Climb to reach a spectacular view point and reward yourself after with a warm drink next to a crackling fire.
Go for a morning stroll to the beach or a waters-edge and take a flask of hot soup or tea so you can sit and enjoy the smells and sounds. You could even take a small fire pit or bbq or invest in a hiking / backpacking stove for lunch. Kids love cooking outdoors and you don’t need to be camping to benefit. I still remember my dad’s old Primus stove when we were children.
Learn something new… Look up your local museum or visitor centre. The Wildlife Trusts and Nature Reserves often have inspiring places to visit. We love the Norfolk Wildlife Trust Cley Marshes Visitor Centre where you can grab a bite to eat while learning and spotting rare and interesting birds. Castles and historic towns and villages also make great learning topics for all the family.
Be Active… it’s probably a critical part of a winter holiday as you need to be active to keep warm while visiting the sites… but being active is also great for your physical and mental Wellbeing. Why not hire a bike and if you have kids you can usually opt for a trailer that is covered to keep the wind off. Or look up your local pool… And even better you can find a list of outdoor lido’s online that open in the winter. If you need something less energetic look up a local yoga studio, they sometimes have family yoga classes available.
Eat healthy… plan some simple quick and easy healthy dishes and take lots of healthy yummy snacks to give you energy. Cooking up some frozen sauces and dishes before hand will also make it feel more of a holiday. A healthy bean chilli, or pasta sauce is a great option. It is becoming increasingly easy to find vegan and vegetarian cafe’s and restaurants so do your research before hand. We visited PlumVanilla Cafe in Narbeth and what a treat. The food was delicious and there was even a small selection of toys for the kids.
The British coast line is beautiful in the winter and if you wrap up warm and the sun comes out you can get all the benefits (minus a swim)... Kids love to rock climb, searching for shells and stones and take great pleasure in running around the sand dunes or throwing their finds back into the sea. It’s incredibly good value during this time of year and also very peaceful and tranquil.