Don't give in to the weather this winter, Surrey is teeming with brilliant days out for the whole family. Pack up your wet-wipes, snacks and a taste for adventure, here's a scoop on some of the best.

A great way to let off steam!
Remember the magic of taking a train ride when you were a child? Despite modern trains being more reliable (but very dull), should you choo choo-se it, the Watercress Line still harnesses the wonderful old traditions and style of steam travel.
The Mid Hants Railway is affectionately known as the Watercress Line and runs for 10 miles between Alton and Alresford.
It’s a brilliantly traditional step back to a more relaxed era, when the pace of life was governed by the clickety-clack of the steam engine. The trains and carriages still carry the traditional décor from trains from the 1940’s-70’s and carefully poking your head out of the sliding windows brings back great memories, as you watch the engine wind its way along the track.
Anoraked enthusiasts shuffle to and fro, getting the best position to get a photo or glimpse of these historic chuffers whilst children stand gawping as the giant engines puff away and the sound of the engines and whistles are deafening as they pull into the stations.
The army of passionate enthusiasts and volunteers have ensured that the four stations along the line all look spotless. You can board and disembark the train whenever you like and there are some brilliant spots along the way to stop for a picnic or grab a coffee from one of the buffets (some of which have Wi-Fi). On board there is an old buffet car serving light refreshments and for the more discerning traveller a Real Ale carriage, serving local beer at 1980’s prices!
One lasting memory is the fantastic smell and feel of the steam as it comes pouring out of the engine. It has a startling familiar whiff, although most of us have hardly travelled by steam before.
The staff are fantastic and enhance the enjoyment with titbits of information about the train and service. On our visit, a Ticket Inspector put on a solo performance on the accordion which saw a gaggle of children break into a spontaneous dance routine!
The team behind the Watercress Line have struck a good balance between nostalgia and contemporary and also offer special events throughout the year. Thomas the Tank Engine weekends and Santa Specials through December are very popular and maybe offer a little more to an easily distracted travelling toddler.
The facilities, whilst classically dated, are all in good order. Baby changing facilities, ample parking and a gift shop all add to the experience. They even welcome dogs aboard the Watercress Line - £1 for a Rover ticket!
Price: Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children) - £35 Adults - £14, Children (2-16) - £7, Children under 2 - Free
Parking - pay by the hour
Tel: 01962 733810
www.watercressline.co.uk

Alice's Wonderland... Right on your doorstep
From getting mud splattered in your face to enjoying the peaceful serenity of a picnic in a country park, Alice Holt has something for everybody. It’s a fun day out for the whole family that won’t break the bank.
Four miles south of Farnham, once famous for supplying timber to the Navy, Alice Holt is now part of the South Downs National Park and offers activities for everyone from the adrenalin junkie to the cake quaffing onlooker. On a fresh winter’s day, it’s an excellent place to let the kids run around, whilst you walk off that giant Sunday roast!
There are lots of well marked and interesting walking trails that cope well during the heavier winter months – activities and giant play sculptures along the route help to captivate wandering little minds. There is also mountain bike hire and family trails for those requiring a more energetic visit.
In the summer, the waft of barbequed sausages and burgers fills the air. In the winter, the café serves a freshly prepared mix of piping hot soups and sandwiches/baguettes and a tantalising array of cakes. All at prices you’d expect to pay at a country park
(approximately £3 for a sandwich).
The park offers a stack of extra activities for youngsters throughout the year including building dens, woodcraft, pond dipping and the Christmas Craft sessions are very popular. Details of courses are available through their website.
Combining nature with technology, the Forestry Commission has just launched a brilliant smart phone app too – you can download trail maps before you travel and use the natty ‘Tree Identifier’. It’s downloadable through your app store.
The beauty of Alice Holt is that you can do as little or as much as you want to do/can afford. By taking your own picnic and bikes, you can have a cracking family day out for the coins down the back of your sofa.
Entry Cost: Free
Bike Hire: By the hour through Quench Cycles
Parking: By the hour
www.forestry.gov.uk/aliceholt

Things are looking up… down on the farm
Working farms are always a treat for youngsters, but Bocketts Farm is one of the best. From racing pigs to celebrity cows, set in the beautiful Surrey countryside it has become one of the South East’s most popular all weather attractions.
Nuzzled in Surrey’s rolling hills a few miles from Leatherhead, Bocketts Farm is a working farm that delivers a lot more than you’d expect.
They have a huge selection of animals that youngsters can feed; goats, alpacas and sheep all look on hungrily as they eye up toddlers throwing their bags of feed about willy-nilly.
They also have animal handling sessions where youngsters get to hold and feel the animals – rabbits, guinea pigs and goats get tender (at times, not so tender) affection from lots of clammy little hands.
The extras are what Bocketts do really well, the Pig Racing is a truly interactive event. Race organisers encourage you to pick your favourite coloured piglet before they race around the track to the ever waiting treats. But who will you plump for, Del Boy Trotter or Curly Sue? Lots of whooping and flag waving help the little porcine beasties race around the track.
The tractor ride around the entire farm is well worthwhile. You get a good idea of the layout of the farm and you get a Hollywood encounter with two of the cows from the Nanny McPhee movies.
Also, if you’ve never seen a waddling of ducks racing around an assault course and using a slide, this is your chance!
It’s all very tastefully done and whilst you feel like you’re actually on a farm, all the facilities are very clean and modern and you get the impression that the staff genuinely enjoy being amongst the animals and vice versa.
There is also a huge selection of indoor and outdoor play areas too, even on wet days youngsters will find it impossible to get bored.
The farm is open all year round, but hosts some special visits by Father Christmas in December and their website is always updated with news of new arrivals.
Price: Under 2 - free, 2-3 years: £6.95, 3+ - £8.50
Ample free parking
www.bockettsfarm.co.uk