Remember playing conkers as a child? It was all in the wrist, right? Or maybe you had to buy the right string? Or was it baking the conkers in the oven first that was the answer? Whatever your winning method in the age-old, gladiatorial conker combat, you certainly won't be short of supplies at this aptly-name campsite in the heart of the National Forest. There's no place better to stock up on your woodland war-tools.
Dreamt up in the 1990s, the idea to plant trees across some 200-square-miles in central England has created what is now the National Forest, a vast area scattered with pockets of woodland and over eight million newly planted trees. It is, unsurprisingly, a boon for families, with bike trails, footpaths and horse-riding routes laced across the landscape. And it's also home to the excellent Conkers Campsite, a well established spot that's just a stone's throw from the National Forest's main visitor centre.
The site itself has excellent facilities, with hot showers, well-kept toilets, a laundry and a dishwashing area, along with a children's play area and ample space for a ball games, while two new Ready Camp tents offer the best kind of balance between home comforts and outdoor living. Inside, they feature two bedrooms with proper beds (the tents can comfortably sleep four adults or a family of six), a fully stocked kitchenette and an extending living area with an outside verandah from which you take in the views and plan your days amid the trees.
The National Forest Visitor Centre (within walking distance) has some 120 acres of space. Along with the woods to explore, there are rope walkways, lakes, play areas and a mammoth activity trail, while, further afield, the extended National Forest area also encompasses attractions such as the National Trust's Calke Abbey, the National Brewery Centre and the National Memorial Arboretum. And, when you've finished your day exploring and picked up a few conkers along the way, there's always that classic game to help the kids while away those extra evening hours.