Lilidorei, the world’s largest play structure, is a wonderland with gingerbread houses and giant slides in a forest clearing at Alnwick Castle, Northumberland (adults £13, 3-16s £16.50; lilidoreialnwick.co.uk).
WildPlay, in the Whinlatter Forest, Keswick, Cumbria, has nine play areas along a 600m trail, with rope bridges, log swings and water features (free; forestryengland.uk).
Margam Country Park, an adventure playground in Port Talbot, has a mini castle, huge slide, steam train and lake kayaking, plus a fairy-tale village for younger children (entry free; margamcountrypark.co.uk).
There’s a huge turreted wooden castle with a moat and drawbridge at Tudor Towers at Hever Castle in Kent, and an “Acorn Dell” for younger children with a giant sandpit (adults £17, children £11; hevercastle.co.uk).
Heartlands, in Redruth, Cornwall, has a shipwrecked boat, a mini beach with…