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Craggy Island Indoor Climbing Centre, Guildford, Surrey

Climbing, Surrey
ACTION & ADVENTURE
It’s not just Londoners and locals who love Guildford’s Craggy Island; climbers from right across the south make the pilgrimage to its top-notch facilities. There’s a 20-metre traverse wall, a huge bouldering room, a seven-metre-high wall for beginners, ten-metre-high walls for intermediates, a freeform rock arch and a competition tower with five-metre overhangs. Book in for a 90-minute taster session and see what all the fuss is about.
Further information Craggy Island Indoor Climbing Centre, Unit 9, Cobbett Park, Slyfield Industrial Estate, Moorfield Rd, Guildford, Surrey (01483 566880/www.craggy-island.com). Open Mon-Fri 10am-10pm, Sat 9am-8pm, Sun 10am-7.30pm. Non-members £10, full equipment hire £5.
Getting there
By rail: Guildford is served by South West Trains (0845 6000 650/www.southwesttrains.co.uk) from Waterloo. From the rail station catch bus 34 or 35 or take a £6 taxi ride.
By road: Exit M25 at J10, Craggy Island is ten mins along the A3. Feature continues

Dinghy sailing, Southampton
ACTION & ADVENTURE
The sheltered waters of the Solent make it one of the best places to learn to sail in the UK. With its international yachting reputation to uphold, the city is geared up for its many visiting seadogs – novices, leisure sailors and competitive crews alike. Southampton Water Activities Centre runs dinghy sailing lessons for all levels, as well as family sailing and one-to-one tuition. Its half-day Taster Sailing sessions are part demonstration, part instruction. They take place throughout August and September cost £25 for adults, £15 for children, and are open to anyone over the age of eight.
Further information Southampton tourist information (023 8083 3333/www.visit-southampton.co.uk). Southampton Water Activities Centre, Floating Bridge Rd, Chapel, Southampton (023 8091 575/www.swac.co.uk).
Getting there
By rail: Southampton Central is served by South West Trains (0845 600 0650/www.southwesttrains.co.uk) from Waterloo.
By road: Exit M25 at J12 for M3 to Southampton.

Royal Horticultural Society Garden at Wisley, Surrey
FAMILY
The Royal Horticultural Gardens at Wisley offer a visual treat for anyone with even slightly green fingers and is a tranquil yet inspiring environment to while away a summer’s day. Browse the immaculate gardens and exotic glasshouses and then treat yourselves to a delicious lunch or quintessentially English afternoon tea at the Terrace Restaurant. Best of all, visit the impressive Plant Centre and choose one of more than 10,000 different species to take home and add to your own private oasis.
Further information Wisley, Woking, Surrey (0870 608 2608/www.rhs.org.uk). Open Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat, Sun 9am-6pm. Royal Horticultural Society members free, adults £7.50, children (six-16) £2, under-sixes free.
Getting there
By rail: West Byfleet and Woking are served by Southwest Trains (0845 6000 650/www.southwesttrains.co.uk) from Waterloo.
By road: Wisley is just off the A3 south of J10 on the M25.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Hampshire

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
HERITAGE
Four star nautical attractions cluster in Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard: Nelson’s flagship, HMS Victory; the world’s first all-iron warship, HMS Warrior; the remains of Henry VIII’s Mary Rose, on display inside a fascinating visitors’ centre; and the Royal Navy Museum. If you want to visit the lot, buy a Portsmouth Historic Dockyard All-Inclusive ticket (adults £15.50, children £12.50), which is valid for one year and includes admission to the Trafalgar Sail Exhibition and Action Stations, and a boat tour of the harbour. Towering above the harbour is the 541-foot Spinnaker Tower, with an observation gallery at its summit.
Further information Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Victory Gate, HM Naval Base, Portsmouth (023 9283 9766/www.historicdockyard.co.uk); Spinnaker Tower, Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth (023 9285 7520/www.spinnakertower.co.uk). Open daily 10am-10pm. £7, children £5.50, under-threes free.
Getting there
By rail: Portsmouth Harbour is served by South West Trains (0870 000 5151/ www.southwesttrains.co.uk) from Waterloo.
By road: Leave London via A3 and A3M, take A27, M27 then M275 to Portsmouth.

Windsor Castle, Berkshire
HERITAGE
Naturally Windsor Castle attracts its fair share of tourists. As well as being one of Her Majesty’s official residences, it’s the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world. However, if you don’t want to get caught up in the camera-wielding crowds, you can take it in from a distance – there are fantastic views of the exterior from the Long Walk in Windsor Great Park or from a boat along the river. The castle was originally built by William the Conqueror, with countless rambling extensions added since. Admission to the castle usually includes entry to the state apartments, St George’s Chapel – where the Queen Mother is buried – Queen Mary’s dolls’ house, the Albert Memorial Chapel, the castle precincts and the gallery.
Further information Windsor Castle, Windsor (020 7766 7304/www.royal.gov.uk). Open daily 9.45am-5.15pm. Adults £14.80, children (five-17) £8.50, under-fives free.
Getting there
By rail: Windsor & Eton Riverside is served by South West Trains (0870 000 5151/www.southwesttrains.co.uk) from Waterloo. Windsor & Eton Central is served by First Great Western (08457 000125/www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk) from Paddington via Slough.
By road: Take A4 then M4 out of London, pick up B470 to Windsor.

Seven miles of golden sand at Bournemouth, Dorse

Bournemouth, Dorset
SEASIDE
Skip the town centre and instead linger in the tropical gardens and on Bournemouth’s seven-mile long beach. Sandy, clean and backed by grassy cliffs, it’s a classic English seaside escape. Here, you aren’t required to do anything more strenuous than apply sunscreen, lie back on a deckchair, pick grains of sand out of your sandwich and lick the drips from a melting ice cream. For a change of scene, you could take a ferry run by The Dorset Cruise Company from Bournemouth Pier out to Brownsea Island, the last English habitat of the red squirrel. Owned by the National Trust, the island is criss-crossed with forested trails leading to picnic spots with fine views.
Further information Bournemouth tourist information (0845 051 1701/www.bournemouth.co.uk); Brownsea Island (01202 707744/www.nationaltrust.org.uk). Adults £4.90, children £2.40; The Dorset Cruise Company (01202 558550/www.dorsetcruises.co.uk). Cruises to Brownsea Island depart from Bournemouth Pier at 10.45pm, 12.45pm, 2.30pm. Adults £7.50, children £3.
Getting there
By rail: Bournemouth is served by South West Trains (0845 6000 650/www.southwesttrains.co.uk) from Waterloo.
By road: Exit M25 at J12, then take M3, M27, A31, then A338 to Bournemouth.

New Fores

Sway, New Forest, Hampshire
WILDLIFE
One of the most individual stretches of countryside in the south of England, the New Forest is neither new nor really a forest. Much of the area could be more aptly described as open heath, although wooded parts do contain an astonishing variety of trees – among them, holly, yew, birch, Scots pine, oak and beech – in their 145 or so square miles. Deer abound, but it’s the ponies who are the real kings of the forest, roaming wild and grazing where they please, oblivious to the cars queuing in their wake. The secluded village of Sway is a good base with numerous walks and cycle rides into the New Forest. It’s also the happy location of a reputable restaurant with rooms, The Nurse’s Cottage. Menu ingredients are sourced locally, as are the handmade chocolates and fresh flowers in the bedrooms.
Further information New Forest tourist information (023 8028 2269/ www.thenewforest.co.uk); The Nurse’s Cottage, Station Rd, Sway (01590 683402/www.nursescottage.co.uk).
Getting there
By rail: Sway is served by South West Trains (0870 000 5151/www.southwesttrains.co.uk) from Waterloo.
By road: Exit M25 at J12, take M23, A31, A337 then B3055 to Sway.

Go Ape! high-rope course, Berkshire
ACTION & ADVENTURE
Hoot and holler your way around Swinley Forest’s Go Ape! high-rope course. You’ll wonder where the past three hours have gone when you finally reach the end of this spider’s web of rope bridges, Tarzan swings and zip slides, which dangles over two metres above the dank forest ground. There’s a minimum age of ten and height of 1.4 metres; otherwise anyone can make the scramble. Over-18s £25, children aged ten-17 £20. Book in advance.
Further information Go Ape!, The Look Out, Nine Mile Ride, Swinley Forest, Bracknell, Berkshire (0870 444 5562/www.goape.co.uk). Open daily 9am-5pm.
Getting there
By rail: Bracknell is served by South West Trains (0845 6000 650/www.southwesttrains.co.uk) from Waterloo.
By road: Exit M4 at J10, then take A329, then A322 and follow signs.

From: Euston | King's Cross | Liverpool Street | Fenchurch Street | Waterloo | Charing Cross | Victoria | Paddington | Marylebone