T

he clash of swords, intergalactic travel and tree-top walks on high wires. How’s that for excitement?

Well, head to Leicestershire and you’ll find all this and a fine clutch of other family-friendly attractions. Start your weekend at Twycross Zoo, home to almost every kind of monkey you can think of, from gibbons to gorillas, emperor tamarins to dusty leaf monkeys.

Inspired by your newfound primate friends, take to the trees at Conkers, a natural playground of obstacle courses and high-walks through the National Forest.

A rest is in order after all that excitement, but start day two in the company of medieval knights and surrounded by the sounds of battle at Bosworth Battlefield. Scene of the battle that began the Tudor dynasty, it was here that Richard III is said to have declaimed “A horse, a horse! My kingdom for a horse!”

The battlefield is today a lush green country park, full of rolling hills and woodland. Guided walks are available, while the exhibition centre will let you test your archery skills, try on some medieval armour and get a first-hand look at the cut and thrust of medieval combat.

Then jump forward in time to the 21st century with a visit to the National Space Centre, home to the UK’s largest planetarium. Here you can learn the secrets of the universe, from how the Earth was formed to the inner workings of our solar system, through a number of hands-on exhibits.

Best of all, these attractions have joined forces to offer the Stay, Play, Explore scheme, which lets you visit three attractions and stay in a hotel for around £109 per family.