7 great summer days out for the family

Make the most of the UK during the warmer months and get back to nature with a safety-first staycation to remember

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Whether you want to try out your new-found cycling skills away from the city or fancy diving into cooling waters and embracing wild swimming, here are seven suggestions to recharge your batteries...

1. Take a walk at Virginia Water

This spectacular destination is only part of a vast, aristocratic pleasure ground of woodlands, parks and meadows that would take weeks to fully explore on foot.

The 4.5-mile circuit of the lake takes you past an eclectic mix of attractions, including an ornamental cascade waterfall, Roman ruins brought from Libya and an authentic 100ft-high totem pole gifted by British Columbia.

With so much space, there is plenty of room for a secluded picnic too.

See windsorgreatpark.co.uk for more information.

2. Cycle the New Forest

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Whether you discovered a love of cycling thanks to the lockdown or have been a convert for many years, the traffic-free and waymarked trails of the New Forest make it an enticing spot for all levels of rider.

If you want to leave your wheels at home, there are plenty of local bike-hire options, which can also provide advice on the best routes for your party – from easy family jaunts to long-distance challenges.

See thenewforest.co.uk for information on cycling routes.

3. Hike through the Chilterns

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Travel safely

Stay safe and have fun with this important travel guidance:

Only travel in a car with members of your household and/or support bubble

Always wear a face covering or mask on public transport

Wash your hands before putting on your face covering and after you’ve taken it off

Wash your face covering daily

Where possible, leave the car behind and reach your destination by walking or cycling

An area of outstanding natural beauty with rolling hills (such as Coombe Hill, above, the highest vantage point in the area), the sparkling chalk streams and ancient woodlands right on London’s doorstep sounds too good to be true, but the Chilterns offer precisely that.

With over 300 square miles of scenery and attractions to absorb the crowds, a quiet route is also a walker's goal. The Chilterns Conservation Board and Chiltern Society have developed a series of 23 walks across the Chilterns which are social-distance-friendly, taking in hill climbs and gentle ambles.

Visit chilternsaonb.org for more details about their social-distance-friendly walks.

4. Kitesurf at Camber Sands

Camber Sands has over two miles of beach to absorb the post-lockdown crowds. The eastern end, marked with black and white flags, is reserved for activities such as kitesurfing, and there is plenty of space for novices to learn how to handle a power kite on land or water.

An introduction from The Kitesurf Centre covers the fundamentals and can be booked as one-to-one coaching, as a single group from the same household, or in groups of up to three people from separate households.

The nearest train station is in Rye, four miles away. A six-hour introduction to kitesurfing course starts at £99, minimum age 12. See thekitesurfcentre.com for details.

5. Go wild swimming

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With the pools closed and the seaside crowded, many swimmers are looking elsewhere to take a dip. Far from the chlorinated confines of the local swimming bath, a fresh water reservoir, lake or river can be an exhilarating alternative, but there are many safety issues to consider before getting wet in the wild, so make sure you read up on the hazards first.

​See outdoorswimmingsociety.com for advice and a directory of open-water swimming lakes to explore.

6. Learn to jet ski

The beaches could be busy, but you can leave the crowds in your wake after completing a Royal Yachting Association (RYA) personal watercraft course that, in just one day, provides you with all you need to safely helm a jet ski inland or on the coast.

There are plenty of places in the UK that can teach you – such as Jetski Safaris in Poole – and no experience is necessary.

Visit jetskiandpowerboattraining.co.uk for more information. Single-person RYA proficiency course for jet skis from £180.

7. Ride on an Olympic bike track

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The Hadleigh mountain bike track hosted the London 2012 Olympics and has evolved since then into one of the premier cross-country destinations in the UK.

Hadleigh Country Park also provides one of the largest green spaces in Essex, with plenty of opportunities to explore the coast from Southend-on-Sea to Benfleet. The nearby castle ruins offer panoramic views of the River Thames and Kent on the opposite shore.

Leigh-on-Sea or Benfleet stations are the closest to the country park. It’s a 10 to 20-minute ride from there to the track. See explore-essex.com for details.

Meet the kayaking instructor...

Having been cooped up during lockdown, it’s safe to say that large numbers are wanting to experience the great outdoors like never before now businesses are reopening.

“We've been ridiculously busy,” says Adrian Fall, below, owner of Brighton-based The Kayak Coach. “People have been so excited about being on the water.”

Fall's passion is teaching people how to kayak, canoe and paddleboard – then leading them on trips up Sussex's beautiful estuaries and rivers.

He set up The Kayak Coach almost 12 years ago and has just taken on two extra staff to add to the three he already employs teaching and guiding on the water: “I love being outside and now's the time to meet people again and introduce them to the sport I love,” he says.

Reopening the business required important changes, as per Government guidelines. Group sizes have been reduced from eight to five to comply with social distancing – “It's actually a nicer experience for everybody,” Fall adds – and all equipment (boat, buoyancy aid, helmet) is cleaned and sterilised after each use.

A one-way system has also been added to its training centre at Ashurst. “We've made changes to what we do. But we're almost back to normal in terms of what we can offer,” Fall explains. Additionally, barrels of water are provided for sailors to wash their hands before and after each session.

Fall admits that the past three months of enforced closure have been tough for the business and lovers of the outdoor life, but that people are “having to look locally because they're not going to France or America”. He adds: “They didn't know we were here, but they're excited about accessing the river on our doorstep.”

See thekayakcoach.com for more details

To help plan your trip visit Know Before You Go

Please keep in mind that England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland currently have different guidelines, advice and timelines for reopening tourism. So do please make sure you check the respective official sources for information before you travel.