Tilford Woods Lodge Retreat - Fun Days Out

Thorpe Park sits between Chertsey and Staines-upon-Thames in Surrey, on the site of old flooded gravel pits that give it a watery setting. It opened in 1979 and is run by Merlin Entertainments. Today it's a full day of rides, with a strong line-up of roller coasters.

Big names include Hyperia, Stealth, Colossus, Nemesis Inferno and SAW – The Ride. If you'd rather get wet, there are water rides such as Tidal Wave, Depth Charge and Storm Surge. The park also has gentler rides for those who prefer to laugh rather than scream. Older visitors may like the history too: Flying Fish began life as Space Station Zero, the park's first coaster. Coaster fans, families and groups of friends will all find rides to suit them.

Tip: Book your tickets online in advance to guarantee entry.

Legoland Windsor is a LEGO-themed theme park and resort in Windsor, Berkshire, on the site of the former Windsor Safari Park. It has more than 55 rides and attractions across 11 themed lands, plus live shows, building workshops and the Miniland models. It is the most visited theme park in the UK.

Younger children are the main audience. They can earn a driving licence at the LEGO City Driving School, ride the Dragon Coaster through a medieval castle, or explore a lost underwater city in a submarine. Older kids and LEGO fans can head for Flight of the Sky Lion, a flying theatre ride, or the Minifigure Speedway dueling rollercoaster. There is also an indoor LEGO-themed Adventure Golf course, and the BIG Shop is the UK's largest LEGO store. Children under 90cm go free.

Tip: Book your tickets in advance to guarantee entry, and pre-book parking to save time on the day.

The Devil's Punch Bowl is a large natural amphitheatre just east of Hindhead, in the Surrey Hills. Its steep slopes are covered in heathland, streams and woodland, and the site is a Site of Special Scientific Interest with wildlife such as the lesser spotted woodpecker and common redstart. The National Trust has cared for it since 1906. Waymarked trails run through the heathland and woodland, and the Greensand Way passes through the estate.

Gibbet Hill, on the rim of the bowl, is the highest point at 272 metres. On a clear day the view takes in the London skyline, some 38 miles away. There's a café by the car park, and a natural play trail starting behind the café building has climbing and balancing activities for children. A 300m easy access circular route leads from the car park to a sandstone viewing platform. Many paths down into the bowl are very steep.

Tip: For a short, easy first look, take the 300m circular route from the car park to the sandstone viewing platform. Paths down into the bowl are very steep.

Windsor Castle is a royal residence in Berkshire, founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century. Royal Collection Trust describes it as the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, and it has been home to 40 monarchs. The grounds cover 13 acres and combine a fortress, a palace and a small town.

Highlights include the State Apartments, the Semi-State Rooms, Queen Mary's Dolls' House and the 15th-century St George's Chapel, where ten kings are buried, including Henry VIII and Charles I. You can also see the Round Tower on its man-made mound and the castle precincts. Changing the Guard is among the listed highlights. For children, there are free activity trails for ages 7 to 11 and a family multimedia guide with Scorch the dragon. The Undercroft Café, one of the oldest surviving spaces in the castle, is there for a tea and cake break.

Tip: The castle sits at the top of a steep hill and much of the site is outdoors, so wear comfortable shoes and allow for long walking distances.

Jane Austen's House is a small independent museum in the village of Chawton, near Alton in Hampshire. It occupies the 17th-century house where Jane Austen lived with her mother, her sister Cassandra and family friend Martha Lloyd. Here she revised Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey for publication, and wrote Mansfield Park, Emma and Persuasion. The house is Grade I listed.

Inside, the furniture on display includes a Clementi pianoforte similar to the one she owned and a Hepplewhite bureau-bookcase containing several of her works. The collection also holds eighteen music books that belonged to her, with pieces copied out in her own hand. The museum holds regular events, including recitals on the pianoforte and performances based on her books.

Farnham Castle in Surrey was built in 1138 by Henri de Blois, Bishop of Winchester, and was home to the Bishops of Winchester for over 800 years. It is a stone motte and bailey fortress, with a shell keep on a large mound, a triangular inner bailey of domestic buildings and a fifteenth-century brick entrance tower.

The keep has an exhibition on 900 years of the castle's history, and the grounds cover five acres of gardens overlooking the town. Look out for the stories behind the walls: Mary I stayed here before her wedding to Philip of Spain, and during the Second World War the castle trained Royal Engineers in military camouflage. Local guides also run tours of the Bishop's Palace.

Tip: Tours of the Bishop's Palace run on certain days only, so check before you go if you want to join one.

Bekonscot in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, is a model village built at one inch to one foot and opened to the public in 1929. It is commonly described as the oldest surviving model village in the UK. Its miniature villages capture rural English life in the 1930s, with a cathedral, castle, airport, zoo and cricket match, plus shops with punning names such as Miss A. Stitch the dressmaker. A gauge 1 model railway links the villages, and gardens surround the models.

You can walk round at your own pace, looking down on the scenes from different viewpoints. There is also a 7¼ inch gauge ride-on railway, self-drive boats, a children's play area and a tearoom. Families, model railway fans and anyone who enjoys fine detail will get the most from it. Reviewers say it still works well on a wet day.

Tip: Head for the ride-on miniature railway and look out for the punning shop names as you go round.

Marwell Zoo is a 140-acre zoo at Colden Common, near Winchester, run by the conservation charity Marwell Wildlife. It is home to hundreds of animals, including giraffes, leopards, meerkats and penguins, with red pandas, snow leopards and a walkthrough lemur exhibit among the other residents.

Alongside the animals there are seven adventure play areas, cafés and a gift shop, and animal feeds are on offer, subject to availability. The zoo sits in the grounds of Grade I listed Marwell Hall, which dates from around 1320. Families with children are the natural fit, though anyone who likes wildlife and a long walk outdoors will find plenty to fill the day. Café Graze serves hot food, sandwiches and sweet treats, and has vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options.

Tip: Book tickets online for the correct day before you arrive, and allow about 4 hours on a first visit.