Our verdict
Easily the most complete spot in this batch for a family day — house, café, playground, lake and open parkland all in one place, with paths flat enough for buggies and wheelchairs throughout. Gets properly busy on sunny weekends, so aim for a weekday if you want it quieter.
A genuinely grand day out: 260 acres of historic parkland around the St John family's Palladian house, with a lake, walled garden, café and miles of level paths through old parkland trees. It's Swindon's answer to a National Trust estate, minus the National Trust price tag on the grounds.
Council-run country park estate, open daily. Some deer-park areas require dogs on leads.