Hotels near the World Conker Championships

Flags wave, a fanfare blares and giant squirrels and cowboys plunge into battle with absurd national stereotypes and six-foot fairies. It can only be the world conker championships, held every year at New Lodge Fields near Oundle, Northamptonshire.

Over the years the championships have raised more than £350,000 for the blind and visually impaired. Thousands surround the podiums in New Lodge Fields, offering noisy support as streams of hopefuls swing and smash their way to notoriety, or obscurity.

Best of all, if you apply early enough you can even take part. This is one of very few sports where Britannia still rules (or cares!) and there can be no greater accolade for a new world champion than to be crowned with conkers in the spotlight of a glorious autumn sunset.