Kids

Hever Castle, Kent
This enchanting, double-moated thirteenth-century castle is said to be the place where Henry VIII courted Anne Boleyn. The grounds now boast splendid Italian gardens, as well as a large lake and rose garden. Among Hever’s popular attractions are a ‘splashing water’ maze and the Guthrie Miniature Model Houses Collection, which depicts country house living from medieval to Victorian times. At weekends throughout August, the Knights of Royal England will hold a jousting tournament at 2pm.
Hever Castle, Hever, Kent (01732 865224/www.hevercastle.co.uk). Rail: London Bridge to Hever, 40 minutes, plus 1mile walk. Road: M25, exit 5.

Hop Farm Country Park, Kent
Set among the world’s largest collection of Victorian oast houses, this old Hop Farm now boasts an interactive museum with children’s playgrounds, play barns, go-karts, crazy golf, dray carts pulled by robust shire horses and activities galore. There are plenty of events and activities going on to keep the whole family occupied – this summer sees the ‘Storyland’ event where famous fictional characters appear and monster truck racing on August 20 and 21.
Beltring, Paddock Wood, Kent (01622 872068/www.thehopfarm.co.uk). Rail: Charing Cross to Paddock Wood, 50 minutes, from £11. Road: A2 towards Tonbridge then follow signs. Feature continues

Howletts Wild Animal Park, Kent
BEST FOR WILD ANIMALS
Almost 50 gorillas are housed here as well as African elephants, Siberian tigers and lots more. In the new ‘Wood in the Park’ area, you can walk alongside and below a free-roaming family of amazingly agile and lively lemurs. Many of the species at Howletts are endangered, and it runs a programme reintroducing species into the wild. It’s low on waterslides and seesaws because the animals are the priority.
Howletts Wild Animal Park, Bekesbourne, nr Canterbury, Kent (01227 721286/ www.totallywild.net). Rail: Victoria to Bekesbourne then 30-minute walk or shuttle bus (peak times). Road: M2, then A2.

Leeds Castle, Kent
Built soon after the Norman Conquest, this magnificent castle has been immaculately maintained throughout the ages. There are grand halls and chambers inside, but it’s outside where the most fun can be had. The maze is an unusual piece of landscaping and takes some navigating. Its castellated hedges have a grotto at the centre, which takes you through a mysterious underground passage. There’s also a pretty riverside pathway bustling with black swans and peacocks, and aviaries full of unusual species of birds.
Leeds Castle, Maidstone, Kent (01622 765400/www.leeds-castle.com). Rail: Cannon St to Bearsted, 50 minutes. Road: A20 towards Dover, follow signs to B2163.

Legoland, Berkshire
Children of pacifist parents will have fond memories of those tiny plastic bricks which could be made into an array of primary-coloured firearms. Now you can take your kids to the park, where everything is on a much more impressive scale and tots will be agog. Slightly older children will appreciate the bigger rides. Better than you’d imagine, and kids seem to adore it.
Legoland, Winkfield Rd, Windsor, Berks (08705 040404/www.lego.com/legoland/windsor). Rail: Waterloo to Windsor and Eton Riverside, 50 minutes. Road: M4 exit 6 for B3022.

Leigh-on-Sea, Essex
Right next to Southend-on-Sea, this might not initially sound like everyone’s idea of a cultural day out. But, far more than being the posh bit of ‘Sarfend’, Leigh is home to a thriving arts and crafts movement. Old Leigh, down by the estuary, has a quaint old museum, a decent restaurant (The Boatyard) and even a couple of cockle stalls (vinegar and plastic fork included).
Rail: Fenchurch St to Leigh-on-Sea, 45 minutes. Road: A13, follow signs to Southend.

Mountfitchet Norman village, Essex
The eleventh-century Mountfitchet Castle today is reduced to isolated piles of rubble, although a ‘working’ Norman village has been constructed on the original site to give some indication of life more than 900 years ago. Thus the many buildings scattered around the original motte date from the 1980s and are populated by waxwork figures. There’s a host of tame animals, including fallow deer, Jacob sheep (an ancient breed kept by the Normans) and poultry. The adjoining House on the Hill Toy Museum is great for younger kids, with more than 80,000 exhibits from the Victorian era through to the 1980s.
Mountfitchet Norman village, Stanstead Mountfitchet, Essex (01279 813237/ www.mountfitchetcastle.com). Rail: Liverpool St to Mountfitchet, one hour. Road: M11 exit 8.

Painshill Landscape Gardens, Surrey
Painshill consists of 160 acres of subtle and surprising vistas created by Charles Hamilton in the eighteenth century. The landscapes – which include a vineyard, Chinese bridge, crystal grotto, Turkish tent, a newly restored hermitage and a gothic tower – are a work of art that influenced the future of England’s countryside. Family events take place on Sundays and bank holidays throughout the year. There are ongoing activities, from kite-making to Punch & Judy shows, to birds of prey demonstrations.
Painshill Park Trust, Portsmouth Rd, Cobham, Surrey (01932 868113/ www.painshill.co.uk). Rail: Waterloo to Cobham, 40 minutes. Road: M25 exit 10.

Poole, Dorset
With its wonderfully clean sweeping golden beaches, Poole is well worth a family day trip. It’s been a bustling port since the Middle Ages, and was particularly prosperous during the Georgian era. To soak up the ancient atmosphere, follow the signposted Cockle Trail, a one-hour walk around the old town, passing the huge Poole pottery warehouse. Don’t forget to take a boat trip to the pretty National Trust-owned Brownsea Island – always a magical treat for the kids.
Rail: Waterloo to Poole, two hours. Road: M3, M27 then follow signs.

Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Kent
Port Lympne consists of a spectacular mansion overlooking 350 acres of wilderness, where animals coexist in the closest thing this country has to an uninterrupted nature reserve. The easiest way to see everything is on an African Safari Experience trailer tour, which takes you through communities of wildebeest, zebras and giraffes in the Kentish wilderness. Expeditions on foot (a round trip covers roughly 5km) can be rewarding. Don’t miss Palace of the Apes, the largest family gorilla house in the world, with its bachelor gorilla groups. Other wild animals to look out for include black rhinos, lions, tigers, elephants, wolves and monkeys.
Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Lympne, nr Hythe, Kent (0870 750 4647/www.totallywild.net). Rail: Waterloo to Ashford International, one hour. Road: M20 exit 11.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
Honour Nelson’s victory at Trafalgar by boarding the ship that witnessed Horatio’s finest (and last) hour? Beautifully restored and hugely impressive, HMS Victory rests at Portsmouth’s historic dockyard along with the world’s first iron warship, HMS Warrior, and the remains of the Mary Rose. It’s still home to the Navy, so you might even glimpse one of its modern-day grey warships in the adjacent working dockyard.
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Flagship Portsmouth Trust Visitor Centre, Victory Gate, HM Naval Base, Portsmouth, Hants (023 9283 9766/ www.flagship.org.uk). Rail: Waterloo to Portsmouth, one hour 30 minutes. Road: A3, A27.