolution of the monasteries it was converted into a country house, and it is best known today as the ancestral home of Lord Byron.

The story of the place is a big part of a visit. The 4th Lord Byron landscaped the gardens extensively, while the 5th Baron built Gothic follies and staged mock naval battles on the lake. The poet inherited the estate as a boy and later began renovations, and his Newfoundland dog, Boatswain, features in the Byron story. The medieval priory was extended in the 15th century with a Great Hall and Prior's Lodgings, so the building carries several centuries of history.

Tip: Read up on the Byron story first: the lake, gardens and house all connect to the family's history.

Twinlakes is a 100-acre family theme park just north-east of Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. A large share of the rides are aimed at young children, so it suits families better than thrill-chasing adults. The park bills itself as all-action and all-weather, and says its water park is all inclusive, with unlimited rides, slides and splashes.

Attractions include a roller coaster, log flume, go karts, bumper boats, a boating lake, a toboggan slide and an assault course. There's also a small zoo, a falconry centre and a model village. A miniature railway carries you between different parts of the park. The park is split into zones, which helps with finding your way around. Groups of adults without children aren't admitted, so it's strictly a family day out.

Tip: Book tickets online in advance, as the park says this usually gets the best savings.

Rufford Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey near Ollerton in Nottinghamshire, founded in 1147. English Heritage looks after the remains, which include the best-preserved west cloister range of a Cistercian abbey in England, dating mainly from around 1170. After the dissolution it was converted into a country house, and the abbey remains are built into part of a 17th century and later mansion.

The abbey sits within Rufford Country Park, which has a lake, a meadow, gardens, woodland, nature trails and a children's play area. The ruins are linked to Bess of Hardwick's husband, the 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, who converted the abbey into a house, and the site has a reputation for being haunted by a giant monk. It's a good pick for history fans and for families who like to combine ruins with open space.

Tip: Check the English Heritage and Rufford Abbey Country Park websites before you go, as access to the inside of the ruins can change and the car park is run separately from English Heritage. Dogs on leads are welcome.

Twycross Zoo is a 100-acre charity-run zoo near Norton Juxta Twycross in Leicestershire. It is known as a specialist primate centre and is the only zoo in the UK to keep all four types of great ape: gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees and bonobos. It also has one of the largest collections of gibbons in Europe.

Beyond the apes, you can see Amur leopards, Sumatran tigers, giraffes, black rhinos, meerkats, Humboldt penguins and Chilean flamingos. There is a Butterfly House and a walk-through lorikeet enclosure where you can feed the birds. Keepers and rangers run daily talks and feeds, from meerkats and giraffes to penguins, tortoises and big cats. Gruffalo Discovery Land is also on site, and the zoo runs seasonal events through the year.

Tip: Check the 'What's On' board at the entrance for the day's talk and feed times, and book tickets online ahead to save money.