s the dark and dreary days start to stretch out, it’s time to head outdoors and enjoy one of the south’s biggest country parks. From a 20 minute bimble to a 20 mile bike ride, Queen Elizabeth Country Park (QECP) has something for everybody.
With 2,000 acres of open access woodland QECP has become a real haven for families who want to get outdoors and enjoy themselves without having to pay a king's ransom.
From drinking coffee and devouring freshly made cakes through to horse riding, mountain biking or paragliding, you’re sure to find an activity that suits.
For walkers, the park offers a good selection of walks of varying intensity, for the occasional walker (1.7 miles) right through to the more intrepid hiker who wants to enjoy the South Downs Way (100 miles).
Butser Hill is an intense 45 minute uphill walk, but you’ll be rewarded with fantastic views across Hampshire, Surrey and the Isle of Wight.
Children’s play areas are also well designed, catering for youngsters and more challenging obstacles for the more acrobatic eight years and older.
Or for a more mud splattering experience, the park has permissive horse and mountain bike trails which cater for the novice through to the more experienced rider.
The café offers excellent and airy facilities, with a fine selection of hearty and light food. The giant cake wedges have become a regular favourite with my clan.
One of the best things about QECP is their well managed BBQ areas. After months of eating indoors, what better way to enjoy some al fresco dining than to sit outside and enjoy the sizzle of a banger under the forest’s canopy? You can book hearths to suit all family sizes, but it’s an ideal location for a big family BBQ followed by a good wholesome game of rounders.
You can take as little or as much from QECP as you like. Ultimately, you can have a fun-fuelled family day out for just a few pounds.
Price: Free (except for parking)
BBQ Hire: From £5 - £100 (which includes electricity, toilets, picnic tables etc.)
www3.hants.gov.uk/countryside/qecp

There’s a wild side to the UK that very few of us get to see. The British Wildlife Centre is home to an amazing array of native creatures and critters that will entertain and fascinate youngsters and oldies alike!
In our busy day to day lives, it’s easy to forget just how much wonderful wildlife lives right alongside us. The British Wildlife Centre is home to over 40 different species of British wild animals in large natural enclosures.
Youngsters can get close to foxes, wildcats, otters, badgers and many more, whilst enthusiastic keepers feed the animals and hold regular talks about their survival in the wild. The news that Barn Owls locate and hunt mice by listening out for their heart beat was a revelation for all of us.
The squeaky Pole Cats were a particular favourite of my daughters, as were the large chickens who were nesting on top of a large pile of Brussell Sprouts!
The centre is clean and well organised and whilst you won’t find wi-fi or many interactive elements, it retains a beautifully rustic charm that allows the animals to become the stars.
The relaxed atmosphere at the centre means that you can drift along and take in the scenery at your own pace. Whilst the organised talks take place every 30 minutes, we built our own agenda and dedicated more time to the more mischievous critters, like the red squirrel.
Housed in a walk through enclosure, these rare and curious beasties are more than happy to dart around in circles putting on a show whilst eating chunks of coconut - only then to decide on a change of attitude and jump up on your shoulder to give you the once over.
Patience is important for visitors to the centre, many of the animals are nocturnal and whilst viewing areas are designed to let visitors see behind the scenes, many spring to life just as dusk arrives.
For the very young (like my 20 month old son Jack), he enjoyed the regular landing and take-off patterns from nearby Gatwick airport too.
The café offers a well stocked range of hot and cold foods and caters for little nibblers and big chompers alike.
It’s a fun and educational day out, leaving us all with a nice warm fuzzy glow, knowing that many of the animals we saw actually live in our own neighbourhoods.
Telephone: 01342 834658
Price: Adult £10.50
Children £7.60 (under 3 free)
Family Pass: £33.00
Check website for opening times
www.britishwildlifecentre.co.uk

With spring breaks and Easter getaways just around the corner, the New Forest is home to a little gem that offers the perfect backdrop to swim, cycle, kayak or just kick-back and relax.
Set in the heart of the New Forest, Sandy Balls has been welcoming visitors for over 90 years and is a brilliant hub to get out and about and enjoy the UK’s best National Park.
Whether you’re after a weekend break or something a little longer, there is accommodation to suit all budgets. From taking your own tent through to static homes and luxury woodland lodges, all are set in well organised and secluded surroundings.
Once parked up, you can put your car keys away for a few days and enjoy the facilities on-site. The swimming pools with inflatable sessions provide hours of energy zapping fun and for the more industrious the well equipped gym can offer sanctuary before retiring to the cosy pub or pizzeria in the Piazza.
Dynamic families can enjoy hiring bikes and having a good thrash through the forest – the trails aren’t too long or too severe, but enough to get a good bead-on and enjoy some good downhill screams! Taking the bikes off site is also a great way of getting around the forest to see the ponies, away from the confines of the car.
Of course, for the more gentile, the beauty salon offers a wholesome range of treatments too. Thinking about it, the whole family can enjoy mud-packs, some in a slightly more cultured way than others!
They also put on ‘Get Creative’ activities for youngsters at different times of the day – giving them a chance to let their creative juices flow whilst making some new friends.
Sandy Balls is a brilliant family orientated facility. The kids can race around and burn off their energy, leaving the adults to enjoy some well earned tranquillity when the mayhem finally subsides!
Accomodation costs: deals
available via the website
01425 653042
www.sandyballs.co.uk