There’s a massive amount to do in the UK this autumn. We’ve pulled together some great ideas from the Times newspaper in the UK for fun, quirky, easy - and in many cases free - days out in Britain and Northern Ireland. If you have any more suggestions please let us know by adding your comments at the end of this article-cheers.
Free yoga, Covent Garden, London
Comfy sandal-makers Teva are giving away free flip-flops and free yoga classes to the first 90 people who sign up for their yoga class in Covent Garden Piazza on Sept 30. There are three classes, at 10.30am, 12.30pm and 6.30pm, for 30 people each. There will also be free foot massages and vouchers for discounts on Teva shoes at Ellis Brigham. Anyone interested should email tevaevent@focuspr.co.uk.
London Free Festival, The Scoop, London Bridge
No need to book, no need to pay, just turn up and take your seat on a first come, first served basis at this 800-capacity venue. Watch Slumdog Millionaire, Mama Mia, The Wizard of Oz, Strictly Ballroom and O Brother Where Art Thou, all for free on the big screen, from Sept 16-Oct 2, free, www.morelondon.com
SOUTH-EASTWindsor Festival, Berkshire
The Windsor Festival on Sep 19-Oct 4 offers a host of cultural, musical events and activities, as well as a chance to peek inside places like Windsor Castle and Eton College. The programme includes concerts by international and local performers, literary talks, heritage walks and music nights. This year’s line-up includes talks by Sir Michael Parkinson, Joss Ackland and Stanley Johnson, www.windsorfestival.com
Forest to Freshwater, Hampshire/Isle of Wight
This leisurely 21-mile bike ride starts outside Brockenhurst station and takes you along New Forest bridleways to Lymington, where you catch the Isle of Wight ferry (from £11.40 return) to Yarmouth, then follow the old railway to Freshwater for a seaside lunch. You pass eight pubs on the way. You can get route details and hire bikes (£13.50/£6) from Cyclexperience in Brockenhurst www.cyclex.co.uk
Royal Navy Submarine Museum, Gosport, Hampshire
Walk on board a real submarine at the Royal Navy museum. A special Jolly Roger exhibition opens this summer, where you can learn to speak pirate and find treasure. Adult £9, child £6, www.rnsubmus.co.uk
Board360, Devils Dyke, Brighton
Mountain Boarding (a snowboard four wheels) has come to Brighton in the form of this new adrenalin activity centre. Everyone from beginners to pros are accommodated on the various courses at Devils Dyke. Also onsite is Orb360, where you can climb inside a vast inflated ball and cross or land or water inside it (£25 per person). Boarding costs from £10 an hour including kit hire, www.board360.co.uk
The Secret Gardens of Sandwich, Kent
Recently revamped, these gardens are divided into “rooms”, each with their own character, influenced by Jekyll and Lutyens. Cross the bridge over the lake to reach a pretty little island and finish with an afternoon tea. Adult £5, child £3, www.the-secretgardens.co.uk
Ibstone Windmill, Turville, Buckinghamshire
Climb up the hill behind Turville to reach the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang windmill, then go for lunch at the superb Bull and Butcher pub. Windmill free, www.windmillworld.com; www.thebullandbutcher.com
SOUTH-WEST Abbey House Gardens, Malmesbury, Wiltshire
If you feel that gardens should be enjoyed in their (and your) natural beauty, visit these “clothes optional” gardens. Leave your clothes at the door and skip through the roses and herbaceous borders. Adult £6.50, child £2.50, www.abbeyhousegardens.co.uk
Artificial surf reef, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset
The area’s new reef improves the quality of the surf and creates a lagoon along the shoreline for safe swimming. Free, www.thesurfreef.co.uk
Picnic and treetop adventure, Dorset
Pack a picnic and head for the Moors Valley Country Park (01425 470721, www.moors-valley.co.uk), on the edge of the New Forest. There’s a staggering amount of fun on offer here — from fishing lessons (£6.50) and cycling to a free-entry forest play trail and the Go Ape treetop adventure (£25/£20), which involves rope bridges, Tarzan swings and zip slides.
Dinosaur hunting, Dorset
We can’t pretend you’ll find another Ida, but Dorset’s Jurassic Coast is packed with fossils. For the best results, join a guided walk with the wardens of the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre (01297 560772, www.charmouth.org; £7/£3). If you find something spectacular, call the World Heritage Team on 01305 225101.
Cycle through Exmoor, Somerset
Trundle along the Exmoor Cycle Route, a 60-mile circular route with stunning views, much of which was used in the Tour of Britain. Route details at www.activeexmoor.com
Canoe Tamar, Near Plymouth, Devon
Rent a Canadian canoe and paddle down the river between Morwelham and Cotehele quays in southwest England, punctuated with old quays, sloping woodland, herons, kingfishers and otters. £22 per person, under-5s free, www.canoetamar.co.uk
Tree surfing, Tamar Valley, Devon
Try the new tree jump, a 40ft lightning-fast freefall from a treetop platform with stunning views. There’s also zip wires, trapeze swings, rope bridges, ladders and surfing planks. Adult £20, child £17 (extra £10 for tree jump), www.treesurfers.co.uk
Ocean Drifters, National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth, Devon
The UK’s largest collection of jellyfish has opened at the National Marine Aquarium, where you will find everything from sharks to seahorses and turtles. Adult £11, child £6.50, www.national-aquarium.co.uk
The Camel Trail, Cornwall
Whether you head upstream to the vineyards — where Rick Stein buys his wine — or downstream to the sea, Cornwall’s Camel Trail is probably Britain’s most attractive cycle route, following 17 miles of a disused railway line from Bodmin to Padstow. The best place to start is Wadebridge, halfway between the two, where Bridge Cycle Hire (01208 813050, bridgebikehire.co.uk) offers bike rental from £10/£6 a day.
Adrenalin Quarry, Liskeard, Cornwall
The newly opened Adrenalin Quarry boasts the UK’s longest zip wire (£12 per go) and the chance to drive a hovercraft (£50 per session) www.adrenalinquarry.co.uk.
Mighty Oak, near Newquay, Cornwall
With the weather wobbling between sun and rain, it might be time to take a break from blustery picnics on the beach for a bit of tree climbing. Strapped up with ropes and harnesses, you can climb far beyond the low branches. Stay among the leafy treetops overnight in one of the four-cornered hammocks and enjoy a picnic breakfast in the morning. There is training for beginners, and all ages are welcome. From £120 for three hours for up to four climbers, www.mighty-oak.co.uk
The Beast of Bodmin, Cornwall
Park your car at Siblyback Lake, north of St Cleer, and follow the lakeside path around to the junction with the track, then downhill to Draynes Bridge over the River Fowey. Now follow the river downstream, through a fairytale forest and an ever-deepening gorge of mossy rocks, dappled glades and enchanted pools, until you reach the gorgeous Falls of Golitha — lair of the legendary Beast of Bodmin, according to locals. The round trip is seven miles, and the map you need is OS Explorer 109: Bodmin Moor (£7.99, or £5.99 at www.amazon.co.uk).
MIDLANDSWetlands, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire (and other locations around the UK)
Wetlands provide habitats for a huge variety of wildlife. Go pond-dipping, search for bats on a batty walk, or play in an interactive wet-adventure play area. Adult £7.45, child £4.10, www.wwt.org.uk
Warwick Castle, Warwickshire
Warwick Castle (0870 442 2000, www.warwick-castle.co.uk) has been occupied by the mighty Tussauds Group since 1978, and where once it was fortified, now it is Disneyfied. The effect is astonishingly pleasing to kids: dead stones and dry history have been replaced by costumed characters, a medieval-themed adventure playground and a spectacular working trebuchet. Family tickets cost £43.20 online.
EAST ANGLIAPunting, Cambridge
Is there a more quintessentially English summer activity than poling gently along the Cam to Grantchester meadows, then mooring up and munching on a gourmet picnic (from £6 a head, ordered from Fitzbillies the day before on 01223 352500; fitzbillies.co.uk)? Thought not. Punt hire costs £16 an hour or £80 a day from Scudamores (01223 359750, www.scudamores.com).
Otter-spotting, Norfolk
See the Broads from the bow of an Indian canoe, moving silently along creeks the motor cruisers can’t reach to an unexplored wilderness, home to bitterns, kingfishers and otters. A full day’s guided adventure costs £110 for a family of two adults and up to three children, with The Canoe Man (07810 838052, www.thecanoeman.com).
The Muckleburgh Collection, Norfolk
Action boys and girls will love this — a military museum with working tanks, Gama Goat personnel carriers to take you on a ride along the coast, and an astonishing collection of kit, from Soviet tanks to field guns. Adult £6, child £4, www.muckleburgh.co.uk
Kite surfing, Hunstanton, Norfolk
Pump up the adrenaline and learn to kite surf on this wide, open beach with flat, shallow water and cross onshore winds — perfect for beginners. Lessons from £90, www.kitesurfhunstanton.com
NORTH-WEST Bowland Wild Boar Park, Chipping, Preston, Lancashire
This pretty tract of the Ribble Valley Park is home to wild boar, longhorn cows, deer, llamas and goats. Kids can enjoy the play area, burn excess energy on the pedal tractors, go for a ride on the real thing, and take part in lamb, llama and deer feeding. For adults, there are stunning walks in the Trough of Bowland and a cafe serving homemade food, including home reared wild boar meat, or you can take a picnic in the countryside. Admission is £4.50 for adults and £3.50 for children, www.wildboarpark.co.uk
Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, Manchester
On a rainy day, go to this 3-D theatre to journey on board a spacecraft, flying over Martian volcanoes and canyons. Come back down to Earth in the Environmental Discovery Centre, where you can wander through 35 acres containing over 2,000 species of trees and a variety of wildlife. Adult £2, child £1, theatre £1 pp per show, www.jodrellbank.manchester.ac.uk
Be a farmer for a day, Cheshire
Experience what life is like as a farmer on a dairy farm. Your day could include anything from milking the cows to mucking out the bull. A full day will include lunch at the local pub, and you are given some farmhouse-churned Cheshire butter to take home. £175 full day, £70 half day (minimum age 16), http://farmer4aday.co.uk
Bug world, Liverpool
See the world through a bug’s eyes at the new Bug World Experience, exploring the seven different zones of the world. Observe live bugs and even hold the creepy-crawlies in your hands. Gulp. Adult £10.95, child £6.25, www.bugworldexperience.co.uk
South Lakes Wild Animal Park, Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria
In this corner of the Lake District meet meerkats from Africa, Amur tigers from Asia, spectacled bears from South America and white-handed gibbons from Indonesia. You can hand-feed the giraffes at 11.30am each day and also watch the monkeys, apes, lions and vultures being fed. Admission is £11.50 for adults and £8 for children, www.wildanimalpark.co.uk.
Quercus mountain bike trail, Whinlatter Forest Park, near Keswick, Cumbria
This new purpose built 7.5km mountain bike route is graded blue (level 2 out of 4 for difficulty). A reasonable level of fitness is required, but it’s suitable for families with children from seven years old upwards. You can hire bikes and there are junior skill sessions, bike wash and workshops at Whinlatter. There are longer and more difficult trails nearby.
Ghosts in the Wood, Grizedale Forest, Cumbria
If you go down to the woods today, or from Aug 18, you’re sure of a big surprise: giant photographs suspended from the trees. The Forestry Commission’s Grizedale Forest is home to a striking art exhibition until Nov 6. The works, by Devon artist Mike Smallcombe, are weatherproof and feature images of rural communities. The forest also offers walking trails, bridleways, and views of Coniston Water, Windermere and the Grizedale Valley.
Via Ferrata, Honister Slate Mine, Cumbria
Fancy climbing but don’t have the experience? Via Ferrata allows people to hang off vertical walls more than 2,000ft high, while attached to a fixed cable, along the rock face of an old Victorian mining route with Lake District views. Adult £25, child £20, www.honister-slate-mine.co.uk
YORKSHIRE AND NORTH-EAST Yorkshire Belle, Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire
A voyage on Bridlington’s Yorkshire Belle (07774 193404, www.yorkshire-belle.co.uk) is always a thrill, but you can get twice as many nautical miles for your money by studying the tide tables. A two-hour trip costs £6/£3, but if you time your visit to coincide with a full-moon tide, Cap’n Peter Richardson will take you all the way to Filey Bay — a 3½-hour round trip — for the same price.
The Forbidden Corner, Leyburn, North Yorkshire
This maze with attitude offers a labyrinth of tunnels, chambers and follies in a four acre garden where you can lose the kids for a day. There are strange statues to see and riddles to colve along the way. Tickets must be booked in advance - adults £9, children £7, www.theforbiddencorner.co.uk
White Scar Cave, Ingleton, North Yorkshire
The longest show cave in Britain. Weave your way through this underground maze, adorned with stalactites and stalagmites, amazing cave formations, cascading streams and waterfalls and prehistoric mud pools. Adult £7.95, child £4.95, www.whitescarcave.co.uk
York Maze, North Yorkshire
York Maze (01904 415364, www.yorkmaze.com), made from 1.5m maize plants, is reputed to be the biggest on earth. The new design opened on July 18: says owner Tom Pearcy: “It concerns an anniversary about which there is something of a buzz.” A family ticket costs £28.
Settle to Carlisle, North Yorkshire
If you want to see Britain’s most scenic railway by steam train, the return journey on the Fellsman (£59/£45; 0845 310 2458, www.statesmanrail.com) leaves Lancaster station every Wednesday from July 29. A cheaper option is to buy a day- ranger ticket — £25/£12.50 — from Northern Rail (0845 748 4950, www.northernrail.org), allowing unlimited hop-on, hop-off travel along the line. The first daily train from Settle is the 09.50; the last service from Carlisle is the 18.07.
Diggerland, Durham (also in Devon, Kent and West Yorkshire)
Children and adults can ride in different types of trucks, including diggers and dumper trucks. Ride on the Diggerland train, go on a Land Rover safari and have a go in Diggerland tractors. Adult and child £15, www.diggerland.com
Seal and bird spotting, Northumberland
A day trip to see guillemots, razorbills and grey seals, with landings on Inner Farne and Staple Island, costs £25/£15 with Billy Shiel’s Boat Trips (01665 720308, www.farne-islands.com).
Hadrian’s Wall, Northumberland
Cushiest overseas posting in the Roman empire? “Hadrian’s Wall,” says kilted guide Gary Reed (01434 344650, www.hadrianswalladventure.com), an ex-Royal Marine who now leads hikes along the old front line, bringing the legionary’s lot to vivid life. A full day’s guided walk costs £150 for groups between two and 20 strong.
SCOTLANDEdinburgh Mountain Film Festival
EMFF on Oct 15-18 is dedicated to adventure, with a host of films, lectures and exhibitions to inspire you to don some waterproofs and hit the great outdoors. As well as climbing and mountaineering, the festival covers skiing, snowboarding, BASE-jumping, mountain biking and exploration - every aspect of mountain culture, www.edinburghmountainff.com
Cream o’Galloway, Dumfries & Galloway
A working farm filled with entertainment for the kids. If the death slide, 3-D maze and adventure playgrounds aren’t enough, the dairy farm will keep them happy for hours. Watch ice cream being made, and even invent your own flavours. Adult £10, child £8, www.creamogalloway.co.uk
Gold panning, Lanarkshire
There’s much more than dull old lead at the Museum of Lead Mining (01659 74387, www.leadminingmuseum.co.uk) —there’s gold out in the burn, as well, and the museum runs full-day panning courses on dates throughout the summer. The cost is £65, including lunch and all the gold you can find (the biggest nugget here weighed in at a hefty 6g).
Vikingar, Ayrshire
Five hundred years of Viking history come to life at this coastal resort in Largs, Ayrshire, with costumed storytellers and a film presentation following a Viking family through generations of battle and adventure. There is also a 25m swimming pool and smaller pool for learners. Adult £4.50, child £3.50, www.kaleisure.com
Walk the Fife Coastal Path, Culross to Dundee
Blow away the cobwebs with a walk along part of the 150km stretch of the Fife Coastal path, weaving in and out of harbour villages and alongside historic castles, caves and palaces, all part of the former Kingdom of Fife. Free, www.visitscotland.com/perfectwalks
Deep Sea World, North Queensferry, Fife
Walk along the bottom of the ocean in this underwater safari as sharks swim around inches above your head. If you’re feeling especially brave you can even go diving with the sharks themselves. Jaws, eat your heart out. Adult £11.75, child £8, www.deepseaworld.com
Cairnie Fruit Farm and Maze, Cupar, Fife
Spend the day in the Mega Maze sown with 8ft maize. Try the go-kart track, giant straw-bale climbing fortress, trampolines, and finish up in the café for afternoon tea. Adult £4.75, child £4.25, www.cairniefruitfarm.co.uk
Jacobite Steam Train, Fort William to Mallaig, Invernessshire
Take a steam train ride through some of our most impressive scenery. Starting near Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain, the train then puffs past the deepest freshwater loch in the UK, then the shortest river (River Morar), finally pulling in next to the deepest seawater loch in Europe, Loch Nevis. Adult day return £30, child £17, www.westcoastrailway.co.uk
Ben Nevis, near Fort William, Invernessshire
If you’re going to bag a Munro, make sure it’s a big one. Ben Nevis is the tallest at 4,409ft, and a guided ascent with Serenventures (01690 710754, serenventures.com) costs £45 and takes eight hours. Too tough? How about a ranger-led hike to the summit of Cairn Gorm, at 4,084ft? The two-hour trip costs £12/£6, with Cairngorm Mountain (01479 861341, www.cairngormmountain.co.uk).
Wildlife cruise, Aberdeenshire
A gentle cruise on the Moray Firth is pepped up no end by the possibility of spotting the resident dolphins. Harbour porpoises and minke whales are often seen, too, so remember to charge the camera batteries the night before. Puffin Cruises (01261 832425, www.puffincruises.com) operates three-hour trips out of Macduff for £22/£12.
High tea, Sutherland
Open it and they will come, thought John Ure, master of the Cape Wrath lighthouse and Britain’s most northerly teashop. Getting there is “a bit of a pilgrimage”, he admits, involving a foot ferry across the Kyle of Durness and an 11-mile hike or minibus ride across a Nato bombing range. At least you can’t arrive too late: the Ozone Cafe is open 24/7/365.
Sea kayaking, Isle of Arran
Sea kayaking is a breeze to learn and seriously addictive, allowing you to explore beaches inaccessible from land, probe sea caves, catch waves and explore a world of wonders known only to mermaids. Arran Adventure (01770 302244, www.arranadventure.com) offers one-day beginner trips for £80/£50.
Seaprobe Atlantis, Skye and Lochalsh
Go on an underwater adventure on board this semi-submersible glass- bottomed boat, in a stretch of coast teeming with wildlife. Visit the seal and bird colonies on Seal Island, before heading below deck for a panoramic view of the ocean world. Adult £12.50, www.visitscotland.com/perfectexperiences
The Quest, Isles of Mull, Ulva and Iona
Seek hidden treasure with The Quest, a series of treasure hunt challenges around the islands. Learn about the mystical history of the island, find hidden objects and identify wildlife to complete your challenge pack. £4, www.holidaymull.co.uk
Explore the Isle of Barra, Outer Hebrides
Start your day in style by flying into the airport in Barra, the only airport in the world where the beach is the runway. Then rent a sea kayak, explore the hidden lagoons and bays around the island, and paddle alongside otters and dolphins. Kayaking from £30 per person for half day, www.visitscotland.com
WALES Go ape! Port Albot, West Glamorgan
Let yourself loose on these giant obstacle courses and spend your day swinging through the treetops using ladders, bridges and the country’s best zip lines. Suitable for all ages, you can also enter the Go Ape Film Academy Awards, for best footage of your Tarzan and Jane extravaganza. £25, www.goape.co.uk, locations around the UK
Dewstow Gardens and Grottoes, Monmouthshire
This incredible lost garden weaves through a labyrinth of tunnels and underground grottoes. The gardens were buried after the Second World War, were rediscovered in 2000 and have undergone an astounding restoration since. Adult £6, child £3.50, www.dewstow.com/gardens.htm
Cardigan Island Coastal Farm Park, Ceredigion
Known as Domain of the Dolphin, this coastal park with stunning cliffs and a clear blue sea is home to a huge variety of unusual animals, from bottlenose dolphins, seal pups and harbour porpoises to emus, Australian wallabies and Vietnamese piglets. Adult £3.70, child £2.70, www.cardiganisland.com
Pony trekking, Snowdonia, Gwynedd
See the sights from a purebred Welsh-mountain cob, on a guided trek along the rugged trails of the Gwydyr forest, in the shadow of towering Moel Siabod. The highly professional Gwydyr Stables (01690 760248, www.horse-riding-wales.co.uk) will tailor the trip to your experience; a day ride costs £55.
NORTHERN IRELAND Belfast Castle and Cave Hill, Country Park Belfast
The cellars of Belfast Castle have been transformed into narrow Victorian paved streets and shopfronts with gaslights. When you have had enough of the underground, wander the grounds of Cave Hill Country Park, with a playground for children and beautiful views over Belfast. Free, www.belfastcastle.co.uk
Mountains of Mourne, Co Down
The brooding Mountains of Mourne inspired CS Lewis’s Narnia — specifically, as he wrote to his brother, “that part of Rostrevor which overlooks Carlingford Lough”. To see it, park at Rostrevor Forest and follow the waymarked route past Cloghmore to the summit of Slieve Martin, descending through the forest. Watch out for lions. A range of activities, from canoeing to horse-riding, is on offer. From £49 per day for activities, www.outdoorni.com
Mountain boarding , Co Down
Mountain-boarding involves a big skateboard and a steep slope, and, yes, you’ll need a helmet. And elbow pads, knee pads and possibly a backside pad, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a blast. A three-hour introductory session at Surfin’ Dirt (07739 210119, www.surfindirt.co.uk), near Tollymore Forest Park, costs £17.50, including all kit.
Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, Craigavon, Co Armagh
Visit the largest inland sea in the British Isles, learn to sail in Kinnego Marina, go to art workshops and indulge in afternoon tea on the island, also home to beautiful woodland, wild flowers and wildlife ponds. Free admission, www.craigavon.gov.uk
Canoe trail, Co Fermanagh
Weave through more than 50km of history and scenery on this trail, which passes through the Cuilcagh Mountain Park and along channels of slow-flowing water and a maze of islands in the Upper Lough. Canoe hire £15 per day, www.canoeni.com
This is great!!! i had a few places to go to but this is perfect!! the london free festival sounds great!
Thanks Tim, glad you like it.