Carters Steam Fair, south east England

An old-fashioned travelling funfair complete with vintage caravans, steam-powered rides and even a coconut shire, Carters Steam Fair is unashamedly nostalgic. Aesthetically-pleasing and fairly genteel, the sedate and charming attractions draw a more middle-class crowd than most fun-fairs. The tame rides, which include a merry-go-round, yacht-boats and swingboats, will appeal most to pre-teens, but their lavish paintwork and ornate decoration may also conjure up fond memories for their grandparents. Most rides cost one or two pounds, but it is worth splashing out three pounds for a dodgem car. Although these elderly and temperamental galopies tend to get stuck in jams, you will relish weaving your way through the traffic before giving one of your friends a bone-jarring jolt. 7/10