We all know how much we benefit from time together as a family and also outdoors. Here we've rounded up a variety of activities to try in each of the corners of the UK and where to stay nearby. Happy holidays!
We all know how much we benefit from not just spending time together as a family but time outdoors too. Here you can combine both family time with some healthy activities - and maybe learn some new skills along the way. From bike-rides in Wales; kayaking in Devon; horse-riding in Cumbria; to gorge scrambling in Scotland: we hope you'll find some inspiration to book a trip away for some family adventures ...
1. Cotswolds / Midlands
Go Cycling in Sherwood FOREST, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
The largest area of woodland in the East Midlands, Sherwood forest is ideal for a family adventure trail by bike. Get route maps here.
Stay: The Sherwood Hideaway
GO WATER-SKIING IN THE EAST MIDLANDS
Chase Watersports Centre occupies over 200 acres of water and has water-ski and wakeboard lessons taught by an onsite instructor.
Stay: Cannock Chase Camping & Caravanning Club
FALCONRY IN moreton-in-marsh, THE COTSWOLDS
For a spectator-based but still outdoors experience check out the daily flying displays at the Cotswold Falconry Centre in traditional Cotswold town, Moreton in Marsh - which dates back 1,000 years to the Saxon era.
Stay: Moreton in Marsh Caravan Club
2. THE LAKES / NORTh WEST
GO WAKEBOARDING ON WINDERMERE
Low Wood Bay Watersports Centre, offers an extensive range of equipment in an inspiring setting against a backdrop of the Lakeland fells. You'll find a wide variety of watersport instruction and boat hire suitable for all ages and abilities.
Stay: Choose from a selection of campsites in the Lakes
GO RIDING ON CUMBRIAN HEAVY HORSES
For experienced riders and beginners alike Cumbrian Heavy Horses offer riding on Clydesdale, Shire and Ardennes horses in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside - on fells, beaches, farm or trail.
Stay: Ravenglass Camping & Caravan Club Site
GO HIGH-WIRE ZIPPING IN THE LAKES
Go Ape in Ambleside offers a network of seven tandem zip lines that traverse the sky scraping Douglas Firs at Grizedale Forest.
Stay: Coniston Park Coppice Camping and Caravan Club site or choose from others in the Lakes
3. NORTH EAST / NORTHUMBERLAND
Go mountain-biking in Hamsterley Forest
Hamsterley Forest in County Durham is one of the Northeast’s premier mountain bike destinations, with over 2,000 hectares of forest to explore on 33 miles of waymarked trails and countless more miles of seldom travelled forest road.
Stay: Barnards Castle Camping and Caravanning Club site or Teesdale Barnards Castle Caravan Club site
4. NORTh WEST
GO ZORBING in cheshire
We know the fresh-air credentials of being encased in a giant plastic ball are not the most robust, but it packs a big fun punch and a great exhilarating experience for a day out... Go Ballistic have a Zorb track in the heart of Cheshire countryside.
Stay: Buxton Caravan Club site
Go trail-biking in Delamere forest
There a re lots routes suitable for all the family but for something different why not cycle up to the top of Old Pale and enjoy superb panoramas of the Cheshire countryside or on a clear day views as far away as the Liverpool city skyline
Stay: Delamere Forest Camping and Caravanning Club site
5.
PEAK DISTRICT / YORKSHIRE
GO GORGE WALKING IN THE PEAK DISTRICT
Gorge walking with Lost Earth Adventures in the Peak District is exhilarating fun for the whole family. Test your nerves by jumping in natural pools and scrambling up waterfalls.
Stay: Castleton Caravan Club site
Go cycling oN THE NORTH YORK MOORS
With a number of different trails to suit all ages and ability Dalby Forest offers great off-road cycling for all the family.
Stay: North Yorkshire Moors Caravan Club site or The Howard, Rosedale Abbey Caravan Club site.
6.
SCOTLAND
GO SURFING IN NORTH BERWICK
Coast to Coast Surf School in Dunbar allows you to try bodyboarding, stand-up paddling and coasteering, 2-hour "learn to surf" lessons are the ideal introduction covering safety, equipment, how to catch waves and how to stand !
Stay: Dunbar Camping & Caravanning Club Site
GO CANOEING IN AVIEMORE
Try canoeing or kayaking on Loch Morlich, a freshwater loch that holds a 'seaside award' for its clean beach and bathing water quality. Loch Morlich Watersports, open from Easter to October, offers equipment hire, lessons, activity days and a range of courses.
Stay: Glenmore Site
GO GORGE SCRAMBLING IN TORRIDON
The Torridon Outdoor centre has a variety of activities including Gorge Scrambling in the magnificent scenery of the Torridon mountains.
Stay: there is a small tent-only -- but free -- campsite with shower-block in the Torridon Countryside Centre or you can try a bit further afield for more facilities at either of the below:
Inverewe Gardens Camping & Caravanning Club site, Poolewe, Achnasheen
Morvich Caravan Club Site, Shiel Bridge
GO RANCH-STYLE RIDING IN ARGYLL
Lunga Riding Stable offers a unique Western Trail Riding Experience along forest tracks or by the shore for the complete beginner through to the more advanced.
Stay: Oban Camping Caravanning Club Site or North Ledaig Caravan Park
GO ICE-CLIMBING IN KINLOCHLEVEN
Hailed as the world's biggest indoor ice-climbing wall with an indoor mountain wall and an outdoor aerial adventure course the Ice Factor rates as great for experienced climbers and newbie adventurers.
Stay: Caolasnacon Caravan & Camping Park or Glencoe Camping & Caravanning Club Site
7. South Coast
GO CYCLE THE TROLL TRAIL ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT
The Troll Trail, on the Isle of Wight is a great fun family-friendly traffic-free bike path lined with bridges under which live trolls - or at least giant carvings of trolls.
Stay: take your pick of holiday parks and campsites here
GO PLAY POOH-STICKS IN EAST SUSSEX
One for younger children, but even the smallest legs will enjoy the walk down the wooded lane to the heart of Posingford Wood in Ashdown Forest, East Sussex, to the famous Poohsticks Bridge. You can even pay homage en route at the door of what purports to be the venerable bear's own home.
Stay: Battle Normanhurst Caravan Club site
8. SOUTH WESt / west country
Go cycle the Tarka Trail in North Devon
With a six mile flat off-road section between Braunton to Barnstaple especially suitable for young legs, this 30 mile trail along the old railways of North Devon is ideal for a family bike ride.
Stay: Ruda Holiday Park or Umberleigh Camping & Caravanning Club Site
Go Sea Kayaking Devon
Sea Kayak Devon is based in Dartmouth, south Devon. From tranquil estuaries with steep wooded sides to spectacular sea cliffs and remote rocky headlands, there is an amazingly varied selection of kayaking trips.
Stay: Dartmouth Camping & Caravanning Club Site or Hillhead Caravan Club site
GO DIVING in falmouth
Based in Falmouth the Cornish Diving School has courses on snorkelling, scuba diving and PADI certified open water diving.
Stay: Carnon Downs Caravan Park or Merrose Farm Caravan Club
Go Windsurfing in poole
Poole Windsurfing offers windsurfing lessons & equipment hire in the safe, shallow waters of Poole Harbour.
Stay: Rockley Park or Sandford Holiday Park or Hunter's Moon Caravan Park
9. WALES
GET GUARANTEED WAVES IN WALES
Surf Snowdonia is the world's first commercial artificial surfing lake at Dolgarrog in the Conwy valley, North Wales.
Stay: Stay: Adventure Parc Snowdonia has glamping accommodation and campervan hook up on site or you can venture to Gwern-y-Bwlch Caravan Club site
GO COASTEERING IN ANGLESEY
Coasteering Wales offers access to the fastest growing adventure sport in the United Kingdom. Anglesey's coastline is dotted with hidden coves, award winning blue flag beaches and offers a very diverse coastline, from the rolling sand dunes of Newborough Warren to the towering sea cliffs of Gogarth that rise out of the Irish Sea.
Stay: Cae Mawr Caravan Club Site
GO MOUNTAIN BIKING IN THE BRECON BEACONS
According to Breconbeacons.org, the Brecon Beacons National Park is home to some of the finest terrain in Wales for mountain biking.
Stay at: Brecon Beacons Caravan Club site
GO ZIP-WIRING IN GWYNEDD
ZipWorld has 3 locations in Wales, but the Gwynedd is the longest single zip wire in Europe and the fastest in the world – the closest humans can get to flying like superman, travelling speeds anywhere between 75mph and 100mph.
Stay: Bala Camping and Caravanning Site or Riverside Touring Park, Betws -Y-Coed
Learn Hill Skills in Snowdonia
Learn together as a family to be prepared for all eventualities should you be heading for the hills. The British Moutaineering Council have courses in the heart of Snowdonia to learn the skills you need to be a confident hill walker.
Stay: search for campsites in Wales here
Inspired to try a leisure vehicle holiday? See below for links to get you started:
Find a campsite / holiday park
