immerse

‘Aliens!” The call came loud and shrill from the trees as I scanned the foliage for the unmistakable shape of my four-year-old son. For a moment, nothing stirred. The beams of light from the sun spotlit a nearby clump of bracken so intensely it reminded me of the torches Mulder and Scully used in The X Files.

Then, a rustle came from up ahead. “Quick! I found them,” he yelled before disappearing into a clearing between the pines. I walked on, to find, in front of us, the curved edges and spherical lines of a UFO, coloured so dark it nearly blended into the shadows. It was, of course, a metal sculpture representing the alien vessel said to have landed here over 40 years ago. On top of it stood my son.

Even before I managed to take a decent picture, he wanted to run on again. “We’ve got to find number four now,” he declared.

We were in Suffolk’s Rendlesham Forest, a 15-mile drive from Ipswich, walking a free UFO trail, based on the sighting of unexplained flying objects by US military officers based here in 1980. Loving to follow a trail of any kind over several hours – but especially one where he can tick off numbers, so he knows there is an end (handily, this one culminates in a playground) – he walked, ran and skipped the three miles, while I enjoyed spending time outside with him.

When it comes to the summer holidays, it can feel as if we are doing a countdown. Of the 13 weeks most children get off school each year, six are lumped together over the summer, making July and August feel like a stretch of endless time. Not only can it be a nightmare, due to the juggle of childcare and work, but keeping kids entertained and – crucially – active rather than sat in front of screens can be expensive. So many activities cost a fortune. But there is another way. And it is completely free. And that is the outdoors.

The UFO-themed walk was on Forestry England land, which is one of the first places to turn during the holidays. From interactive app-based trails that allow you to take videos of your child pretending to be a dragon complete with AI wings, to crafting missions where you work together to find natural items on the woodland floor to make the face of the Gruffalo, they are an inexpensive way to immerse yourself in nature.

On the UFO trail, a free leaflet at the start guided us around the trees where I could tell the story of the key sites. My son was so enamoured of the map and tale that the next morning at breakfast he asked me to read it again while he followed the map with his finger and remembered our adventure.

But an outdoor adventure doesn’t have to be deep in the forest, where maps are required. The next day, we headed to Thorpeness, home to the much-photographed House in the Clouds, a former water tower that was disguised as a red and black clapboard house in 1923. Our mission was to find a way to get a good photograph of it. We followed a footpath up a hill, past quirkily painted weatherboarded houses which were popular after the first world war. While I was in awe of the house we had come to see, my little one found it way more exciting to discover the windmill opposite (bought by the creator of the House in the Clouds to help pump the water).

Adjacent to Thorpeness is the town of Aldeburgh, where we spent hours on the shingle beach filling buckets with “magic stones”, chasing the waves, paddling in the North Sea and taking shelter under Maggi Hambling’s giant scallop shell sculpture when rain fell. The day was rounded off with a hearty helping of fish and chips from Aldeburgh Fish and Chips, owned by the same family since 1967. Weeks on, my son still talks about this day as one of the best in his life.

Beaches are always a winner when trying to convince kids that nature is cool. On a previous trip, I took my boy to New Quay in Ceredigion, west Wales (one of a few places that lay claim to being the inspiration for the characters and town in Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood). We didn’t set foot indoors for an entire day. When the tide was out, we set up a beach “base camp” with some shade under a giant parasol, then proceeded to bury each other in the sand. Then we looked for jellyfish washed up on the shore (a great opportunity to teach him about them), went rock pooling in the shallows (we found crabs, limpets, anemones and periwinkles) and built an elaborate fortified river, hewn from the silt using our buckets and spades.

As the temperature rose, we swam in the sea and, just before the end of the day, we were treated to a spectacle of the resident bottlenose dolphins putting on an impromptu performance at dusk. None of this cost a penny. Yet we’d shared some of the best quality time I’ve experienced – bonding over the natural world, revelling in getting sand between our toes, and shivering in the cool waters of the Irish Sea.

For something that feels like a bigger trip to my son, I try to involve a train. A couple of summers ago, we took the fast train to Scotland, then caught the ferry to the Isle of Mull as foot passengers. There, I hired an e-bike with a child seat and trailer, and we stopped off to wild camp near a loch. He helped me put up the tent, I cooked our dinner on a stove and we bonded over a shared love of marshmallows.

We stayed up watching the sunset, despite it being way past his bedtime. “I love the sun so much,” he told me as we saw the sky turn purple. “I don’t want to go to sleep.” He did, thankfully, nod off under a sky full of stars, with not a mention of Bluey, Peppa Pig or any of the other characters he usually demands entertain him. On one of the last days, we woke before dawn. I packed a chocolate croissant in my bag and we climbed the nearest hill to watch the sun rise. He still talks about it and asks when we will do it again.

One of my most memorable trips with him was paddleboarding on the river near our house. I packed a picnic and we paddled to an island, where we sat and watched the birds, while he asked what each one was called and demanded we collect some of their lost feathers to take home, in the hope we might one day be able to make a cape that allowed us to fly back here.

Memories like this are priceless. I know, given his age, he probably won’t remember everything we do, but I hope going into the wild places will instil in him a knowledge that the natural world is a wondrous place and the backdrop to some of our happiest times together. For me, it helps to remember that when it comes to the holidays, instead of counting the days, I need instead to make the days count.

Phoebe Smith is the author of Wayfarer and the 2025 recipient of the Royal Geographical Society’s Ness award for promotion of accessible adventure, particularly to women and those from underprivileged communities

Broadly speaking, Norfolk is perfect for sailing

Hunter’s Yard in Ludham, Norfolk looks after a fleet of 1930s cabin yachts and day boats, some now with electric motors. Beautifully maintained and easy to sail, they provide a restful, beautiful holiday. I used to go on organised cruises in spring and summer as a teenager, then skippered boats for young people on the same cruises. Away from the obvious and popular spots, the Norfolk Broads remain wild and full of birds and animals. Go to your bunk early, with the sound of water, ducks and rigging. Get up early and sail past the sleeping gin palaces. Moor up early near a pub for your evening drinks. Hunters Yard staff are friendly and happy to advise; I’ll never forget the smell of wood and varnish in their workshops.
Rupert

Inspired to poetry by the Cheshire Ring

It was while cruising the Cheshire Ring on a narrowboat that I started to write poetry. Why? I had never seen such glorious, contrasting scenery in England from this angle before – from old mills and factories casting their shadows on the water, to gliding through verdant countryside watching wildlife, to hearing the hustle and bustle of street-life above the canal in Manchester city centre. The circular route is 97 miles long, incorporates six different canals and takes up to two weeks to complete. And, who knows, by the end you too may be writing poetry.
Graham Lilley

On the Elbe from Dresden to Saxon Switzerland

Catch the paddle steamer from Dresden, nicknamed Florence on the Elbe, to Bad Schandau (about €30 for adults) in Saxon Switzerland with its rock formations, views and its walking. The passing steamers welcome each other with a blast from their funnels, startling the somnambulant day trippers. As we wound our way through the river’s bends during the six-hour voyage we passed beautiful villages and regal palaces and sometimes were accompanied by birds in flight such as herons. The waiters ensured a steady flow of refreshment including pilsners and wurst.
Dave Henry

An idyllic escape on the River Wye, Herefordshire

Canoeing down the River Wye makes for an idyllic escape. Many companies offer trips ranging from half a day to four days, suitable for all levels of enthusiasm and ability. We chose the scenic stretch from Hoarwithy to Symonds Yat, camping overnight at picturesque Ross-on-Wye. The river is ideal for novice canoeists – it’s calm throughout, surrounded by constant, stunning scenery. Drift along, stop for a picnic and immerse yourself in nature. A perfect summer adventure – just remember, canoes don’t offer much shelter from the elements.
Harry Crane

No locks but plenty of joy on the Lancaster canal

My two boys and I had a four-day break on the Lancaster canal, where you don’t encounter locks for the entire 41 miles. It was an absolute joy; the boys enjoyed it and didn’t look at their phones once. Even in the rain it was great fun. We hired our boat from Bluebell Narrowboat.
Tony

Sun rays and vineyards in Portugal

My 12-hour, €70 river cruise along the Douro River last autumn was a beautiful way to embrace the benefits of slow travel and enjoy the subtle, soulful vibe of the colours and atmosphere of Portugal. We chugged out of Porto and were soon sliding past rolling green vineyards, tinged with yellow and gold as the September sun cast its rays and magical shadows on deck. Sitting there watching the sun set over the hills and valleys as we glided along felt surreal. The village of Pinhão was a delight, with the grape harvest drawing a lively crowd for festivities.
Yasmin

Seabirds on the cliffs of East Yorkshire

Forget the blue lagoons and glass-bottom boats beloved of Mediterranean tourist resorts and step on board the Yorkshire Belle (adults from £25) at Bridlington. This historic boat will take you out around the craggy bulk of Flamborough Head to the vertiginous cliffs at Bempton for a puffin’s eye view of one of the largest sea bird colonies in the UK. The sounds and the smell will hit you first before the boat takes you within touching distance of the cliffs where during the nesting season you will see thousands of gannets, guillemots, kittiwakes and of course puffins, wheeling and diving above and below the water. Back on terra firma a short distance north of the town you can see the birds from a viewing area on the grassland above the cliffs where you may spot the burrows housing the puffin chicks.
John

Birders’ delight in the Scottish Highlands

I recently enjoyed a superb cruise on Loch Shiel near Fort William, the fourth longest in Scotland and one without a road running along it. The cruise offers beautiful scenery but for birders it’s extraordinary, with a good chance of seeing white-tailed eagles, golden eagles, black throated divers and more. A variety of cruises by Highland Cruises on the MV Sileas are offered, from about 90 minutes long to a full day, and cost from about £25, but consult the timetable to find one that suits you.
Pete Dale

From Italy to Switzerland across Lake Lugano

Last year, while travelling around northern Italy, I took the advice of a waiter in Milan and headed out to the pretty lakeside village of Porto Ceresio and waited for the public boat to Lugano in Switzerland. From the open-air deck of the gleaming white boat we could see pine-clad hills and snow-topped Alpine peaks soaring up in the distance. The journey took just over an hour. There was enough time to explore the town and have a swim in the clean energising lakeside waters before returning. This was also brilliant in the early evening light.
Nick

Winning tip: kingfishers and vines in western France

We hired a cottage in the Marais Poitevin (known as the Green Venice), which is partly in the Vendée between La Rochelle and Niort, which came with its own large canoe. Rather than exploring the wider area as planned, we spent almost the entire week paddling up and down the marsh’s canal network with its lush, green backwaters full of kingfishers and, in places, with vines laden with grapes hanging down to the boat.
Jo Baker