Entertaining your family doesn't need to break the bank. From marshlands to highlands, countryside to city, Britain has fantastic, fun, family things to do and you don't have to part with your precious pennies to enjoy them.
Across England the Community Forests programme is flourishing. Located in and around the country's largest towns and cities, these forests offer everyone the chance to tramp through the woods: Forest of Avon, Forest of Mercia, Great Western Community Forest, The Greenwood Community Forest, The Mersey Forest, Red Rose Forest, South Yorkshire Forest and Thames Chase.
If you've got some cash in the budget for travel to the capital, London is crammed with free activities to keep boredom at bay.
A walk down the South Bank will take in the Tate Modern, the London Eye (fun to look at without even getting on), the National Theatre, National Film Theatre, Shakespeare's Globe, Hayward Gallery and Royal Festival Hall. Many of these arts venues feature free exhibitions and family events as well as cafes and shops. This bustling area beside the Thames has lots of open space and is also home to street performers and markets and offers a real taste of London without the expense.
Greenwich in the south east of London can easily entertain a family for a day on zero cash. Not only is there the beautiful riverside location and Greenwich park, visitors can tour the Maritime Museum, the Old Royal Naval College incorporating the stunning Painted Hall and Chapel, and soak up the sights and sounds of Greenwich market at no charge.
Family favourites, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum in South Kensington can always be relied upon to inspire and educate, for free. The Natural History Museum features the science lab, Earth Lab and Discovery guides for children whilst the Science Museum offers The Garden, Pattern Pod and Launchpad galleries.
If you find yourself in Wales, the Big Pit National Mining Museum is a real coal mine where you can take an underground tour with a miner (subject to age restrictions) and learn about Britain's mining heritage at no cost.
Scotland is full of outstanding free natural sights including the Red Squirrel Trail in Dumfries & Galloway and the Trossachs Bird of Prey Trail.
The Castlefield area of Manchester is a living memorial to the city's industrial past. Visitors can explore the Urban Heritage Park and tour the Museum of Science and Industry for free. The museum is housed in five listed buildings on the site of the world's oldest surviving passenger railway station in the south west of the city centre.
Lickey Hills Country Park lies to the south west of Birmingham city centre and sprawls across 524 acres, perfect for little legs to run wild. The Visitor Centre provides information on nature trails, guided walks and other activities organised by the Ranger Service. As well as acres of woodland, conifer plantations and heathland, there is a large adventure playground, tea room, an eighteen hole Golf course, bowls, tennis and putting green, a purpose built wheelchair pathway and viewing platform.
For a whole host of creepy crawlies and sea life, head to the World Museum Liverpool with its Bug House, a new aquarium, the Living Laboratory, the World Cultures gallery, the Weston Discovery Centre, Clore Natural History Centre and the first ever fairtrade museum shop in the UK.
Lotherton Hall is an Edwardian country house set in beautiful parkland 13 miles north-east of Leeds city centre. There's free entry to the grounds which contain nature trails, a red deer park, bird garden, cafe and family play area.
Rugged cliffs and dramatic dunes, pretty promenades and deck chairs, Britain's beaches cater for all tastes and cost nothing to enjoy. Apart from your ice creams, of course. The choices are endless, from Dungeness, Camber and Whitstable in the South East, Aldeburgh, Cromer and Southend-on-Sea in the East to Arnside, Morecambe and Ravenglass in the North West; Tynemouth, Redcar and Cleveland in the North East; and Bude, Polzeath and Poole in the South West.
Pack a picnic, get on your bikes and take advantage of the free National Cycle Network. There are over 12,000 miles of walking and cycle routes on traffic-free paths, quiet lanes and traffic-calmed roads. According to Sustrans, the charity behind the network, 75 per cent of the UK population now lives within two miles of a route. They offer a free interactive mapping service online.
The Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland includes a World Heritage Site, historic castle ruins, breathtaking beaches, the world's oldest whiskey distillery and a top international golf course. The Giants Causeway itself is formed of 40,000 interlocking basalt stone columns that lead into the Irish Sea. Scientists claim this is the result of millions of years of seismic activity whilst others believe it was the creation of the giant Finn McCool to reach Scotland.
Before visiting these attractions, please check with individual venues on up-to-date fee information to avoid disappointment.
For more inspiration and information on family days out, visit Play and Stay anf EnjoyEngland.
By Maxine Clarke
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