Hampshire has plenty of places to enjoy a paddle, including beaches, streams and splash pads. It also boasts hidden spots in the New Forest, which are amongst some of the most picturesque places we have visited.
How best to organise the adventures listed on this site? A simple enough question, but one I wrestled with for some time.
After much thought, I divided all adventures into the following categories, listed below in alphabetical order.
Written for those days when you need some adventure inspiration, this is a list of all the adventure categories on this site, in alphabetical order.
Where will you go?
There are occasions when only an indoor venue will do.
When you would prefer not to be outdoors, but would still like to get out for a bit, consider these activities.
There are some days when you fancy trying somewhere new but would also prefer to stay local.
Here are the adventures you can have within about a 10 mile radius of the following places.
The focus of this website is Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire but we also visit places that are further afield too!
Here are the counties we visit most often, with the activities we have found in each.
In this post, I have tried to list the activities that different age groups might enjoy. There is also category listing the activities I think could be enjoyed by people of any age. Clearly these groupings won’t be accurate for everyone, so please do check for yourselves before you try any of them.
On some trips you know you will need certain facilities.
Here is a list of activities divided into groups by what’s available at the venue.
When my children were small, I always tried to take a buggy out with us – it was so convenient to have everything we might need in one place. But for some activities, a buggy just won’t work.
These are all places I have been able a take a buggy without any problems.
Sometimes you need to pick an activity to fit into a specific part of your day.
This is our rough breakdown of how long you need to enjoy each of the activities.
The vast majority of the activities that I try and list on this website are free entry.
I have noticed over the years that some venues don’t charge for entry but instead impose a high parking fee. To allow for this, I have split free activities down again into those
When I started this website, I wasn’t sure whether to include ratings because everyone experiences things differently.
In the end, I decided to use ratings as they can convey a lot of information quickly. The criteria I use to give a rating can be found here.
If, like me, you have ever longed to adventure through 100 Aker Wood with Winnie the Pooh and his friends then there are two places to consider visiting – Aldenham Country Park and Ashdown Forest.
Aldenham CP is home to 100 Aker Wood, including Winnie-the-Pooh’s house,
My children love the idea of the Stone and Iron Ages – flint tools, cave paintings, hill forts, making fire.
Below are some places to imagine your way back in time.
There are lots of places to splash, play and paddle in Surrey.
Here are several of our favourites – some are well known and others are hidden away.
Brass rubbing trails combine wellies, crayons and the great outdoors – a winning combination for a family afternoon. Here are the brass rubbing trails we have enjoyed so far.
If you’re like me and love a good puzzle, consider pitting your wits against a maze. So far we have tried two types – classic hedge mazes and also a water maze where the dead ends are jets of water.
Fossil hunting is a bit like treasure hunting – you know roughly where to go but you are never sure exactly what you will find. Sometimes you find fossils quickly and other
Waterfalls may not be something you associate with the South East of England but here are nine adventures that involve walking to waterfalls and weirs.
Following a story trail adds a creative twist to a family walk. It’s also a great way to discover a new location. Below are eight story trails compiled by Hampshire CC. These are walks
Whether it’s plundering treasure, skippering ships, climbing the rigging or simply running around shouting, “Aaaaarrrrrr!” in your loudest pirate voice, there is nothing quite like
When you’re in the mood for a bit of natural drama, consider the Ashford Hangers National Nature Reserve, a part of Hampshire that has been referred to as “Little Switzerland”.
The River Blackwater rises in Aldershot and flows to the River Loddon in Swallowfield, near Reading. The Blackwater Valley Path follows the river on its