British summer holiday guide: family-friendly adventures

By countryfile

Published: Friday, 24 June 2022 at 12:00 am

Summer has finally arrived in Britain, and many of us are planning our summer adventures on home soil. With a wealth of different landscapes on our doorstep, we needn’t travel very far to make the most of everything this season has to offer.

Here is our summer holiday guide on the best family-friendly activities and days out across the UK, plus crafty ideas suitable for children.

Britain’s best beaches

Fancy a day on the coast? The UK is spoilt for choice when it comes to stunning beaches. From the spectacular Isles of Scilly to the rugged beaches of the Scottish Highlands, here is our guide to the most beautiful beaches in Britain.

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Scilly Islands, Samson Island (aerial view)/Credit: Getty

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Cook dinner on the campfire

Food from the campfire always seems to taste better! From S’mores to kebabs, campfires are a great way to encourage children to learn essential outdoor skills. Even cooking on a campfire or barbecue from your garden can feel like a summer adventure.

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Roasting marshmallows around a campfire is a great family activity./Credit: Getty

Summer foraging and fruit picking

The late summer is a perfect time to forage for berries such as blackberries and wild strawberries. Alternatively, the UK has a number of ‘pick your own’ soft fruit farms which children will love.

 

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Pick your own strawberries at one of the UK’s farms/ Getty images

Go for a bike ride

Pump up your tyres and peddle through the countryside. Cycling is a great way to reconnect with nature and get off the beaten track. Take a ride on a local cycle path, or if you’re a bit more ambitious, why not take a family bikepacking trip somewhere local.

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The countryside is home to many cycling paths with beautiful scenery/Credit: Getty images 

Enjoy a wild swim

On a warm summer’s day, it doesn’t get much better than taking a dip in the sea, lake or river. If you live in a big city, don’t be put off as there are many wild swimming spots near London.

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Wild swimming has grown in popularity in recent years/Credit: Getty images 

Sleep under the stars

Pitch a tent and spend an evening beneath a starry night-sky. Wild camping allows you to escape the constant buzz of modern life and get back to basics. While not legal in some parts of the country, there are a number of smaller campsites in secluded locations, where you simply pitch up and savour the tranquility. Alternatively, kids will love sleeping in the back garden for a mini adventure.

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Grab your tent and sleeping back and embark on a wild-camping trip/Credit: Getty images 

Gaze at the night sky

Cast your eyes to the skies and see how many different constellations you can see. Gaze at the stars from your back garden, or, for a really memorable experience, head to one of Britain’s national parks for stunning starry skies.

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There are few more captivating sights than a starry night-time sky/Credit: Getty images

Fish for you supper

Cast your rod and reel in a catch in a lake or river. You may not always catch something, but the serene surroundings will certainly make up for it. Britain is home to many traditional, idyllic fishing villages.

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Grab your fishing rod and cast it out at your nearest stretch of water/Credit: Getty images 

Go for a family walk

Get back to nature with a beautiful countryside walk. Walking is a great way to spend time together as a family and explore your local landscape. With blooming flowers, warmer weather and buzzing wildlife, summer is the perfect season to take a long walk in the countryside.

For more walking inspiration, check out our walking section

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Pack a picnic and head for a summer walk/Credit: Getty

Give geocaching a go

Enjoy hiking, the countryside and treasure hunting? This might be the hobby for you. Download the free app and find one of many secret geocaches hidden in the countryside. Read our guide on how to go geocaching and start hunting.

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Download the app and start hunting geocaches today/Credit: Getty images 

Visit the literary countryside

Visit the countryside that inspired your favourite literary novels such as Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice. Put yourself in the shoes of your favourite characters and immerse yourself in their fictional world. Travel back in time with these historic days out, or walk in the footsteps of some of Britain’s greatest poets.

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Read your favourite novel in the place where it’s set/Credit: Getty images 

Experience a sunrise and sunset

Get up early and experience sunrise, then watch it set later that evening. Wherever you are, set your alarm clocks early and make the most of the natural daylight.

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Marvel at the beauty of the countryside at sunrise and sunset/Credit: Getty images 

Go rockpooling

Searching for a fun coastal adventure to keep the kids happy over the summer holidays? Rockpooling and hunting for crabs is an easy way to have fun with the family and introduce children to the wonders of marine ecology. Discover how to find and study crabs in rockpools in a few easy steps, plus learn more about rockpools and the equipment you need to get started.

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Children love exploring rockpools along the shoreline/Credit: Getty images

Go on a wildlife safari

Beetles are a fascinating group of insects found widely throughout the UK – become an amateur coleopterist with our guide to some of Britain’s most beautiful beetles, from the striking rose chafer to the deceptive wasp beetle. Take a look under a rock or fallen tree branch in your garden or local park and see what species you can spot.

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Oil beetle/Credit: Getty images

Go on a butterfly hunt

With their bright and varied colours and beautiful markings, butterfly spotting can become an addictive pastime for some. For children who are less enthusiastic about a walk in the outdoors, going on the hunt for butterflies can be just the motivation needed to get them on the move. Take a look at our Guide to British butterflies for the best places to spot them and how to identify.

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An Adonis blue male butterfly. Credit: Getty

Craft projects for rainy days

Children will love crafting these fun summer projects.

Flower Pressing

Flower pressing is a great way to preserve and study the beautiful flowers grown in UK gardens. Once you’ve pressed your flowers, you can continue the creativity and make them into greetings cards or bookmarks.

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Pressed flower heads/Credit: Getty images

Pebble Decorating

Decorating pebbles is an easy summer activity, simply collect pebbles from a trip to the beach and decorate them when you get home. Once decorated, they can be used as paperweights or decorations, and make for great gifts for the family.

Similarly, you can grow your own herbs and create pretty, decorative pebble labels.

Alternatively, why not make your own pebble domino set?

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Make your own pebble dominoes, a perfect homemade gift

Make a garden fairy lantern

Create an enchanting garden fairy jar with foraged mosses and plants – it’s a fun and crafty way to spend an afternoon and will leave you with a magical lantern to light up your night

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Create your own enchanting fairy jar